Exodus 35NKJV
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Exodus35

New King James Version

1Then Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said to them, “These are the words which the Lord has commanded you to do:

2Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh day shall be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of rest to the Lord. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death.

3You shall kindle no fire throughout your dwellings on the Sabbath day.”

4And Moses spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, “This is the thing which the Lord commanded, saying:

5‘Take from among you an offering to the Lord. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as an offering to the Lord: gold, silver, and bronze;

6blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and goats’ hair;

7ram skins dyed red, badger skins, and acacia wood;

8oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense;

9onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate.

10‘All who are gifted artisans among you shall come and make all that the Lord has commanded:

11the tabernacle, its tent, its covering, its clasps, its boards, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets;

12the ark and its poles, with the mercy seat, and the veil of the covering;

13the table and its poles, all its utensils, and the showbread;

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

15the incense altar, its poles, the anointing oil, the sweet incense, and the screen for the door at the entrance of the tabernacle;

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

17the hangings of the court, its pillars, their sockets, and the screen for the gate of the court;

18the pegs of the tabernacle, the pegs of the court, and their cords;

19the garments of ministry, for ministering in the holy place—the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, to minister as priests.’ ”

20And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses.

21Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the Lord’s offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments.

22They came, both men and women, as many as had a willing heart, and brought earrings and nose rings, rings and necklaces, all jewelry of gold, that is, every man who made an offering of gold to the Lord.

23And every man, with whom was found blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and goats’ hair, red skins of rams, and badger skins, brought them.

24Everyone who offered an offering of silver or bronze brought the Lord’s offering. And everyone with whom was found acacia wood for any work of the service, brought it.

25All the women who were gifted artisans spun yarn with their hands, and brought what they had spun, of blue, purple, and scarlet, and fine linen.

26And all the women whose hearts stirred with wisdom spun yarn of goats’ hair.

27The rulers brought onyx stones, and the stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate,

28and spices and oil for the light, for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense.

29The children of Israel brought a freewill offering to the Lord, all the men and women whose hearts were willing to bring material for all kinds of work which the Lord, by the hand of Moses, had commanded to be done.

30And Moses said to the children 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 and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship,

32to design artistic works, to work in gold and silver and bronze,

33in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of artistic workmanship.

34“And He has put in his heart the ability to teach, in him and Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.

35He has filled them with skill to do all manner of work of the engraver and the designer and the tapestry maker, in blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine linen, and of the weaver—those who do every work and those who design artistic works.

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