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Pentateuch · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Exodus 35

Israel's deliverance, covenant at Sinai, God's presence, and a people formed for worship.

Old Testament

Exodus 35

1Moses assembled all the congregation of the children of Israel, and said to them, “These are the words which the LORD has commanded, that you should do them.

2‘Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of solemn rest to the LORD: whoever does any work in it shall be put to death.

3You shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations on the Sabbath day.’”

4Moses spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, “This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying,

5‘Take from among you an offering to the LORD. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as the LORD’s offering: gold, silver, bronze,

6blue, purple, scarlet, fine linen, goats’ hair,

7rams’ skins dyed red, sea cow hides, acacia wood,

8oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense,

9onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod and for the breastplate.

10“‘Let every wise-hearted man among you come, and make all that the LORD has commanded:

11the tabernacle, its outer covering, its roof, its clasps, its boards, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets;

12the ark, and its poles, the mercy seat, the veil of the screen;

13the table with its poles and all its vessels, and the show bread;

14the lamp stand also for the light, with its vessels, its lamps, and the oil for the light;

15and the altar of incense with its poles, the anointing oil, the sweet incense, the screen for the door, at the door of the tabernacle;

16the altar of burnt offering, with its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its vessels, the basin and its base;

17the hangings of the court, its pillars, their sockets, and the screen for the gate of the court;

18the pins of the tabernacle, the pins of the court, and their cords;

19the finely worked garments for ministering in the holy place—the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons—to minister in the priest’s office.’”

20All the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses.

21They came, everyone whose heart stirred him up, and everyone whom his spirit made willing, and brought the LORD’s offering for the work of the Tent of Meeting, and for all of its service, and for the holy garments.

22They came, both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted, and brought brooches, earrings, signet rings, and armlets, all jewels of gold; even every man who offered an offering of gold to the LORD.

23Everyone with whom was found blue, purple, scarlet, fine linen, goats’ hair, rams’ skins dyed red, and sea cow hides, brought them.

24Everyone who offered an offering of silver and bronze brought the LORD’s offering; and everyone with whom was found acacia wood for any work of the service, brought it.

25All the women who were wise-hearted spun with their hands, and brought that which they had spun: the blue, the purple, the scarlet, and the fine linen.

26All the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun the goats’ hair.

27The rulers brought the onyx stones and the stones to be set for the ephod and for the breastplate;

28with the spice and the oil for the light, for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense.

29The children of Israel brought a free will offering to the LORD; every man and woman whose heart made them willing to bring for all the work, which the LORD had commanded to be made by Moses.

30Moses said to the children of Israel, “Behold, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.

31He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of workmanship;

32and to make skillful works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze,

33in cutting of stones for setting, and in carving of wood, to work in all kinds of skillful workmanship.

34He has put in his heart that he may teach, both he and Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.

35He has filled them with wisdom of heart to work all kinds of workmanship, of the engraver, of the skillful workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of those who do any workmanship, and of those who make skillful works.

READ IN CONTEXT

Before applying this chapter

Israel's deliverance, covenant at Sinai, God's presence, and a people formed for worship. Read Exodus 35 within the complete Exodus overview, and use the contextual Bible reading guide before forming a personal application. Chapter divisions aid navigation, but the literary unit may begin earlier or continue into the next chapter.

Observe first

Mark repeated words, changes of speaker, commands, promises, contrasts, questions, and the relationship between paragraphs.

Apply responsibly

Distinguish description from command and immediate audience from later readers before forming a personal application.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Exodus 35

Exodus 35 contains 35 verses and about 759 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “Moses assembled all the congregation of the children of Israel, and said to them, “These are the words which the LORD has commanded, that you should do them.” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 35 closes: “He has filled them with wisdom of heart to work all kinds of workmanship, of the engraver, of the skillful workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, in purple, in…” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include work, offering, brought, heart, moses, children. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Exodus 35

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Exodus 35:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

A SMALL NEXT STEP

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Begin with one honest question, one passage read carefully, and one faithful next step.

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