Exodus 35NASB
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Exodus35

New American Standard

1Then Moses assembled all the congregation of the sons of Israel, and said to them, “These are the things that the Lord has commanded you to do:

2“For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest to the Lord; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death.

3You shall not kindle a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day.”

4Moses spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “This is the thing which the Lord has commanded, saying,

5‘Take from among you a contribution to the Lord; whoever is of a willing heart is to bring it as the Lord’s contribution: gold, silver, and bronze,

6and violet, purple, and scarlet material, fine linen, goats’ hair,

7and rams’ skins dyed red, and fine leather, and acacia wood,

8and oil for lighting, and spices for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense,

9and onyx stones and setting stones for the ephod and for the breastpiece.

10‘Have every skillful person among you come and make all that the Lord has commanded:

11the tabernacle, its tent and its covering, its hooks and its boards, its bars, its pillars, and its bases;

12the ark and its poles, the atoning cover, and the covering curtain;

13the table and its poles, and all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence;

14the lampstand also for the light and its utensils and its lamps, and the oil for the light;

15and the altar of incense and its poles, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the curtain for the doorway at the entrance of the tabernacle;

16the altar of burnt offering with its bronze grating, its poles, and all its utensils, the basin and its stand;

17the hangings of the courtyard, its pillars and its bases, and the curtain for the gate of the courtyard;

18the pegs of the tabernacle and the pegs of the courtyard and their ropes;

19the woven garments for ministering in the Holy Place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, to serve as priests.’”

20Then all the congregation of the sons of Israel departed from Moses’ presence.

21And everyone whose heart stirred him and everyone whose spirit moved him came and brought the Lord’s contribution for the work of the tent of meeting and for all its service, and for the holy garments.

22Then all whose hearts moved them, both men and women, came and brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and bracelets, all articles of gold; so did everyone who presented an offering of gold to the Lord.

23Everyone who was in possession of violet, purple, or scarlet material or fine linen or goats’ hair, or rams’ skins dyed red or fine leather, brought them.

24Everyone who could make a contribution of silver and bronze brought the Lord’s contribution; and everyone who was in possession of acacia wood for any work of the service brought it.

25And all the skilled women spun with their hands, and brought what they had spun, in violet, purple, and scarlet material, and in fine linen.

26And all the women whose heart stirred with a skill spun the goats’ hair.

27The rulers, moreover, brought the onyx stones and the stones for setting for the ephod and for the breastpiece;

28and the spice and the oil for the light and for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense.

29The Israelites, all the men and women, whose heart moved them to bring material for all the work, which the Lord had commanded through Moses to be done, brought a voluntary offering to the Lord.

30Then Moses said to the sons of Israel, “See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.

31And He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all craftsmanship;

32to create designs for working in gold, in silver, and in bronze,

33and in the cutting of stones for settings and in the carving of wood, so as to perform in every inventive work.

34He also has put in his heart to teach, both he and Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.

35He has filled them with skill to perform every work of an engraver, of a designer, and of an embroiderer, in violet, purple, and in scarlet material, and in fine linen, and of a weaver, as performers of every work and makers of designs.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Exodus 35.

Full AI study →

Chapter Summary

In this chapter: 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).

vv1-3

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?

vv4-19

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 must minister, 1Pe 4:10. Those that were rich, must bring in materials to work on; those that were skilful, must serve the tabernacle with their skill: as they needed one another, so the tabernacle needed them both, 1Co 12:7–21.

vv20-29

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.

Cross References

Exodus 35
v2Exodus 31:13-16thematic

Direct parallel linking the Sabbath command immediately with instructions for constructing the Tabernacle.

Supported by Matthew Poole

Paul's principle of giving cheerfully, not under compulsion, echoing the 'willing heart' requirement.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v30Exodus 31:2-6thematic

Direct reference to the divine calling and naming of Bezaleel and Aholiab for the tabernacle work.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v10Exodus 31:1-11thematic

The initial divine call and spiritual filling of the skilled craftsmen Bezaleel and Aholiab.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

v21Exodus 25:2thematic

The initial command and pattern for taking a willing-hearted offering for the sanctuary.

Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB

NT principle of cheerful, non-grudging giving directly echoes the willing-hearted contributors here.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v3Exodus 16:23thematic

A critical comparative text for the controversial prohibition on kindling fires or cooking on the Sabbath.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v5Exodus 25:2thematic

The original command of God to take an offering from everyone who gives willingly.

Supported by John Calvin

v5Exodus 35:21thematic

The immediate fulfillment showing the people's hearts were stirred to bring the free-will offering.

Supported by John Calvin

Parallel joy and willingness in offering materials for the construction of the Temple under David.

Supported by Matthew Henry

Parallel to various spiritual gifts given by the same Spirit for the common good.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v31Exodus 31:3thematic

Verbatim parallel of being filled with the Spirit of God in wisdom and knowledge.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

Historical account of the execution of a Sabbath-breaker who was caught gathering sticks for a fire.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v12Exodus 25:10-22thematic

The original blueprint for the Ark of the Covenant, now called to be constructed.

Supported by JFB

v13Exodus 25:23-30thematic

The original specifications for the Table of Shewbread listed among the utensils.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v14Exodus 25:31-39thematic

The design pattern for the golden candlestick and its instruments of light.

Supported by JFB

v15Exodus 30:1-10thematic

The original design instructions for the golden altar of incense.

Supported by JFB

v16Exodus 27:1-8thematic

The specifications for the bronze altar of burnt offering and its necessary utensils.

Supported by JFB

v21Ezra 1:5thematic

Echoes those whose spirits God stirred to build the house of the Lord.

Supported by John Calvin

Depicts virtuous, wise-hearted women spinning and working with their hands in textile crafts.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v28Exodus 30:23-38thematic

Provides the specific recipes for the anointing oil and sweet incense mentioned in verse 28.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v34Exodus 38:23thematic

Confirms Aholiab's specific role as an engraver, cunning workman, and embroiderer.

Supported by Matthew Henry

David's acknowledgment that all offering willingness and substance ultimately come from God's hand.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v23Exodus 26:7thematic

The direct instruction to use goats' hair for the tent over the tabernacle.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v30Exodus 38:22thematic

Confirms Bezaleel executed all that the Lord commanded Moses for the tabernacle.

Supported by JFB

Shows the rulers taking the lead in offering precious stones and treasures.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v301 Kings 7:14thematic

Solomon's master artisan, Hiram, filled with wisdom and understanding, parallel to Bezaleel.

Supported by Matthew Henry