Catholic Commentary on Exodus 31

"I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills." (Exodus 31:2-3)

The Craftsmen and the Sabbath

God names two craftsmen: Bezalel of the tribe of Judah and Oholiab of the tribe of Dan. I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills. The Spirit of God is given here not for prophetic speech or priestly ministry but for the crafting of the tabernacle: metalwork, stonecutting, woodworking, weaving, embroidery. The Catechism draws from this the theology of artistic charism: the beautiful things made for God's worship are the fruit of the Spirit's gift, and the artisan who crafts them with skill and devotion is doing a spiritual work (CCC 2502). Every great act of sacred art is a descendant of Bezalel's Spirit-filled craft.

Then God repeats the commandment of the Sabbath with particular urgency: this is a sign between me and you for the generations to come. Whoever desecrates it must be put to death. The severity reflects the theological weight: the Sabbath is the covenant sign, the declaration that the people of God belong to the God of creation and rest. The artisans building the tabernacle, however urgent the project, must stop on the seventh day.

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, the Spirit fills people for craftsmanship, not only prophecy. Your skills, whatever they are, are potential gifts of the Spirit for the building up of God's dwelling place. Offer your craft. Whatever you do excellently can be done for God, in the Spirit of Bezalel.

Prayer

Lord God, you filled Bezalel with your Spirit for skilled work. Fill us with the Spirit for every work you have called us to, whether great or small, visible or hidden. And let us keep the Sabbath as the covenant sign that all our work ultimately belongs to you. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

31
Bezalel and Oholiab
(Exodus 35:30–35)
1 Then the LORD said to Moses, 2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 3 And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of craftsmanship, 4 to design artistic works in gold, silver, and bronze, 5 to cut gemstones for settings, and to carve wood, so that he may be a master of every craft.
 
6 Moreover, I have selected Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, as his assistant.
 
I have also given skill to all the craftsmen, that they may fashion all that I have commanded you: 7 the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the Testimony * 31:7 That is, the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat upon it, and all the other furnishings of the tent— 8 the table with its utensils, the pure gold lampstand with all its utensils, the altar of incense, 9 the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin with its stand— 10 as well as the woven garments, both the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons to serve as priests, 11 in addition to the anointing oil and fragrant incense for the Holy Place. They are to make them according to all that I have commanded you.”
The Sign of the Sabbath
(Numbers 15:32–36)
 
12 And the LORD said to Moses, 13 “Tell the Israelites, ‘Surely you must keep My Sabbaths, for this will be a sign between Me and you for the generations to come, so that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you. 14 Keep the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Anyone who profanes it must surely be put to death. Whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from among his people. 15 For six days work may be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must surely be put to death.
 
16 The Israelites must keep the Sabbath, celebrating it as a permanent covenant for the generations to come. 17 It is a sign between Me and the Israelites forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’ ”
Moses Receives the Tablets
 
18 When the LORD had finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave him the two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.

*31:7 31:7 That is, the ark of the covenant

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