ExodeChapitre 31

Ce chapitre n'est pas encore disponible en français — texte original affiché.

+ Texte secondaire Texte original ← Précédent Suivant →Contribuer

The LORD spoke to Moses and said:

"See, I have called by name Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah,

and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, understanding, and knowledge in every kind of craft,

to design works of art in gold, silver, and bronze,

to cut and set stones, to carve wood, and to work in every craft.

And see, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to work with him. I have also given skill to every craftsman, so they can make everything I have commanded you:

the tent of meeting, the ark of the testimony and the atonement cover that goes on it, and all the furnishings of the tent;

the table with its utensils, the pure lampstand with all its utensils, the altar of incense,

the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin with its stand;

the woven garments, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons to serve as priests,

and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the sanctuary. They are to make them just as I have commanded you."

The LORD said to Moses:

"Say to the Israelites: 'Above all, keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, so you will know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy.

Keep the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Whoever profanes it must be put to death; anyone who does any work on that day must be cut off from among his people.

For six days work is to 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 be put to death.

The Israelites are to keep the Sabbath, observing it throughout their generations as a lasting covenant.

It is 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 rested and was refreshed.'"

When the LORD had finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone written by the finger of God.

Recherche

Résumé2

Chapitre 31

Main Theme: God equips craftsmen to build the tabernacle and gives the Sabbath commandment as a sign of the covenant.

Content: God calls Bezalel (from Judah) and Oholiab (from Dan) and fills them with God's Spirit, wisdom, and skill to make the tabernacle with all its equipment. Then God commands the Sabbath as an eternal sign of the covenant between him and Israel—anyone who dishonors it shall die. The chapter concludes with God giving Moses the two stone tablets, written by the finger of God.

Key Words/Images:

God's Spirit (רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים): God equips the craftsmen with spiritual gifts for practical service.
Sabbath as a sign (אוֹת): The Sabbath is a visible sign of the covenant between God and Israel for all generations.
The Stone Tablets: The two tablets of testimony, written by the finger of God, symbolize the divine law.

Contexte historique

Historical and Cultural Context for Exodus 31

People

The chapter introduces two craftsmen by name: Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur from the tribe of Judah, and Oholiab son of Ahisamach from the tribe of Dan. The name Bezalel means "in the shadow of God" or "in the shadow of El" (בְּצַלְאֵל, from בְּ 'in', צֵל 'shadow' and אֵל 'God'), suggesting divine protection. According to 1 Chron 2:19-20, Bezalel was a great-grandson of Caleb through Hur. The fact that one craftsman came from the leading tribe of Judah and another from Dan may symbolize that representatives of the entire people participated in the sanctuary work.

Events and Customs

God-given craftsmanship: The text describes how Bezalel is filled with "the Spirit of God" (רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים) for craftwork. This was unusual in the ancient world—while Mesopotamian and Egyptian texts often attributed artistic skill to the teaching of the gods, the direct divine equipping of a craftsman with "wisdom, understanding, and knowledge" is a distinct Israelite concept that elevated practical work to spiritual service.

The Sabbath commandment: The Sabbath legislation in verses 12-17 is placed strategically between the instructions for the tabernacle and its construction. Rabbinic tradition interpreted this placement to mean that even the holy work of building the tabernacle had to yield to the Sabbath. The thirty-nine categories of forbidden Sabbath labor in later Jewish law (Mishnah Shabbat 7:2) were derived precisely from the types of work required to build the tabernacle.

Key Terms

שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן (shabbat shabbaton): This intensified expression in verse 15, often translated "a Sabbath of complete rest" or "Sabbath rest," emphasizes the absolute character of the Sabbath. It is used only for the Sabbath and the greatest festivals.

אוֹת (ot) – "sign": The Sabbath is called a "sign" between God and Israel (v. 13, 17). In the ancient Near East, signs functioned as covenant symbols and markers of identity. Thus, the Sabbath became a weekly, visible proof of Israel's special covenant relationship with God.

לֻחֹת הָעֵדֻת (lukhot ha'edut) – "tablets of the testimony": The stone tablets in verse 18 are called "testimony" because they served as a covenant document. In Hittite and Mesopotamian vassal treaties, copies of the agreement were placed in temples—in the same way, Israel's covenant tablets were to be kept in the ark of the covenant within the sanctuary.

Chapter-Specific Findings

The expression "written with the finger of God" (כְּתֻבִים בְּאֶצְבַּע אֱלֹהִים) in verse 18 has interesting parallels. In Egyptian texts, hieroglyphs are referred to as "the words of the gods," and writing was attributed to the god Thoth. Stone tablets containing laws and treaties are well documented archaeologically from the second millennium B.C., including the Law Stele of Hammurabi and numerous cuneiform tablets from Mari and Ugarit. The fact that the law was written on stone emphasized its permanent and unchangeable character.

Personnages8

Bezalel (son of Uri, grandson of Hur)1 Uri (father of Bezalel)1 Oholiab1 Ahisamach1 Aaron1 Hur1 Judah1 Moses3

Voir tout : personnages →

Mots-clés7

Besalel — A skilled Israelite craftsman chosen by God to lead the work of building the tabernacle.
Oholiab — Another skilled Israelite craftsman who was chosen by God to help Besalel build the tabernacle.
Wisdom — The ability to use knowledge and experience in a wise and insightful way, given by God to selected individuals.
Craftsmanship — Professional skill within a specific trade or art, such as carpentry, jewelry design, weaving, and engraving.
Sabbath — The seventh day of the week, a holy day for rest and worship, which God commanded the Israelites to keep holy.
Covenant — An agreement between God and people, often accompanied by promises and conditions from both parties.
Broke — The act of breaking an agreement, covenant, or promise, leading to consequences and punishment from God.