FRAMEWORKS:
Exodus 35: Materials, Work & Craftsmen
v.1-3
Sabbath regulations
v.4-9
Materials for the tabernacle
v.10-19
The Work for the Skilled Craftsmen
v.20-29
The People bring their Contributions
v.30-35
Bezalel and Oholiab
v.1-3
Sabbath regulations
v.1
Moses
assembled the whole Israelite community and said to them, ‘These
are the things the Lord has commanded you to do:
v.2
for
six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your
holy day, a day of sabbath rest to the Lord. Whoever does any
work on it is to be put to death.
v.3
Do
not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day.'
[Notes:
Again there seems this reminder to the people, in the
light of the coming activity of constructing the Tabernacle, that
it should only continue for six days while the Sabbath is observed
each week.]
v.4-9
Materials for the tabernacle
v.4
Moses
said to the whole Israelite community, ‘This is what the Lord
has commanded:
v.5
from
what you have, take an offering for the Lord. Everyone who is
willing is to bring to the Lord an offering of gold, silver and
bronze;
v.6
blue,
purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair;
v.7
ram
skins dyed red and another type of durable leather; acacia wood;
v.8
olive
oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant
incense;
v.9
and
onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breast-piece.
[Notes:
A list of materials needed for the construction is put
before the community with a request for offerings.]
v.10-19
The Work for the Skilled Craftsmen
v.10
‘
All who are skilled among you are to come and
make everything the Lord has commanded:
v.11
the
tabernacle with its tent and its covering, clasps, frames, crossbars,
posts and bases;
v.12
the
ark with its poles and the atonement cover and the curtain that
shields it;
v.13
the
table with its poles and all its articles and the bread of the
Presence;
v.14
the
lampstand that is for light with its accessories, lamps and oil
for the light;
v.15
the
altar of incense with its poles, the anointing oil and the fragrant
incense; the curtain for the doorway at the entrance to the tabernacle;
v.16
the
altar of burnt offering with its bronze grating, its poles and
all its utensils; the bronze basin with its stand;
v.17
the
curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain
for the entrance to the courtyard;
v.18
the
tent pegs for the tabernacle and for the courtyard, and their
ropes;
v.19
the
woven garments worn for ministering in the sanctuary – both
the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for
his sons when they serve as priests.'
[Notes:
The scope of the construction work is laid before the
community with a requirement for skilled workers to come and be
part of it.]
v.20-29
The People bring their Contributions
v.20
Then
the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses' presence,
v.21
and
everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought
an offering to the Lord for the work on the tent of meeting, for
all its service, and for the sacred garments.
v.22
All
who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry
of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all
presented their gold as a wave offering to the Lord.
v.23
Everyone
who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen, or goat hair,
ram skins dyed red or other durable leather brought them.
v.24
Those
presenting an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering
to the Lord, and everyone who had acacia wood for any part of
the work brought it.
v.25
Every
skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she had spun –
blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen.
v.26
And
all the women who were willing and had the skill spun the goat
hair.
v.27
The
leaders brought onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the
ephod and breast-piece.
v.28
They
also brought spices and olive oil for the light and for the anointing
oil and for the fragrant incense.
v.29
All
the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the Lord
freewill offerings for all the work the Lord through Moses had
commanded them to do.
[Notes:
The community bring materials.]
v.30-35
Bezalel and Oholiab
v.30
Then
Moses said to the Israelites, ‘See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel
son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah,
v.31
and
he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom,
with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills
–
v.32
to
make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze,
v.33
to
cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds
of artistic crafts.
v.34
And
he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamak,
of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others.
v.35
He
has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers,
designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine
linen, and weavers – all of them skilled workers and designers.
[Notes:
The two key men and their abilities are made known and
the fact that they are clearly chosen by God to lead the construction
work.]