Exodus 31:13

31:13 “Tell the Israelites, ‘Surely you must keep my Sabbaths, ¹  for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you. ² 

Exodus 36:1

36:1 So Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person ³  in whom the Lord has put skill ⁴  and ability ⁵  to know how ⁶  to do all the work for the service ⁷  of the sanctuary are to do the work ⁸  according to all that the Lord has commanded.”

[31:13]  ¹ sn The instruction for the Sabbath at this point seems rather abrupt, but it follows logically the extended plans of building the sanctuary. B. Jacob, following some of the earlier treatments, suggests that these are specific rules given for the duration of the building of the sanctuary (Exodus, 844). The Sabbath day is a day of complete cessation; no labor or work could be done. The point here is that God’s covenant people must faithfully keep the sign of the covenant as a living commemoration of the finished work of Yahweh, and as an active part in their sanctification. See also H. Routtenberg, “The Laws of Sabbath: Biblical Sources,” Dor le Dor 6 (1977): 41-43, 99-101, 153-55, 204-6; G. Robinson, “The Idea of Rest in the OT and the Search for the Basic Character of Sabbath,” ZAW 92 (1980): 32-42; M. Tsevat, “The Basic Meaning of the Biblical Sabbath, ZAW 84 (1972): 447-59; M. T. Willshaw, “A Joyous Sign,” ExpTim 89 (1978): 179-80.

[31:13]  ² tn Or “your sanctifier.”

[36:1]  ³ tn Heb “wise of [in] heart.”

[36:1]  ⁴ tn Heb “wisdom.”

[36:1]  ⁵ tn Heb “understanding, discernment.”

[36:1]  ⁶ tn The relative clause includes this infinitive clause that expresses either the purpose or the result of God’s giving wisdom and understanding to these folk.

[36:1]  ⁷ tn This noun is usually given an interpretive translation. B. Jacob renders the bound relationship as “the holy task” or “the sacred task” (Exodus, 1019). The NIV makes it “constructing,” so read “the work of constructing the sanctuary.”

[36:1]  ⁸ tn The first word of the verse is a perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive; it is singular because it agrees with the first of the compound subject. The sentence is a little cumbersome because of the extended relative clause in the middle.