Exodus 31

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Bezalel and Oholiab

31 <1> Then the Lord said to Moses, <2> "I have chosen a man from the tribe of Judah to do some special work for me. His name is Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur. <3> I have filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God-I have given him the skill and knowledge to do all kinds of things. <4> He is a very good designer. And he can make things from gold, silver, and bronze. <5> He can cut and set beautiful jewels. And he can work with wood. He can do all kinds of work. <6> I have also chosen Oholiab to work with him. Oholiab is the son of Ahisamach from the tribe of Dan. And I have given skills to all the other workers so that they can make everything that I have commanded you:

<7> the Meeting Tent,[280]

the Box of the Agreement,[281]

the mercy-cover[282] that is on it,

<8> the table and everything on it,

the pure gold lampstand

and everything with it,

the altar[283] for burning incense,[284]

<9> the altar for burning offerings

and the things used at the altar,

the bowl and the base under it,

<10> the special clothes for Aaron the priest,

the special clothes for Aaron's sons

when they serve as priests,

<11> the sweet-smelling anointing[285] oil,

the sweet-smelling incense for the Holy Place.[286]

These workers must make everything the way that I have commanded you."

The Sabbath

<12> Then the Lord said to Moses, <13> "Tell the Israelites this: 'You must follow the rules about my special days of rest. You must do this because they will be a sign between you and me for all generations. This will show you that I, the Lord, have made you my special people.

<14> "'Make the Sabbath[287] a special day. If someone treats the Sabbath like any other day, that person must be killed. Whoever works on the Sabbath day must be separated from their people. <15> There are six other days in the week for working. But the seventh day is a very special day of rest. That is the special day to honor the Lord. Anyone who works during the Sabbath must be killed. <16> The Israelites must remember the Sabbath and make it a special day. They must continue to do this forever. It is an agreement between them and me that will continue forever. <17> The Sabbath will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever.'" (The Lord worked six days and made the sky and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and relaxed.)

<18> So the Lord finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai. Then he gave him the two stone tablets of the Agreement.[288] God had written on the stones with his finger.