Artisans for Building the Tabernacle(A)

31 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: (B)“See, I have called by name Bezalel the (C)son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And I have (D)filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship.

“And I, indeed I, have appointed with him (E)Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have put wisdom in the hearts of all the (F)gifted artisans, that they may make all that I have commanded you: (G)the tabernacle of meeting, (H)the ark of the Testimony and (I)the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furniture of the tabernacle— (J)the table and its utensils, (K)the pure gold lampstand with all its utensils, the altar of incense, (L)the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and (M)the laver and its base— 10 (N)the [a]garments of ministry, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, to minister as priests, 11 (O)and the anointing oil and (P)sweet incense for the holy place. According to all that I have commanded you they shall do.”

The Sabbath Law

12 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 13 “Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: (Q)‘Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who (R)sanctifies[b] you. 14 (S)You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who [c]profanes it shall surely be put to death; for (T)whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. 15 Work shall be done for (U)six days, but the (V)seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. 16 Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. 17 It is (W)a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for (X)in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’ ”

18 And when He had made an end of speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses (Y)two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.

The Gold Calf(Z)

32 Now when the people saw that Moses (AA)delayed coming down from the mountain, the people (AB)gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, (AC)“Come, make us [d]gods that shall (AD)go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who (AE)brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”

And Aaron said to them, “Break off the (AF)golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” So all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. (AG)And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf.

Then they said, “This is your god, O Israel, that (AH)brought you out of the land of Egypt!”

So when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a (AI)proclamation and said, “Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord.” Then they rose early on the next day, offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people (AJ)sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

And the Lord said to Moses, (AK)“Go, get down! For your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt (AL)have corrupted themselves. They have turned aside quickly out of the way which (AM)I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, (AN)‘This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!’ ” And the Lord said to Moses, (AO)“I have seen this people, and indeed it is a [e]stiff-necked people! 10 Now therefore, (AP)let Me alone, that (AQ)My wrath may burn hot against them and I may [f]consume them. And (AR)I will make of you a great nation.”

11 (AS)Then Moses pleaded with [g]the Lord his God, and said: “Lord, why does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 (AT)Why should the Egyptians speak, and say, ‘He brought them out to harm them, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce wrath, and (AU)relent from this harm to Your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You (AV)swore by Your own self, and said to them, (AW)‘I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’ ” 14 So the Lord (AX)relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 31:10 Or woven garments
  2. Exodus 31:13 consecrates
  3. Exodus 31:14 defiles
  4. Exodus 32:1 Or a god
  5. Exodus 32:9 stubborn
  6. Exodus 32:10 destroy
  7. Exodus 32:11 Lit. the face of the Lord

Bezalel and Oholiab(A)

31 Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have chosen Bezalel(B) son of Uri, the son of Hur,(C) of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge(D) and with all kinds of skills(E) to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts. Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab(F) son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan,(G) to help him. Also I have given ability to all the skilled workers(H) to make everything I have commanded you: the tent of meeting,(I) the ark of the covenant law(J) with the atonement cover(K) on it, and all the other furnishings of the tent— the table(L) and its articles, the pure gold lampstand(M) and all its accessories, the altar of incense,(N) the altar of burnt offering(O) and all its utensils, the basin(P) with its stand— 10 and also the woven garments(Q), both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests, 11 and the anointing oil(R) and fragrant incense(S) for the Holy Place. They are to make them just as I commanded(T) you.”

The Sabbath

12 Then the Lord said to Moses, 13 “Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths.(U) This will be a sign(V) between me and you for the generations to come,(W) so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy.(X)

14 “‘Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it is to be put to death;(Y) those who do any work on that day must be cut off from their people. 15 For six days work(Z) is to be done, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest,(AA) holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put to death. 16 The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath,(AB) celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. 17 It will be a sign(AC) between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.(AD)’”(AE)

18 When the Lord finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai,(AF) he gave him the two tablets of the covenant law, the tablets of stone(AG) inscribed by the finger of God.(AH)

The Golden Calf

32 When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain,(AI) they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods[a] who will go before(AJ) us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”(AK)

Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings(AL) that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. He took what they handed him and made it into an idol(AM) cast in the shape of a calf,(AN) fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods,[b](AO) Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”(AP)

When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival(AQ) to the Lord.” So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings.(AR) Afterward they sat down to eat and drink(AS) and got up to indulge in revelry.(AT)

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt,(AU) have become corrupt.(AV) They have been quick to turn away(AW) from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol(AX) cast in the shape of a calf.(AY) They have bowed down to it and sacrificed(AZ) to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’(BA)

“I have seen these people,” the Lord said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked(BB) people. 10 Now leave me alone(BC) so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy(BD) them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”(BE)

11 But Moses sought the favor(BF) of the Lord his God. “Lord,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?(BG) 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’?(BH) Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster(BI) on your people. 13 Remember(BJ) your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self:(BK) ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars(BL) in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land(BM) I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’” 14 Then the Lord relented(BN) and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 32:1 Or a god; also in verses 23 and 31
  2. Exodus 32:4 Or This is your god; also in verse 8