Exodus 31.1-11-The Lord Appoints Bezalel And Oholiab And Other Craftsmen To Construct Tabernacle
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Sunday July 22, 2012
Journey Through The Bible Series: Exodus 31:1-11-The Lord Appoints Bezalel And Oholiab And Other Craftsmen To Construct Tabernacle
Lesson # 44
Please turn in your Bibles to Exodus 31:1.
This morning we will study Exodus 31:1-11, which records the Lord appointing Bezalel and Oholiab and other craftsmen to construct the tabernacle.
Exodus chapter 31 is divided into three sections: (1) The Lord appoints Bezalel and Oholiab and other craftsmen to construct the tabernacle (1-11). (2) The Lord gives Moses laws concerning the Sabbath (12-17). (3) The Lord presents Moses with the Ten Commandments (18).
Now, in Exodus 31:1-11, the Lord informs Moses as to which persons in Israel He wants to build the tabernacle.
Exodus 31:1 Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 3 I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship, 4 to make artistic designs for work in gold, in silver, and in bronze, 5 and in the cutting of stones for settings, and in the carving of wood, that he may work in all kinds of craftsmanship. 6 And behold, I Myself have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the hearts of all who are skillful I have put skill, that they may make all that I have commanded you: 7 the tent of meeting, and the ark of testimony, and the mercy seat upon it, and all the furniture of the tent, 8 the table also and its utensils, and the pure gold lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, 9 the altar of burnt offering also with all its utensils, and the laver and its stand, 10 the woven garments as well, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, with which to carry on their priesthood; 11 the anointing oil also, and the fragrant incense for the holy place, they are to make them according to all that I have commanded you.” (NASB95)
Verse 2 reveals that God selected “Bezalel” (BEHZ-uh-lehl) to oversee the construction of the tabernacle and its furnishings who was from the tribe of Judah and was the son of Uri (yoo-RICH) and whose grandfather was Hur (HUHR).
His family tree appears in 1 Chronicles 2:4-20 and his name means “in the shadow of El (God)” or in other word “in the protection of God.”
“I have called by name Bezalel” reflects a Hebrew idiom that connotes specifically selecting an individual to a specific job and thus Bezalel and no one else could oversee the tabernacle project or in other words, there could be no substitute to be used in his place.
Exodus 31:3 records that the Lord filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God in wisdom, understanding, knowledge and all kinds of craftsmanship.
Then, in verse 4 the Lord reveals the purpose for doing so, namely in order to make artistic designs for work with gold, silver and with bronze with cutting and setting stone and with cutting wood to work in all kinds of craftsmanship.
Verse 4 tells the reader what materials were to be employed by Bezalel in the construction of the tabernacle, namely acacia wood, gold, silver, bronze, and other gemstones and fabric, which are all mentioned in detail in Exodus 25-30.
In Egypt, every kind of artistic skill was diligently cultivated by the Israelites during their four hundred year stay.
Egypt surpassed all the other nations in the ancient Near East in the manufacture of beautiful furniture, fabrics, pottery and monuments of every kind.
Their pyramids and palaces and temples were superior to the Sumerians, Babylonians, Hittites and Arameans.
Undoubtedly, Bezalel and Oholiab were already trained in the production of artistic masterpieces by the time the Lord selected them to construct the tabernacle and produce its furnishings, fabrics and utensils.
This is clearly indicated in Exodus 31:6 which records the Lord telling Moses that “and in the hearts of all who are skillful I have put skill, that they may make all that I have commanded you.”
Notice, the Lord says He put skill in the hearts of those who are skillful, thus implying that Bezalel and Oholiab and the other workers were already skilled but received even greater skill because of receiving skill from the Holy Spirit.
However, Exodus 31:2 and 5 state that the Lord gave Bezalel and Oholiab and all those who would be working with them the Spirit of God in wisdom, understanding, knowledge and all kinds of craftsmanship to carry out this task.
“I have filled” is composed of the first person singular piel active imperfect form of the verb mā∙lē(ʾ) (מָלֵא) (maw-lay´), which does not mean “filled” but rather “to give” meaning that the Lord “gave” Bezalel the Holy Spirit in order to perform the task of overseeing the tabernacle project so as to meet His perfect standards.
Here in Exodus 31:3, it is used of the Lord giving Bezalel the ability to accomplish the task of constructing the tabernacle and the production of its furnishings in a manner that meets the Lord’s perfect standards.
This interpretation is further confirmed by the statements in Exodus 31:6 and 35:34-35, which record the Lord telling Moses that He had given Oholiab skill to complete the tabernacle project.
“The Spirit of God” is composed of the feminine singular construct form of the noun rûaḥ (רוּחַ) (roo´-akh), “with the Spirit of” which is followed by the masculine plural noun ʾělō∙hîm (אֱלֹהִים) (el-o-heem´), “God.”
The noun rûaḥ refers to the Holy Spirit and is in the construct state meaning that it is governing the noun which follows it, which is noun ʾělō∙hîm and expresses a genitive relationship.
Specifically, the noun ʾělō∙hîm is an appositional genitive which is an individual member of the class given by the construct term, which is rûaḥ.
The sense of this construction is that the Lord gave Bezalel the Spirit, “who is” God.
“Wisdom” is the noun ḵemā(h) (חָכְמָה) (khok-maw´), which means “skill” i.e. the technical ability to perform a craft.
“Understanding” is the noun teḇû∙nā(h) (תְּבוּנָה) (taw-boon´), which means “ability” i.e. the capability to perform a craft.
“Knowledge” is the verb dǎ∙ʿǎṯ (דַּעַת) (dah´-ath), which means “skillful” in the sense of knowledge applied to a particular craft.
“Craftsmanship” is the noun melā(ʾ)∙ḵā(h) (מְלָאכָה) (mel-aw-kaw´) which refers to a skill specific in a trade or occupation and is modified by the adjective kōl which means “every kind of” i.e. a totality of kinds or sorts.
By giving Bezalel the Spirit, the Lord gave him the technical ability to construct the tabernacle and produce its furnishings.
He gave him the capability to perform this task and the capability to apply the knowledge necessary to perform this task.
So the Holy Spirit enabled Bezalel to be wiser, more insightful and knowledgeable and more capable with regards to any type of craftsmanship with which the Lord assigned him, which was all so that his work would be up to God’s perfect standards.
This entire expression means that God gave Bezalel the ability to perform the task which God assigned him and to fulfill this task exactly as He prescribed to Moses on Mount Sinai.
This expression is thus not the same as the command to be filled with the Spirit that appears in Ephesians 5:18, which requires the volition of the believer to submit to the Holy Spirit’s guidance and direction and influence.
The Lord did not require Bezalel to be filled with the Spirit or more accurately influenced by means of the Spirit but rather the Lord told Moses that He gave him the Spirit.
Exodus 31:6 records that the Lord also selected a man named “Oholiab” (oh-HOH-lih-ab) whose name literally means “tent of the father.”
In the Old Testament, his name only appears in Exodus 35:34 and 36:1-2 as well as 38:23, which record the fulfillment of the Lord’s instructions by Bezalel and Oholiab and the other craftsman assigned to the tabernacle project.
The Lord instructed that only the tribe of Levi could serve in the tabernacle but in Exodus 31:1-11, we have the Lord selecting two individuals who are from the tribe of Judah and Dan to construct the tabernacle and its furnishings.
No one from these two tribes as well as the other tribes could touch anything in the tabernacle once it had been constructed and sanctified according to the Lord’s instructions.
Women were also involved in the tabernacle project since Exodus 35:25-26 records that they were responsible for the fabric manufacture.
In Exodus 31:11, the Lords’ statement “they are to make them according to all that I have commanded you” is for the benefit of those taking part in the tabernacle project.
It is reiterating for them and emphasizing with them that its absolutely essential that they follow the Lord’s instructions meticulously.
Throughout Exodus 25-30, the Lord has periodically insisted with Moses that the Israelites perform an exact replication (25:9, 40; 26:30; 27:8).
Exodus 31:1-11 along with Exodus 26:1, 31 and 28:6-8, 15; 35:30-36:3, 8-38:11 and 39:1-3 reveal that craftsmen were employed in the construction of the tabernacle and its furnishings.
Exodus 31:1-11 teaches that the Lord gave Bezalel and Oholiab and other skilled craftsman the ability and skill to carry out the instructions He gave to Moses on Sinai regarding the construction of the tabernacle and the production of its furnishings.
He did this by imparting to them the Holy Spirit, who would give them the ability and skill to carry out the Lord’s instructions and to meet His perfect holy standards.
This reveals a principle that is taught throughout Scripture, namely the Lord gives the Spirit to His people in order to fulfill His will.
Church age believers have been given the Spirit who permanently indwells them in order that they might accomplish the Father’s will.