Shemot 31:12-18

12 And Hashem spoke unto Moshe, saying,

13 Speak thou also unto the Bnei Yisroel, saying, Verily My Shabbatot ye shall be shomer over; for it is an ot (sign) between Me and you throughout your dorot; that ye may have da’as that I am Hashem Who doth set thee apart as kodesh.

14 Ye shall be shomer Shabbos therefore; for it is kodesh unto you; every one that is chillul Shabbos (desecrates Shabbos) shall surely be put to death; for whosoever doeth any work therein, that nefesh shall be cut off from among his people.

15 Sheshet yamim may work be done; but in the Yom HaShevi’i is Shabbos HaShabbaton, kodesh to Hashem; whosoever doeth any work in the Yom HaShabbos, he shall surely be put to death.

16 Wherefore the Bnei Yisroel shall be shomer Shabbos, to observe Shabbos throughout their dorot, for a brit olam.

17 It is an ot between Me and the Bnei Yisroel l’olam; for in sheshet yamim Hashem made Shomayim and HaAretz, and on Yom HaShevi’i He rested (shavat, ceased working), and was refreshed.

18 And He gave unto Moshe, when He had made an end of speaking with him upon Mt. Sinai, two Luchot HaEdut (Tablets of the Testimony), Luchot Even (Tablets of Stone), written with the Etzba Elohim (Finger of G-d).

Shemot 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.