< Exodus 31 >

1 And Yhwh spake unto 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 See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:
3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner 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 cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,
He can engrave skillful designs in gold, silver, and bronze.
5 And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner 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 And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee;
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 tabernacle of the congregation, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the tabernacle,
That includes the Sacred Tent, the sacred chest and its lid, all the other things that will be inside the Sacred Tent,
8 And the table and his furniture, and the pure lampstand with all his furniture, and 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 And the altar of burnt offering with all his furniture, and the laver and his foot,
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 And the cloths of service, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and 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 And the anointing oil, and sweet incense for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded thee shall they 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 And Yhwh spake unto Moses, saying,
Yahweh also said to Moses/me,
13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am Yhwh that doth sanctify 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 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth 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 may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to Yhwh: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he 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 Wherefore 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 for ever: for in six days Yhwh 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 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.
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.

< Exodus 31 >