Exodus
Chapter 31

1

The LORD said to Moses,

2

"See, I have chosen Bezalel, son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah,

3

and I have filled him with a divine spirit of skill and understanding and knowledge in every craft:

4

in the production of embroidery, in making things of gold, silver or bronze,

5

in cutting and mounting precious stones, in carving wood, and in every craft.

6

As his assistant I have appointed Oholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. I have also endowed all the experts with the necessary skill to make all the things I have ordered you to make:

7

the meeting tent, the ark of the commandments with the propitiatory on top of it, all the furnishings of the tent,

8

the table with its appurtenances, the pure gold lampstand with all its appurtenances, the altar of incense,

9

the altar of holocausts with all its appurtenances, the laver with its base,

10

¹ the service cloths, the sacred vestments for Aaron the priest, the vestments for his sons in their ministry,

11

the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense for the sanctuary. All these things they shall make just as I have commanded you."

12

The LORD said to Moses,

13

"You must also tell the Israelites: Take care to keep my sabbaths, for that is to be the token between you and me throughout the generations, to show that it is I, the LORD, who make you holy.

14

Therefore, you must keep the sabbath as something sacred. Whoever desecrates it shall be put to death. If anyone does work on that day, he must be rooted out of his people.

15

Six days there are for doing work, but the seventh day is the sabbath of complete rest, sacred to the LORD. Anyone who does work on the sabbath day shall be put to death.

16

So shall the Israelites observe the sabbath, keeping it throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.

17

Between me and the Israelites it is to be an everlasting token; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day he rested at his ease."

18

When the LORD had finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the commandments, the stone tablets inscribed by God's own finger.

Table of Contents Previous Chapter Next Chapter

Footnotes

¹ [10] The service cloths: so the Greek. They were perhaps the colored cloths mentioned in Numbers 4:4-15.

New American Bible Copyright © 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

---

USCCB Home Page New American Bible Home Page




__________________________________

New American Bible
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20017-1194 (202) 541-3000