Exodus 31
The Lord chose Bezalel and Oholiab to lead the craftsmen in building the tabernacle and its furnishings, and gave them the necessary skills and knowledge. The Lord instructed Moses to tell the Israelites to observe the Sabbath, a day of rest and holiness, and warned that anyone who desecrated it would be put to death. The Sabbath was to be a lasting covenant and a sign between the Lord and the Israelites, a reminder of God's creation of the world in six days and rest on the seventh. The Lord then gave Moses the two tablets of the Testimony, inscribed by God's own finger.
1Then the LORD said to Moses,2"See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah,3and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts-4to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze,5to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship.6Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given skill to all the craftsmen to make everything I have commanded you:7the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the Testimony with the atonement cover on it, and all the other furnishings of the tent-8the table and its articles, the pure gold lampstand and all its accessories, the altar of incense,9the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, the basin with its stand-10and also the woven garments, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests,11and the anointing oil and fragrant incense for the Holy Place. They are to make them just as I commanded you."12Then the LORD said to Moses,13"Say to the Israelites, 'You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy.14"'Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it must be put to death; whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from his people.15For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death.16The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant.17It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he abstained from work and rested.'"18When the LORD finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the Testimony, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.
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