Exodus 35:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Six days work shall be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death.

NIV: For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a day of sabbath rest to the Lord. Whoever does any work on it is to be put to death.

NASB: For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest to the Lord; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death.

CSB: For six days work is to be done, but on the seventh day you are to have a holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest to the Lord. Anyone who does work on it must be executed.

NLT: You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day must be a Sabbath day of complete rest, a holy day dedicated to the Lord. Anyone who works on that day must be put to death.

KJV: Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the Lord: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.

NKJV: Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh day shall be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of rest to the Lord. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death.

The tabernacle-building project begins with a reminder about Sabbath-keeping. The subtext is that even temple-building work is still "work," and cannot be done on the Sabbath. Using nearly the exact same words from prior passages, Scripture records the people donating materials. Moses assigns Bezalel and Oholiab as project managers, training and overseeing as Israelites create sacred objects.

The Lord gave Moses extensive designs for the tabernacle (Exodus 25—31). He has just renewed the covenant (Exodus 34) broken by Israelite sin (Exodus 32). Now, Moses begins repeating these instructions to the people. The next several chapters will record Israel following God's directions closely, completing the sanctuary.

The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.