Exodus · chapter 35 of 40
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Exodus 35 begins the construction of the tabernacle. Moses gathers the people, recalls the sabbath command and asks for offerings from those with willing hearts. The Israelites bring gold, fabrics, skins and spices in abundance, and Moses announces that God has called Bezalel and Oholiab, filled with his Spirit, to lead the work.
After the crisis of the calf and the renewal of the covenant (Exodus 32-34), chapters 35 to 40 tell how the tabernacle instructions of chapters 25 to 31 were carried out. Exodus 35 is the beginning: the people who had given their gold for an idol now give it freely for God's dwelling.
Moses assembles the whole congregation of Israel and begins by recalling the sabbath: six days of work and a seventh of solemn rest to the Lord, on which no fire is to be kindled in their homes. Then he relays what God has commanded: an offering for the Lord from everyone whose heart is generous. He lists the materials: gold, silver, bronze, blue, purple and scarlet yarn, fine linen, goats' hair, skins, acacia wood, oil, spices, incense and onyx stones. He also asks all the skilled to come and make everything the Lord has commanded.
The congregation leaves Moses' presence and returns with willing hearts and stirred spirits, bringing offerings for the work of the tent, for its service and for the holy garments. Men and women, all who are generous in heart, bring brooches, earrings, rings and gold jewelry. The women skilled in heart spin with their hands and bring what they spun, blue, purple, scarlet and linen, and also spin the goats' hair. The leaders bring the onyx and other stones, the spices and the oil. Every Israelite, man and woman, who wanted to bring something for the work brought it willingly.
Moses announces that the Lord has called Bezalel of the tribe of Judah by name and filled him with the Spirit of God with wisdom, understanding and skill. He has also given him the ability to teach others, him and Oholiab of the tribe of Dan. God has filled them with skill for every kind of craftsmanship.
References follow ESV book names and verse numbers. Read each verse in your Bible before the explanation.
Six days work shall be done, but the seventh is a day of solemn rest to the Lord. Even the holiest work, building the tabernacle, had to stop on the sabbath.
The offering is for the Lord and everyone with a generous heart is to bring it. God does not ask the same of everyone; each gives what his heart moves him to give.
All whose hearts were stirred and whose spirits were willing came and brought the Lord's offering for the work. Generosity comes from a heart God moves, not from obligation.
God put into the heart of Bezalel and Oholiab the ability to teach others. The gift of teaching their craft ensured that the work was done by a team and did not depend on one person.
6 questions with answers and references, ready for Sunday school, small group or a Bible quiz night.
Answer: The sabbath command: six days of work and a seventh of rest for the Lord. — Exodus 35:1-3
Answer: Everyone with a generous heart. — Exodus 35:5
Answer: They spun with their hands and brought what they spun, blue, purple and scarlet yarn and linen. — Exodus 35:25
Answer: The onyx and other stones, the spices and the oil. — Exodus 35:27-28
Answer: Bezalel was from the tribe of Judah and Oholiab from the tribe of Dan. — Exodus 35:30-34
Answer: The ability to teach others. — Exodus 35:34
Exodus 35 is a model of generosity: there was no pressure, but a heart moved by God. A church can ask whether its offerings and service come from gratitude or obligation, and whether everyone, men, women, young and old, feels invited to put their gifts at the service of God's work.
It also teaches that practical service, spinning, carving, weaving, is sacred. Whoever cleans the building, sets a table or prepares a lesson serves the Lord. And the sabbath before the work reminds us that activity for God must not replace rest and worship. In a small group you can talk about how to balance service and rest.
Exodus 35 shows a people who respond with generosity and a team of craftsmen called by God. Chapter 36 tells how the work begins and how the offering was so abundant that Moses had to ask them to stop bringing more.
The text forbids it as a way of marking the complete rest of the day. Fire involved work, such as cooking or forging metal. The prohibition reminded the people that not even the work of the tabernacle justified breaking the rest.
The text stresses that they gave willingly, with stirred hearts. It is a contrast with the calf, made from the same gold. The people, forgiven and renewed in the covenant, respond with generosity toward God's dwelling.
Skilled women spun and brought the colored yarns and linen, and also gave jewelry. Their contribution was essential for the curtains and the garments. The text mentions men and women who gave generously.