Exodus 35:29 - Printer Friendly

ESV: All the men and women, the people of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work that the Lord had commanded by Moses to be done brought it as a freewill offering to the Lord.

NIV: All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the Lord freewill offerings for all the work the Lord through Moses had commanded them to do.

NASB: The Israelites, all the men and women, whose heart moved them to bring material for all the work, which the Lord had commanded through Moses to be done, brought a voluntary offering to the Lord.

CSB: So the Israelites brought a freewill offering to the Lord, all the men and women whose hearts prompted them to bring something for all the work that the Lord, through Moses, had commanded to be done.

NLT: So the people of Israel — every man and woman who was eager to help in the work the Lord had given them through Moses — brought their gifts and gave them freely to the Lord.

KJV: The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the Lord, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the Lord had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses.

NKJV: The children of Israel brought a freewill offering to the Lord, all the men and women whose hearts were willing to bring material for all kinds of work which the Lord, by the hand of Moses, had commanded to be done.

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.