Exodus 31:13-18

13 Speak thou also to the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it [is] a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that [ye] may know that I [am] the LORD that doth sanctify you.

14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore: for it [is] holy to you. Every one that profaneth it shall surely be put to death: for whoever doeth [any] work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

15 Six days may work be done, but in the seventh [is] the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whoever doeth [any] work in the sabbath-day, he shall surely be put to death.

16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, [for] a perpetual covenant.

17 [It is] a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.

18 And to Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, he gave two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

Exodus 31:13-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 31

In this chapter an account is given of the persons whom God had chosen, and qualified for the work of building the tabernacle, and all things relating to it, and for the direction and oversight thereof, Ex 31:1-6 and an enumeration is made of the several things that were to be wrought, some in one way, some in another, Ex 31:7-11 the law of the sabbath is repeated, and the violation of it made death, Ex 31:12-17 and the chapter is concluded with observing, that at the close of the above orders, two tables of stone, with the law written upon them by the finger of God, were given to Moses, Ex 31:18.