Exodus 36:1-7
1So Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person ▼▼tn Heb “wise of [in] heart.”
in whom the Lord has put skill ▼▼tn Heb “wisdom.”
and ability ▼▼tn Heb “understanding, discernment.”
to know how ▼▼tn The relative clause includes this infinitive clause that expresses either the purpose or the result of God’s giving wisdom and understanding to these folk.
to do all the work for the service ▼▼tn This noun is usually given an interpretive translation. B. Jacob renders the bound relationship as “the holy task” or “the sacred task” (Exodus, 1019). The NIV makes it “constructing,” so read “the work of constructing the sanctuary.”
of the sanctuary are to do the work ▼▼tn The first word of the verse is a perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive; it is singular because it agrees with the first of the compound subject. The sentence is a little cumbersome because of the extended relative clause in the middle.
according to all that the Lord has commanded.” 2 Moses summoned ▼▼tn The verb קָרָא (qaraʾ) plus the preposition “to”—“to call to” someone means “to summon” that person.
Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person in whom ▼▼tn Here there is a slight change: “in whose heart Yahweh had put skill.”
the Lord had put skill—everyone whose heart stirred him ▼▼tn Or “whose heart was willing.”
to volunteer ▼▼sn The verb means more than “approach” or “draw near”; קָרַב (qarav) is the word used for drawing near the altar as in bringing an offering. Here they offer themselves, their talents and their time.
to do the work. 3They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to do ▼▼tn In the Hebrew text the infinitive “to do it” comes after “sanctuary”; it makes a smoother rendering in English to move it forward, rather than reading “brought for the work.”
the work for the service of the sanctuary, and they still continued to bring him a freewill offering each morning. ▼▼tn Heb “in the morning, in the morning.”
4So all the skilled people who were doing all the work on the sanctuary came from the work ▼▼tn Heb “a man, a man from his work”; or “each one from his work.”
they were doing 5and told Moses, “The people are bringing much more than ▼▼tn The construction uses the verbal hendiadys: מַרְבִּים לְהָבִיא (marbim lehaviʾ) is the Hiphil participle followed (after the subject) by the Hiphil infinitive construct. It would read, “they multiply…to bring,” meaning, “they bring more” than is needed.
is needed for the completion ▼▼tn Heb “for the service” (so KJV, ASV).
of the work which the Lord commanded us to do!” ▼▼tn The last clause is merely the infinitive with an object—“to do it.” It clearly means the skilled workers are to do it.
6 Moses instructed them to take ▼▼tn The verse simply reads, “and Moses commanded and they caused [a voice] to cross over in the camp.” The second preterite with the vav may be subordinated to the first clause, giving the intent (purpose or result).
his message ▼▼tn Heb “voice.”
throughout the camp, saying, “Let no man or woman do anymore work for the offering for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing any more. ▼▼tn The verse ends with the infinitive serving as the object of the preposition: “from bringing.”
7Now the materials were more than enough ▼▼tn This part of the sentence comes from the final verb, the Hiphil infinitive—leave over, meaning, have more than enough (see BDB 451 s.v. יָתַר).
for them to do all the work. ▼▼tn Heb “for all the work, to do it.”
▼▼sn This lengthy section (35:1-36:7) forms one of the most remarkable sections in the book. Here there is a mixture of God’s preparation of people to do the work and their willingness to give and to serve. It not only provides insight into this renewed community of believers, but it also provides a timeless message for the church. The point is clear enough: In response to God’s commission, and inspired by God’s Spirit, the faithful and willing people rally to support and participate in the Lord’s work.
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