Exodus 35:31 - Printer Friendly

ESV: and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship,

NIV: and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills—

NASB: And He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all craftsmanship;

CSB: He has filled him with God’s Spirit, with wisdom, understanding, and ability in every kind of craft

NLT: The Lord has filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts.

KJV: And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship;

NKJV: and He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship,

Exodus 35:30—36:1 assigns two men to supervise construction of the tabernacle. Their names are Bezalel and Oholiab. God designated them to Moses, and Moses repeats that command to the people. This information is the same as given in Exodus 31:1–11.

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.

Accessed 12/15/2025 10:07:43 AM