Shemot 31:1-11

1 1 And Hashem spoke unto Moshe, saying,

2 See, I have called by shem Bezalel ben Uri, ben Chur, of the tribe of Yehudah;

3 And I have filled him with the Ruach Elohim (see Ac 2:4), in chochmah, and in tevunah, and in da’as, and in kol melachah (all workmanship),

4 To devise machashavot (artistic designs), to work in zahav, and in kesef, and in nechoshet,

5 And in engraving gemstones, to set them, and in wood-carving, to work in kol melachah (all manner of workmanship).

6 And I, hinei, I have given with him Oholiav ben Achisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the hearts of all chacham lev I have put chochmah, that they may make all that I have commanded thee:

7 The Ohel Mo’ed, and the Aron HaEdut, and the Kapporet that is thereupon, and all the utensils of the Ohel,

8 And the Shulchan and its utensils, and the Menorah Hatehorah with all its utensils, and the Mizbe’ach HaKetoret,

9 And the Mizbe’ach HaOlah with all its utensils, and the Kiyor and its Stand,

10 And the Bigdei Haserad (Knit Garments), and the Bigdei HaKodesh for Aharon the kohen, and the garments of his banim, to minister in the kohen’s office,

11 And the Shemen Hamishchah, and Ketoret spices for HaKodesh; according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do.

Shemot 31:1-11 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.