Exodus 35

1 Moses gathered all the Israelite community together and said to them, "These are the things the Lord has commanded you to do.

2 You are to work for six days, but the seventh day will be a holy day, a Sabbath of rest to honor the Lord. Anyone who works on that day must be put to death.

3 On the Sabbath day you must not light a fire in any of your houses."

4 Moses said to all the Israelites, "This is what the Lord has commanded:

5 From what you have, take an offering for the Lord. Let everyone who is willing bring this offering to the Lord: gold, silver, bronze,

6 blue, purple and red thread, and fine linen, goat hair

7 and male sheepskins that are colored red. They may also bring fine leather, acacia wood,

8 olive oil for the lamps, spices for the special olive oil used for appointing priests and for the sweet-smelling incense,

9 onyx stones, and other jewels to be put on the holy vest and chest covering of the priests.

10 "Let all the skilled workers come and make everything the Lord commanded:

11 the Holy Tent, its outer tent and its covering, the hooks, frames, crossbars, posts, and bases;

12 the Ark of the Agreement, its poles, lid, and the curtain in front of it;

13 the table, and its poles, all the things that go with the table, and the bread that shows we are in God's presence;

14 the lampstand for the light and all the things that go with it, the lamps, and olive oil for the light;

15 the altar of incense and its poles, the special oil and the sweet-smelling incense, the curtain for the entrance of the Meeting Tent;

16 the altar of burnt offering and its bronze screen, its poles and all its tools, the bronze bowl and its base;

17 the curtains around the courtyard, their posts and bases, and the curtain at the entry to the courtyard;

18 the pegs of the Holy Tent and of the courtyard and their ropes;

19 the special clothes that the priest will wear in the Holy Place. These are the holy clothes for Aaron the priest and his sons to wear when they serve as priests."

20 Then all the people of Israel went away from Moses.

21 Everyone who wanted to give came and brought a gift to the Lord for making the Meeting Tent, all the things in the Tent, and the special clothes.

22 All the men and women who wanted to give brought gold jewelry of all kinds -- pins, earrings, rings, and bracelets. They all presented their gold to the Lord.

23 Everyone who had blue, purple, and red thread, and fine linen, and anyone who had goat hair or male sheepskins colored red or fine leather brought them to the Lord.

24 Everyone who could give silver or bronze brought that as a gift to the Lord, and everyone who had acacia wood to be used in the work brought it.

25 Every skilled woman used her hands to make the blue, purple, and red thread, and fine linen, and they brought what they had made.

26 All the women who were skilled and wanted to help made thread of the goat hair.

27 The leaders brought onyx stones and other jewels to put on the holy vest and chest covering for the priest.

28 They also brought spices and olive oil for the sweet-smelling incense, the special oil, and the oil to burn in the lamps.

29 All the men and women of Israel who wanted to help brought gifts to the Lord for all the work the Lord had commanded Moses and the people to do.

30 Then Moses said to the Israelites, "Look, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri the son of Hur, from the tribe of Judah.

31 The Lord has filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God and has given him the skill, ability, and knowledge to do all kinds of work.

32 He is able to design pieces to be made of gold, silver, and bronze,

33 to cut stones and jewels and put them in metal, to carve wood, and to do all kinds of work.

34 Also, the Lord has given Bezalel and Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach from the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others.

35 The Lord has given them the skill to do all kinds of work. They are able to cut designs in metal and stone. They can plan and sew designs in the fine linen with the blue, purple, and red thread. And they are also able to weave things.

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Exodus 35 Commentary

Chapter 35

The sabbath to be observed. (1-3) The free gifts for the tabernacle. (4-19) The readiness of the people in general. (20-29) Bezaleel and Aholiab called to the work. (30-35)

Verses 1-3 The mild and easy yoke of Christ has made our sabbath duties more delightful, and our sabbath restraints less irksome, than those of the Jews; but we are the more guilty by neglecting them. Surely God's wisdom in giving us the sabbath, with all the mercy of its purposes, are sinfully disregarded. Is it nothing to pour contempt upon the blessed day, which a bounteous God has given to us for our growth in grace with the church below, and to prepare us for happiness with the church above?

Verses 4-19 The tabernacle was to be dedicated to the honour of God, and used in his service; and therefore what was brought for it, was an offering to the Lord. The rule is, Whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring. All that were skilful must work. God dispenses his gifts; and as every man hath received, so he ( 1 Peter. 4:10 ) materials to work on; those that were skilful, must serve the tabernacle with their skill: as they needed one another, so the ( 1 Corinthians. 12:7-21 )

Verses 20-29 Without a willing mind, costly offerings would be abhorred; with it, the smallest will be accepted. Our hearts are willing, when we cheerfully assist in promoting the cause of God. Those who are diligent and contented in employments considered mean, are as much accepted of God as those engaged in splendid services. The women who spun the goats' hair were wise-hearted, because they did it heartily to the Lord. Thus the labourer, mechanic, or servant who attends to his work in the faith and fear of God, may be as wise, for his place, as the most useful minister, and he equally accepted of the Lord. Our wisdom and duty consist in giving God the glory and use of our talents, be they many or few.

Verses 30-35 Here is the Divine appointment of the master-workmen, that there might be no strife for the office, and that all who were employed in the work might take direction from, and give account to them. Those whom God called by name to his service, he filled with the Spirit of God. Skill, even in worldly employments, is God's gift, and comes from above. But many are ready enough in cutting out work for other people, and can tell what this man or that man should do; but the burdens they bind on others, they themselves will not touch with one of their fingers. Such will fall under the character of slothful servants. These men were not only to devise and to work themselves, but they were to teach others. Those that rule should teach; and those to whom God has given knowledge, should be willing to make it known for the benefit of others.

Taken from Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 35

This chapter begins with a renewal of the command of the sabbath, Ex 35:1-3 and contains an order for a freewill offering to be brought for the service of the sanctuary, and specifies the things to be brought, and for what uses, Ex 35:4-19 to which there was a ready compliance, and men and women, princes and the common people, everyone according to what they had in possession, brought and offered it freely, Ex 35:20-29 and for their encouragement, that their offering would not be in vain, they were informed there were two persons divinely inspired, to do, and teach to be done, all manner of work for the tabernacle, towards which they had made such a liberal and plentiful contribution, Ex 35:30-35.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible