Exodus 35

1 Moses called together the whole community of the people of Israel and said to them, "This is what the Lord has commanded you to do:

2 You have six days in which to do your work, but the seventh day is to be sacred, a solemn day of rest dedicated to me, the Lord. Anyone who does any work on that day is to be put to death. ¹

3 Do not even light a fire in your homes on the Sabbath."

4 Moses said to all the people of Israel, "This is what the Lord has commanded:

5 Make an offering to the Lord. Everyone who wishes to do so is to bring an offering of gold, silver, or bronze;

6 fine linen; blue, purple, and red wool; cloth made of goats' hair;

7 rams' skin dyed red; fine leather; acacia wood;

8 oil for the lamps; spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet-smelling incense;

9 carnelians and other jewels to be set in the High Priest's ephod and in his breastpiece.

10 "All the skilled workers among you are to come and make everything that the Lord commanded:

11 the Tent, its covering and its outer covering, its hooks and its frames, its crossbars, its posts, and its bases;

12 the Covenant Box, its poles, its lid, and the curtain to screen it off;

13 the table, its poles, and all its equipment; the bread offered to God;

14 the lampstand for the light and its equipment; the lamps with their oil;

15 the altar for burning incense and its poles; the anointing oil; the sweet-smelling incense; the curtain for the entrance of the Tent;

16 the altar on which to burn offerings, with its bronze grating attached, its poles, and all its equipment; the washbasin and its base;

17 the curtains for the enclosure, its posts and bases; the curtain for the entrance of the enclosure;

18 the Tent pegs and ropes for the Tent and the enclosure;

19 and the magnificent garments the priests are to wear when they serve in the Holy Place - the sacred clothes for Aaron the priest and for his sons."

20 All the people of Israel left,

21 and everyone who wished to do so brought an offering to the Lord for making the Tent of the Lord's presence. They brought everything needed for use in worship and for making the priestly garments.

22 All who wanted to, both men and women, brought decorative pins, earrings, rings, necklaces, and all kinds of gold jewelry and dedicated them to the Lord.

23 Everyone who had fine linen; blue, purple, or red wool; cloth of goats' hair; rams' skin dyed red; or fine leather, brought it.

24 All who were able to contribute silver or bronze brought their offering for the Lord, and all who had acacia wood which could be used for any of the work brought it.

25 All the skilled women brought fine linen thread and thread of blue, purple, and red wool, which they had made.

26 They also made thread of goats' hair.

27 The leaders brought carnelians and other jewels to be set in the ephod and the breastpiece

28 and spices and oil for the lamps, for the anointing oil, and for the sweet-smelling incense.

29 All the people of Israel who wanted to brought their offering to the Lord for the work which he had commanded Moses to do.

30 Moses said to the Israelites, "The Lord has chosen Bezalel, the son of Uri and grandson of Hur from the tribe of Judah.

31 God has filled him with his power and given him skill, ability, and understanding for every kind of artistic work,

32 for planning skillful designs and working them in gold, silver, and bronze;

33 for cutting jewels to be set; for carving wood; and for every other kind of artistic work.

34 The Lord has given to him and to Oholiab son of Ahisamach, from the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach their crafts to others.

35 He has given them skill in all kinds of work done by engravers, designers, and weavers of fine linen; blue, purple, and red wool; and other cloth. They are able to do all kinds of work and are skillful designers.

Exodus 35 Commentary

Chapter 35

The sabbath to be observed. (1-3) The free gifts for the tabernacle. (4-19) The readiness of the people in general. (20-29) Bezaleel and Aholiab called to the work. (30-35)

Verses 1-3 The mild and easy yoke of Christ has made our sabbath duties more delightful, and our sabbath restraints less irksome, than those of the Jews; but we are the more guilty by neglecting them. Surely God's wisdom in giving us the sabbath, with all the mercy of its purposes, are sinfully disregarded. Is it nothing to pour contempt upon the blessed day, which a bounteous God has given to us for our growth in grace with the church below, and to prepare us for happiness with the church above?

Verses 4-19 The tabernacle was to be dedicated to the honour of God, and used in his service; and therefore what was brought for it, was an offering to the Lord. The rule is, Whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring. All that were skilful must work. God dispenses his gifts; and as every man hath received, so he ( 1 Peter. 4:10 ) materials to work on; those that were skilful, must serve the tabernacle with their skill: as they needed one another, so the ( 1 Corinthians. 12:7-21 )

Verses 20-29 Without a willing mind, costly offerings would be abhorred; with it, the smallest will be accepted. Our hearts are willing, when we cheerfully assist in promoting the cause of God. Those who are diligent and contented in employments considered mean, are as much accepted of God as those engaged in splendid services. The women who spun the goats' hair were wise-hearted, because they did it heartily to the Lord. Thus the labourer, mechanic, or servant who attends to his work in the faith and fear of God, may be as wise, for his place, as the most useful minister, and he equally accepted of the Lord. Our wisdom and duty consist in giving God the glory and use of our talents, be they many or few.

Verses 30-35 Here is the Divine appointment of the master-workmen, that there might be no strife for the office, and that all who were employed in the work might take direction from, and give account to them. Those whom God called by name to his service, he filled with the Spirit of God. Skill, even in worldly employments, is God's gift, and comes from above. But many are ready enough in cutting out work for other people, and can tell what this man or that man should do; but the burdens they bind on others, they themselves will not touch with one of their fingers. Such will fall under the character of slothful servants. These men were not only to devise and to work themselves, but they were to teach others. Those that rule should teach; and those to whom God has given knowledge, should be willing to make it known for the benefit of others.

Cross References

• 1. 35.2Exodus 20.8-11; 23.12; 31.15; 34.21;Leviticus 23.3;Deuteronomy 5.12-14.

Footnotes

• [a]. power; [or] spirit.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 35

This chapter begins with a renewal of the command of the sabbath, Ex 35:1-3 and contains an order for a freewill offering to be brought for the service of the sanctuary, and specifies the things to be brought, and for what uses, Ex 35:4-19 to which there was a ready compliance, and men and women, princes and the common people, everyone according to what they had in possession, brought and offered it freely, Ex 35:20-29 and for their encouragement, that their offering would not be in vain, they were informed there were two persons divinely inspired, to do, and teach to be done, all manner of work for the tabernacle, towards which they had made such a liberal and plentiful contribution, Ex 35:30-35.