Exodus 31:1

THE MESSAGE

God spoke to Moses: "See what I've done; I've personally chosen Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur of the tribe of Judah. I've filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him skill and know-how and expertise in every kind of craft to create designs and work in gold, silver, and bronze; to cut and set gemstones; to carve wood—he's an all-around craftsman.

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
The LORD spoke to Moshe, saying,

King James Version
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

Lexham English Bible
And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

New Century Version
Then the Lord said to Moses,

New English Translation
The Lord spoke to Moses:

Amplified Bible
Now the LORD said to Moses,

New American Standard Bible
Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

Geneva Bible (1587)
And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,

Legacy Standard Bible
And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Contemporary English Version
The Lord said to Moses:

Complete Jewish Bible
Adonai said to Moshe,

Darby Translation
And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,

Easy-to-Read Version
Then the Lord said to Moses,

English Standard Version
The Lord said to Moses,

George Lamsa Translation
THE LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

Good News Translation
The Lord said to Moses,

Christian Standard Bible®
The Lord also spoke to Moses:

Literal Translation
And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying:

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And the LORDE spake vnto Moses, & saide:

American Standard Version
And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,

Bible in Basic English
And the Lord said to Moses,

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the Lorde spake vnto Moyses, saying:

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying:

King James Version (1611)
And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

English Revised Version
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Berean Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the Lord spak to Moyses, `and seide, Lo!

Young's Literal Translation
And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,

Update Bible Version
And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

World English Bible
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

New King James Version
Exodus 35:30-36:1">[xr] Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:

New Living Translation
Then the Lord said to Moses,

New Life Bible
The Lord said to Moses,

New Revised Standard
The Lord spoke to Moses:

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then spake Yahweh unto Moses, saying:

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

Revised Standard Version
The LORD said to Moses,

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

Contextual Overview

¹ God spoke to Moses: "See what I've done; I've personally chosen Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur of the tribe of Judah. I've filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him skill and know-how and expertise in every kind of craft to create designs and work in gold, silver, and bronze; to cut and set gemstones; to carve wood—he's an all-around craftsman. ⁶"Not only that, but I've given him Oholiab, son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan, to work with him. And to all who have an aptitude for crafts I've given the skills to make all the things I've commanded you: the Tent of Meeting, the Chest of The Testimony and its Atonement-Cover, all the implements for the Tent, the Table and its implements, the pure Lampstand and all its implements, the Altar of Incense, the Altar of Whole-Burnt-Offering and all its implements, the Washbasin and its base, the official vestments, the holy vestments for Aaron the priest and his sons in their priestly duties, the anointing oil, and the aromatic incense for the Holy Place—they'll make everything just the way I've commanded you."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reciprocal: Exodus 35:1 - These Exodus 35:10 - General Exodus 36:1 - Bezaleel Exodus 38:22 - Bezaleel Numbers 3:31 - the ark

Cross-References

Genesis 31:3
That's when God said to Jacob, "Go back home where you were born. I'll go with you."

Genesis 31:4
So Jacob sent word for Rachel and Leah to meet him out in the field where his flocks were. He said, "I notice that your father has changed toward me; he doesn't treat me the same as before. But the God of my father hasn't changed; he's still with me. You know how hard I've worked for your father. Still, your father has cheated me over and over, changing my wages time and again. But God never let him really hurt me. If he said, ‘Your wages will consist of speckled animals' the whole flock would start having speckled lambs and kids. And if he said, ‘From now on your wages will be streaked animals' the whole flock would have streaked ones. Over and over God used your father's livestock to reward me.

Genesis 31:17
Jacob did it. He put his children and his wives on camels and gathered all his livestock and everything he had gotten, everything acquired in Paddan Aram, to go back home to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.

Genesis 31:25
When Laban reached him, Jacob's tents were pitched in the Gilead mountains; Laban pitched his tents there, too.

Job 31:31
"Didn't those who worked for me say, ‘He fed us well. There were always second helpings'? And no stranger ever had to spend a night in the street; my doors were always open to travelers. Did I hide my sin the way Adam did, or conceal my guilt behind closed doors Because I was afraid what people would say, fearing the gossip of the neighbors so much That I turned myself into a recluse? You know good and well that I didn't.

Psalms 57:4
I find myself in a pride of lions who are wild for a taste of human flesh; Their teeth are lances and arrows, their tongues are sharp daggers.

Proverbs 14:30
A sound mind makes for a robust body, but runaway emotions corrode the bones.

Proverbs 27:4
We're blasted by anger and swamped by rage, but who can survive jealousy?

Ecclesiastes 4:4
Then I observed all the work and ambition motivated by envy. What a waste! Smoke. And spitting into the wind.

Jeremiah 9:23
God 's Message: "Don't let the wise brag of their wisdom. Don't let heroes brag of their exploits. Don't let the rich brag of their riches. If you brag, brag of this and this only: That you understand and know me. I'm God , and I act in loyal love. I do what's right and set things right and fair, and delight in those who do the same things. These are my trademarks." God 's Decree.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... After the Lord had given Moses instructions about building a tabernacle, the model of which he had shown him, and what should be the furniture of it, who should minister in it, and what clothes they should wear, he acquaints him that he had provided artificers for this service; which would prevent doubts and objections that might rise up in the mind of Moses, how and by whom all this should be done; since the children of Israel had not been brought up, nor used to any curious work in Egypt, out of which they were but just come:

saying; as follows:

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Exodus 35:30-35. This solemn call of Bezaleel and Aholiab is full of instruction. Their work was to be only that of handicraftsmen. Still it was Yahweh Himself who called them by name to their tasks, and the powers which they were now called upon to exercise in their respective crafts, were declared to have been given them by the Holy Spirit. Thus is every effort of skill, every sort of well-ordered labor, when directed to a right end, brought into the very highest sphere of association.

There appears to be sufficient reason for identifying Hur, the grandfather of Bezaleel, with the Hur who assisted Aaron in supporting the hands of Moses during the battle with Amalek at Rephidim Exodus 17:10, and who was associated with Aaron in the charge of the people while Moses was on the mountain Exodus 24:14. Josephus says that he was the husband of Miriam. It is thus probable that Bezaleel was related to Moses. He was the chief artificer in metal, stone, and wood; he had also to perform the apothecary’s work in the composition of the anointing oil and the incense Exodus 37:29. He had precedence of all the artificers, but Aholiab appears to have had the entire charge of the textile work Exodus 35:35; Exodus 38:23.

Exodus 31:3

Wisdom, understanding, Knowledge - Or, that “right judgment in all things” for which we especially pray on Whitsunday; the perceptive faculty; and experience, a practical acquaintance with facts.

Exodus 31:4

To devise cunning works - Rather, to devise works of skill. The Hebrew phrase is not the same as that rendered “cunning work” in respect to textile fabrics in Exodus 26:1.

Exodus 31:10

And the cloths of service - Rather, And the garments of office; that is, the distinguishing official garments of the high priest. The three kinds of dress mentioned in this verse appear to be the only ones which were unique to the sanctuary. They were:

(1) The richly adorned state robes of the high priest (see Exodus 28:6-38; Exodus 39:1 following).

(2) the “holy garments” of white linen for the high priest, worn on the most solemn occasion in the year (see Exodus 28:39; Leviticus 16:4).

(3) the garments of white linen for all the priests, worn in their regular ministrations (see Exodus 28:40-41).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER XXXI

Bezaleel appointed for the work of the tabernacle, 1-5.

Aholiab appointed for the same, 6.

The particular things on which they were to be employed, the

ark and mercy-seat, 7.

Table, candlestick, and altar of incense, 8.

Altar of burnt-offering and the laver, 9.

Priest's garments, 10.

Anointing oil and sweet incense, 11.

God renews the command relative to the sanctification of the

Sabbath, 12-17.

Delivers to Moses the two tables of stone, 18.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXXI