1 And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,
2 See, I haue called by name, Bezaleel the sonne of Uri, the sonne of Hur, of the tribe of Iudah:
3 And I haue filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisedome, and in vnderstanding, and in knowledge, and in all maner of workemanship,
4 To deuise cunning workes, to worke in golde, and in siluer, and in brasse,
5 And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in caruing of timber, to worke in all maner of workemanship.
6 And I, behold, I haue giuen with him, Aholiab the sonne of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I haue put wisedome, that they may make all that I haue commanded thee:
7 The Tabernacle of the Congregation, and the Arke of the Testimony, and the Mercie-seat that is thereupon, & all the furniture of the Tabernacle:
8 And the Table, and his furniture, and the pure Candlesticke, with all his furniture, and the Altar of incense:
9 And the Altar of burnt offering, with all his furniture, and the Lauer and his foote:
10 And the clothes of seruice, and the holy garments for Aaron the Priest, and the garments of his sonnes, to minister in the Priests office:
11 And the anointing oyle, and sweet incense for the Holy place: according to all that I haue commanded thee, shall they doe.
12 ¶ And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,
13 Speake thou also vnto the children of Israel, saying, Uerely my Sabbaths ye shall keepe: for it is a signe betweene me and you, throughout your generations, that ye may know that I am the Lord, that doth sanctifie you.
14 Yee shall keepe the Sabbath therefore: for it is holy vnto you: Euery one that defileth it, shall surely be put to death: for whosoeuer doth any worke therein, that soule shall be cut off from amongst his people.
15 Sixe dayes may worke bee done, but in the seuenth is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoeuer doth any worke in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keepe the Sabbath, to obserue the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetuall couenant.
17 It is a signe betweene me and the children of Israel for euer: for in sixe dayes the Lord made heauen and earth, and on the seuenth day he rested, and was refreshed.
18 ¶ And he gaue vnto Moses, when hee had made an end of communing with him vpon mount Sinai, two tables of Testimonie, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.
Bezaleel and Aholiab are appointed and qualified for the work of the tabernacle. (1-11) The observance of the sabbath. (12-17) Moses receives the tables of the law. (18)1-11 The Israelites, who had been masons and bricklayers in Egypt, were not qualified for curious workmanship; but the Spirit who gave the apostles utterance in divers tongues, miraculously gave Bezaleel and Aholiab the skill that was wanting. The honour which comes from God, is always attended with a work to be done; to be employed for God is high honour. Those whom God calls to any service, he will find or make fit for it. The Lord gives different gifts to different persons; let each mind his proper work, diligently remembering that whatever wisdom any one possesses, the Lord put it in the heart, to do his commandments.
12-17 Orders were now given that a tabernacle should be set up for the service of God. But they must not think that the nature of the work, and the haste that was required, would justify them in working at it on sabbath days. The Hebrew word /shabath/ signifies rest, or ceasing from labour. The thing signified by the sabbath is that rest in glory which remains for the people of God; therefore the moral obligation of the sabbath must continue, till time is swallowed up in eternity.
18 The law was written in tables of stone, to show how lasting it is: to denote likewise the hardness of our hearts; one might more easily write on stone, than write any thing good on our corrupt natural hearts. It was written with the finger of God; by his will and power. God only can write his law in the heart: he gives a heart of flesh; then, by his Spirit, which is the finger of God, writes his will in the heart, #2Co 3:3|.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.