Exodus 31:15

15 There are six days for work but the seventh day is Sabbath, pure rest, holy to God. Anyone who works on the Sabbath will most certainly be put to death.

Exodus 31:15 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 31:15

Six days may work be done;
&c.] Allowed to be done by an Israelite, if he would; for this is not a command to work, but a permission or grant to do it; and therefore, seeing they had so many days granted them for their use, it could not be thought hard and unreasonable that God should claim one day in seven for his own use and service, and oblige them to refrain from work on it:

but in the seventh [is] the sabbath of rest;
from worldly labour, and was typical of spiritual rest here, and eternal rest hereafter:

holy to the Lord;
separated from other days, and entirely devoted to the worship and service of God, and to be kept holy to the Lord in all holy and religious exercises, as hearing and reading the word, praying, praising

whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, [he] shall surely be
put to death;
the Targum of Jonathan adds, by casting stones, and so we find that the first transgressor of this law we read of was stoned to death, ( Numbers 15:35 Numbers 15:36 ) .

Exodus 31:15 In-Context

13 "Tell the Israelites, 'Above all, keep my Sabbaths, the sign between me and you, generation after generation, to keep the knowledge alive that I am the God who makes you holy.

14 Keep the Sabbath; it's holy to you. Whoever profanes it will most certainly be put to death. Whoever works on it will be excommunicated from the people.

15 There are six days for work but the seventh day is Sabbath, pure rest, holy to God. Anyone who works on the Sabbath will most certainly be put to death.

16 The Israelites will keep the Sabbath, observe Sabbath-keeping down through the generations, as a standing covenant.

17 It's a fixed sign between me and the Israelites. Yes, because in six days God made the Heavens and the Earth and on the seventh day he stopped and took a long, deep breath.'"