Exodus 35

The Sabbath Emphasized

1 Then Moses assembled all the congregation of the sons of Israel, and said to them, "1These are the things that the LORD has commanded you to do:
2 "2For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy day, 3a sabbath of complete rest to the LORD; 4whoever does any work on it shall be put to death.
3 "5You shall not kindle a fire in any of your dwellings on the sabbath day."
4 Moses spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, "This is the thing which the LORD has commanded, saying,
5 '6Take from among you a contribution to the LORD; whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as the LORD'S contribution: gold, silver, and bronze,
6 and blue, purple and scarlet material, fine linen, goats' hair,
7 and rams' skins dyed red, and porpoise skins, and acacia wood,
8 and oil for lighting, and spices for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense,
9 and onyx stones and setting stones for the ephod and for the breastpiece.

Tabernacle Workmen

10 '7Let every skillful * man * among you come, and make all that the LORD has commanded:
11 the 8tabernacle, its tent and its covering, its hooks and its boards, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets;
12 the 9ark and its poles, the mercy seat, and the curtain of the screen;
13 the 10table and its poles, and all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence;
14 the 11lampstand also for the light and its utensils and its lamps and the oil for the light;
15 and the 12altar of incense and its poles, and the 13anointing oil and the 14fragrant incense, and the screen for the doorway at the entrance of the tabernacle;
16 15the altar of burnt offering with its bronze grating, its poles, and all its utensils, the basin and its stand;
17 16the hangings of the court, its pillars and its sockets, and the screen for the gate of the court;
18 the pegs of the tabernacle and the pegs of the court and their cords;
19 the 17woven garments for ministering in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, to minister as priests.' "

Gifts Received

20 Then all the congregation of the sons of Israel departed from Moses' presence.
21 18Everyone * whose heart stirred him and everyone whose spirit moved him came and brought the LORD'S contribution for the work of the tent of meeting and for all its service and for the holy garments.
22 Then all whose hearts moved them, both men and women, came and brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and bracelets, all articles of gold; so did every man who presented an offering of gold to the LORD.
23 Every man, who had in his possession blue and purple and scarlet material and fine linen and goats' hair and rams' skins dyed red and porpoise skins, brought them.
24 Everyone who could make a contribution of silver and bronze brought the LORD'S contribution; and every man who had in his possession acacia wood for any work of the service brought it.
25 All the skilled * women spun with their hands, and brought what they had spun, in blue and purple and scarlet material and in fine linen.
26 All the women whose heart stirred with a skill spun the goats' hair.
27 The rulers brought the onyx stones and the stones for setting for the ephod and for the breastpiece;
28 and 19the spice and the oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense.
29 The Israelites *, all the men and women, whose heart moved them to bring material for all the work, which the LORD had commanded through Moses to be done, brought a 20freewill offering to the LORD.
30 21Then Moses said to the sons of Israel, "See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.
31 "And He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding and in knowledge and in all craftsmanship;
32 to make designs for working in gold and in silver and in bronze,
33 and in the cutting of stones for settings and in the carving of wood, so as to perform in every inventive work.
34 "He also has put in his heart to teach, both he and 22Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.
35 "23He has filled them with skill * to perform every work of an engraver and of a designer and of an embroiderer, in blue and in purple and in scarlet material, and in fine linen, and of a weaver, as performers of every work and makers of designs.

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 23

  • 1. Exodus 34:32
  • 2. Exodus 20:9, 10; Exodus 23:12; Exodus 31:15; Exodus 34:21; Leviticus 23:3; Deuteronomy 5:13
  • 3. Exodus 16:23
  • 4. Numbers 15:32-36
  • 5. Exodus 12:16; Exodus 16:23
  • 6. Exodus 25:1-9
  • 7. Exodus 31:6
  • 8. Exodus 26:1-30
  • 9. Exodus 25:10-22
  • 10. Exodus 25:23-30
  • 11. Exodus 25:31f
  • 12. Exodus 30:1-6
  • 13. Exodus 30:25
  • 14. Exodus 30:34-38
  • 15. Exodus 27:1-8
  • 16. Exodus 27:9-18
  • 17. Exodus 31:10; Exodus 39:1
  • 18. Exodus 25:2; Exodus 35:5, 22, 26, 29; Exodus 36:2
  • 19. Exodus 30:23f
  • 20. Exodus 35:21; 1 Chronicles 29:9
  • 21. Exodus 31:1-6
  • 22. Exodus 31:6
  • 23. Exodus 31:3, 6; Exodus 35:31; 1 Kings 7:14

Footnotes 42

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.

Exodus 35 Commentaries

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