Year of the Bible
Exodus 31
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Commentary on the Book of Exodus, Chapter 31:
God now begins to explain how the Tabernacle and various items used for worship will be created. For the first time in the Bible, we hear that God is filling someone with His Spirit. This person is not the civic leader Moses, nor the religious high priest Aaron, nor the military leader Joshua, but a man named Bezalel who is an artistic craftsman. God also appoints Oholiab to share the responsibility with Bezalel of creating the fine garments, utensils, furnishings, and structures needed for worship. This anointing reveals that the Spirit brings creative gifts as well as those of leadership. After many chapters of instructions of the work that is to be done, God reminds Moses of the importance of rest on the Sabbath. God’s long speech is complete, and He gives Moses two tablets on which He has written His words.
The Book of Exodus, Chapter 31:
Bezalel and Oholiab
1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, 4 to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, 5 in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every craft. 6 And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you: 7 the tent of meeting, and the ark of the covenant, and the mercy seat that is thereon, and all the furnishings of the tent, 8 the table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, 9 and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the laver and its base, 10 and the finely worked garments, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests, 11 and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the holy place. According to all that I have commanded you they shall do.”
The Sabbath Law
12 And the LORD said to Moses, 13 “Say to the sons of Israel, ‘You shall keep my sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the LORD, sanctify you. 14 You shall keep the sabbath, because it is holy for you; every one who profanes it shall be put to death; whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 15 Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD; whoever does any work on the sabbath day shall be put to death. 16 Therefore the sons of Israel shall keep the sabbath, observing the sabbath throughout their generations, as a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign for ever between me and the sons of Israel that in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.’ ”
The Tables of the Covenant
18 And he gave to Moses, when he had made an end of speaking with him upon Mount Sinai, the two tables of the covenant, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
Exodus 31 deals with Sabbath laws. The Lord instructs Moses to say to the Israelites, "Keep my sabbaths, for that is to be the sign between you and me throughout the generations, to show that it is I, the LORD, who make you holy." Imagine the evangelical possibilities if we all did a better job keeping the sabbath's of the Lord holy. Lord, help me to grow in this area.
Biblical Commentary provided by the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan. Join a Catholic Biblical School of Michigan class this September at Holy Family in Grand Blanc or online.
Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this.
If you're looking for a good Catholic edition of the Bible, look no further.
El Señor dijo a Moisés:
2 –Mira, he llamado por su
nombre a Besalel, hijo de Urí, hijo de
Jur, de la tribu de Judá, 3 y le he llenado
del espíritu de Dios dotándole de sabiduría,
inteligencia y experiencia en
toda clase de trabajos 4 para idear y realizar
proyectos en oro, plata y bronce;
5 para labrar piedras de engaste, para tallar
madera y realizar cualquier tarea.
6 Yo mismo le he dado como ayudante a
Oholiab, hijo de Ajisamac, de la tribu de
Dan; además, en el corazón de todo artesano
he infundido sabiduría para que
pueda realizar todo lo que te he ordenado:
7 la Tienda de la Reunión, el arca del
Testimonio, el Propiciatorio que la cubre
y todos los utensilios de la Tienda;
8 la mesa con sus utensilios, el candelabro
precioso con todos sus utensilios y
el altar del incienso; 9 el altar de los holocaustos
con sus utensilios, la pila y su
basa; 10 las vestiduras de ceremonia, las
vestiduras sagradas del sacerdote Aarón
y las de sus hijos para el ministerio
sacerdotal; 11 el óleo de la unción y
el incienso aromático para el santuario.
Todo deben hacerlo según te he ordenado.
12 El Señor dijo a Moisés:
13 –Di a los hijos de Israel: «Ante
todo guardaréis mis sábados, porque el
sábado es una señal entre vosotros y yo
de generación en generación, para que
sepáis que yo soy el Señor que os santifica.
14 Guardaréis, pues, el sábado, porque
es sagrado para vosotros; el que lo profane,
deberá morir sin remedio; todo el
que haga algún trabajo en sábado será
extirpado de en medio de su pueblo.
15 Seis días se trabajará, pero el día séptimo
será día de descanso completo, consagrado
al Señor; todo el que haga algún
trabajo en sábado deberá morir. 16 Los
hijos de Israel guardarán el sábado celebrándolo
de generación en generación
como alianza perpetua. 17 Entre yo y los
hijos de Israel será una señal perpetua,
porque en seis días hizo el Señor los cielos
y la tierra y el día séptimo concluyó
y descansó».
Cuando el Señor acabó de hablar
con Moisés en el monte Sinaí, le dio las
dos tablas del Testimonio, las tablas de
piedra, escritas por el dedo de Dios.
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
La Biblia de Navarra
Permiso para usar esta versión de la primera edición de la Biblia de Navarra
para el Año de la Biblia del Obispo
dado por Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, S.A. (EUNSA).