Exodus 31

1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

Yahweh [also] said to Moses/me, “Note that I have chosen Bezalel, the son of Uri and grandson of Hur, from the tribe of Judah, [for special tasks].

2 “Behold, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.

3 I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all kinds of workmanship,

I have caused him to be completely controlled/empowered by my Spirit, and I have given him special ability [to make things] and have enabled him to know how to do very skilled work.

4 to devise skillful works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in bronze,

He can engrave skillful designs in gold, silver, and bronze.

5 and in cutting of stones for setting, and in carving of wood, to work in all kinds of workmanship.

He can cut (jewels/valuable stones) and enclose them [in tiny gold settings/frames]. He can carve things from wood and do other skilled work.

6 Behold, I myself have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the heart of all who are wise-hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded you:

Note that I have also appointed Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, from the tribe of Dan, to work with him. I have also given special ability to other men, in order that they can make all the things that I have commanded you [to be made].

7 the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the covenant, the mercy seat that is on it, all the furniture of the Tent,

That includes the Sacred Tent, the sacred chest and its lid, all the other things that will be inside the Sacred Tent,

8 the table and its vessels, the pure lamp stand with all its vessels, the altar of incense,

the table and all the things that are used with it, the pure gold lampstand and all the things that are used to take care of it, the altar [for burning] incense,

9 the altar of burnt offering with all its vessels, the basin and its base,

the altar for offering sacrifices that will be burned and all the things that will be used with it, the washbasin and its base,

10 the finely worked garments—the holy garments for Aaron the priest, the garments of his sons to minister in the priest’s office—

all the beautiful sacred clothes for Aaron and his sons to wear when they work as priests,

11 the anointing oil, and the incense of sweet spices for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded you they shall do.”

the oil for anointing, and the sweet-smelling incense for the Holy Place. [The skilled workers] must make all these things exactly as I have told you to do.”

12 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

Yahweh also said to Moses/me,

13 “Speak also to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Most certainly you shall keep my Sabbaths; for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.

“Tell the Israeli people, ‘Obey my instructions regarding the (rest days/Sabbath days). Those days will remind you [and your descendants], throughout all future generations, that I, Yahweh, have (set you apart/chosen you) to be my people.

14 You shall keep the Sabbath therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

You must obey [my rules about] the Sabbath days because they are holy/sacred. Those who treat those days in an irreverent way by working on those days must be executed [to show that] I no longer consider them to belong to my people.

15 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall surely be put to death.

You may work for six days [each week], but the seventh day [of each week] is a solemn day of rest, dedicated to me, Yahweh. Anyone who does any work on a day of rest is to be executed [because I no longer want them to be able to associate with my people].

16 Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.

You Israeli people must respect the rest day, and you [and your descendants] must (celebrate it/keep it holy) throughout all future generations. [It will remind you] of the agreement that I have made with you that will last forever.

17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.’”

It will remind you Israeli people and remind me [of that agreement] because I, Yahweh, created the heavens and the earth in six days, and on the seventh day I stopped doing that work and relaxed.’”

18 When he finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, he gave Moses the two tablets of the covenant, stone tablets, written with God’s finger.

When Yahweh finished talking with Moses/me on the top of Sinai Mountain, he gave him/me the two stone slabs on which he had engraved his commandments with his own fingers.