Exodus 31:12-18

The Sabbath

12 Then the LORD said to Moses,

13 “Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy.

14 “ ‘Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it is to be put to death; those who do any work on that day must be cut off from their people.

15 For six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put to death.

16 The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant.

17 It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’ ”

18 When the LORD finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the covenant law, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.

Exodus 31:12-18 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.

Cross References

• 1. S Exodus 20:8; Leviticus 19:3,30
• 2. ver 17; Isaiah 56:4; Ezekiel 20:12,20
• 3. S Exodus 29:42
• 4. Leviticus 11:44; Leviticus 20:8; Leviticus 21:8; Ezekiel 37:28
• 5. Exodus 35:2; Numbers 15:32-36
• 6. S Exodus 20:8-11; Exodus 35:2; Leviticus 16:29; Leviticus 23:3; Numbers 29:7
• 7. S Genesis 2:3; Exodus 16:23
• 8. S Exodus 20:8
• 9. S ver 13
• 10. S Genesis 2:2-3
• 11. S Genesis 2:2; S Exodus 20:9; Isaiah 56:2; Isaiah 58:13; Isaiah 66:23; Jeremiah 17:21-22; Ezekiel 20:12,20
• 12. S Exodus 19:11
• 13. S Exodus 24:12; 2 Corinthians 3:3; Hebrews 9:4
• 14. Exodus 32:15-16; Exodus 34:1,28; Deuteronomy 4:13; Deuteronomy 5:22; Deuteronomy 9:10