CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Exodus 31:12 And the LORD said to Moses,</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/exodus/31-12.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/new9.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><meta property="og:image" content="https://biblehub.com/visuals/3/02_Exo_31_12.jpg" /><meta property="og:title" content="Exodus 31:12 - The Sign of the Sabbath" /><meta property="og:site_name" content="Bible Hub" /><meta property="og:description" content="And the LORD said to Moses," /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="/vmenus/exodus/31-12.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmc/exodus/31-12.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="/">Bible</a> > <a href="/exodus/">Exodus</a> > <a href="/exodus/31.htm">Chapter 31</a> > Verse 12</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div><div id="ad1"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/ad12.htm" width="100%" height="48" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="/exodus/31-11.htm" title="Exodus 31:11">◄</a> Exodus 31:12 <a href="/exodus/31-13.htm" title="Exodus 31:13">►</a></div></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse"> <a href="#audio" class="clickchap2" title="Context and Audio Bible"> Audio </a> <a href="#crossref" class="clickchap2" title="Cross References"> Cross </a> <a href="#study" class="clickchap2" title="Study Bible"> Study </a> <a href="#commentary" class="clickchap2" title="Commentary"> Comm </a> <a href="#lexicon" class="clickchap2" title="Lexicon"> Heb </a> </div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheadingv"><b>Verse</b><a href="/bsb/exodus/31.htm" class="clickchap" style="color:#001320" title="Click any translation name for full chapter">  (Click for Chapter)</a></div><div id="par"><span class="versiontext"><a href="/niv/exodus/31.htm">New International Version</a></span><br />Then the LORD said to Moses,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nlt/exodus/31.htm">New Living Translation</a></span><br />The LORD then gave these instructions to Moses:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/esv/exodus/31.htm">English Standard Version</a></span><br />And the LORD said to Moses,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/exodus/31.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />And the LORD said to Moses,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/exodus/31.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/exodus/31.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/exodus/31.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/exodus/31.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/exodus/31.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/exodus/31.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/exodus/31.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />And the LORD said to Moses,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/exodus/31.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />The LORD said to Moses,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/exodus/31.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />The LORD said to Moses: &#8220<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/exodus/31.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/exodus/31.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/exodus/31.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />The LORD said to Moses,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/exodus/31.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />The LORD commanded Moses <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/exodus/31.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />The LORD told Moses, <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/exodus/31.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />And the LORD said to Moses,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/exodus/31.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />The LORD said to Moses,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/exodus/31.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/exodus/31.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/exodus/31.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/exodus/31.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />And YHWH speaks to Moses, saying,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/exodus/31.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/exodus/31.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />And Jehovah will say to Moses, saying.<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/exodus/31.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/exodus/31.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/exodus/31.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />The LORD said to Moses:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/exodus/31.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />The LORD said to Moses:<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/exodus/31.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hpbt/exodus/31.htm">Peshitta Holy Bible Translated</a></span><br />And the oil of the anointing and the incense of sweet spices for holiness; everything that I ordered you they shall do.”<div class="vheading2"><b>OT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/jps/exodus/31.htm">JPS Tanakh 1917</a></span><br />And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/sep/exodus/31.htm">Brenton Septuagint Translation</a></span><br />And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/exodus/31-12.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kVae3PiKqhs?start=8131" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/exodus/31.htm">The Sign of the Sabbath</a></span><br> <span class="reftext">12</span><span class="highl"><a href="/hebrew/3068.htm" title="3068: Yah·weh (N-proper-ms) -- The proper name of the God of Israel. From hayah; self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God.">And the LORD</a> <a href="/hebrew/559.htm" title="559: way·yō·mer (Conj-w:: V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms) -- To utter, say. A primitive root; to say.">said</a> <a href="/hebrew/413.htm" title="413: ’el- (Prep) -- To, into, towards. ">to</a> <a href="/hebrew/4872.htm" title="4872: mō·šeh (N-proper-ms) -- A great Isr. leader, prophet and lawgiver. From mashah; drawing out, i.e. Rescued; Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver.">Moses,</a> <a href="/hebrew/559.htm" title="559: lê·mōr (Prep-l:: V-Qal-Inf) -- To utter, say. A primitive root; to say."></a> </span><span class="reftext">13</span>“Tell the Israelites, ‘Surely you must keep My Sabbaths, for this will be a sign between Me and you for the generations to come, so that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/leviticus/19-3.htm">Leviticus 19:3</a></span><br />Each of you must respect his mother and father, and you must keep My Sabbaths. I am the LORD your God.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/leviticus/23-3.htm">Leviticus 23:3</a></span><br />For six days work may be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, a day of sacred assembly. You must not do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the LORD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/deuteronomy/5-12.htm">Deuteronomy 5:12-15</a></span><br />Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you. / Six days you shall labor and do all your work, / but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox or donkey or any of your livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest as you do. ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ezekiel/20-12.htm">Ezekiel 20:12</a></span><br />I also gave them My Sabbaths as a sign between us, so that they would know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ezekiel/20-20.htm">Ezekiel 20:20</a></span><br />Keep My Sabbaths holy, that they may be a sign between us, so that you may know that I am the LORD your God.’<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/56-2.htm">Isaiah 56:2</a></span><br />Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without profaning it and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/nehemiah/9-14.htm">Nehemiah 9:14</a></span><br />You revealed to them Your holy Sabbath and gave them commandments and statutes and laws through Your servant Moses.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/genesis/2-2.htm">Genesis 2:2-3</a></span><br />And by the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on that day He rested from all His work. / Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on that day He rested from all the work of creation that He had accomplished.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/numbers/15-32.htm">Numbers 15:32-36</a></span><br />While the Israelites were in the wilderness, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day. / Those who found the man gathering wood brought him to Moses, Aaron, and the whole congregation, / and because it had not been declared what should be done to him, they placed him in custody. ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/jeremiah/17-21.htm">Jeremiah 17:21-22</a></span><br />This is what the LORD says: Take heed for yourselves; do not carry a load or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. / You must not carry a load out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath day, but you must keep the Sabbath day holy, just as I commanded your forefathers.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/12-8.htm">Matthew 12:8</a></span><br />For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/mark/2-27.htm">Mark 2:27-28</a></span><br />Then Jesus declared, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. / Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/luke/6-5.htm">Luke 6:5</a></span><br />Then Jesus declared, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/hebrews/4-9.htm">Hebrews 4:9-10</a></span><br />There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God. / For whoever enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/colossians/2-16.htm">Colossians 2:16-17</a></span><br />Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. / These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ.</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,</p><p class="hdg">no reference </p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/exodus/31-1.htm">Moses</a> <a href="/exodus/31-1.htm">Speaketh</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/exodus/31-18.htm">Moses</a> <a href="/exodus/33-11.htm">Speaketh</a><div class="vheading2">Exodus 31</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/exodus/31-1.htm">Bezaleel and Aholiah are appointed for the work of the tabernacle</a></span><br><span class="reftext">12. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/exodus/31-12.htm">The observation of the Sabbath is again commanded</a></span><br><span class="reftext">18. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/exodus/31-18.htm">Moses receives the two tablets</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <br /><br /> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/exodus/31.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/exodus/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/exodus/31.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div><b>And the LORD said to Moses,</b><br>This phrase indicates a direct communication from God to Moses, emphasizing the divine authority and importance of the message. In the context of the Exodus narrative, Moses serves as the mediator between God and the Israelites, a role that foreshadows Christ as the ultimate mediator between God and humanity (<a href="/1_timothy/2-5.htm">1 Timothy 2:5</a>). The use of "LORD" in all capitals signifies the covenant name of God, Yahweh, highlighting the personal relationship between God and His chosen people. This communication occurs during the Israelites' journey in the wilderness, a period marked by God's provision and instruction, as He prepares them to be a holy nation. Moses' leadership and prophetic role are central to the unfolding of God's redemptive plan, as he receives the law and instructions for the tabernacle, which symbolize God's presence among His people.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_lord.htm">The LORD (Yahweh)</a></b><br>The covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal, self-existent nature and His relationship with Israel.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/m/moses.htm">Moses</a></b><br>The prophet and leader chosen by God to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage and to receive the Law on Mount Sinai.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/m/mount_sinai.htm">Mount Sinai</a></b><br>The place where God communicated His laws and commandments to Moses, establishing the covenant with Israel.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/d/divine_communication.htm">Divine Communication</a></b><br>God speaks directly to His chosen leaders, emphasizing the importance of listening to His voice and guidance.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/c/covenant_relationship.htm">Covenant Relationship</a></b><br>The LORD's communication with Moses highlights the covenant relationship between God and His people, reminding us of our own covenant through Christ.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/o/obedience_to_god's_commands.htm">Obedience to God's Commands</a></b><br>Just as Moses was to relay God's commands to Israel, we are called to obey God's Word and live according to His statutes.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/l/leadership_and_responsibility.htm">Leadership and Responsibility</a></b><br>Moses' role as a leader underscores the responsibility of spiritual leaders to faithfully convey God's truth to His people.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/h/holiness_and_sanctification.htm">Holiness and Sanctification</a></b><br>The context of God's instructions to Moses includes the call to holiness, which is a recurring theme throughout Scripture, urging believers to live set apart for God.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_exodus_31.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Exodus 31</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/does_exodus_32_align_with_aaron's_role.htm">How does the portrayal of Aaron's role in Exodus 32 align with other biblical depictions of him, and does it reveal inconsistencies across different texts?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/how_to_reconcile_deut_5_2-3_with_ancestors.htm">Deuteronomy 5:2-3 says the covenant was made with the present generation, yet other passages imply it was made with their ancestors; how do we reconcile this?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/is_god's_character_inconsistent_in_numbers_12_9-10.htm">Does the harsh divine reaction in Numbers 12:9-10 conflict with other biblical portrayals of God's mercy, suggesting an inconsistency in the text's depiction of God's character?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_happens_in_exodus.htm">What events occur in the biblical book of Exodus?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/exodus/31.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>THE LAW OF THE SABBATH DECLARED ANEW UNDER A PENAL SANCTION.</span><p>(12-17) The worship of the tabernacle was so closely connected with Sabbatical observance (<a href="/leviticus/19-30.htm" title="You shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.">Leviticus 19:30</a>), that no surprise can be felt at a recurrence to the subject in the present place. It was not only that there might be a danger of zealous men breaking the Sabbatical rest in their eagerness to hasten forward the work of construction now required of them. The re-enactment of the Law might serve to check this tendency if it existed; but clearly the present passage is not specially directed to so narrow an object. It is altogether general in its aim and teaching. It re-enacts the law of the Sabbath (1) under a new sanction; and (2) with new light in its intention and value. Hitherto the Sabbath had been, in the main, a positive enactment intended to test obedience (<a href="/exodus/16-4.htm" title="Then said the LORD to Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.">Exodus 16:4</a>); now it was elevated into a sacramental sign between God and His people (<a href="/exodus/31-13.htm" title="Speak you also to the children of Israel, saying, Truly my sabbaths you shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that you may know that I am the LORD that does sanctify you.">Exodus 31:13</a>). Having become such a sign, it required to be guarded by a new sanction, and this was done by assigning the death-penalty to any infraction of the law of Sabbath observance (<a href="/context/exodus/31-14.htm" title="You shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy to you: every one that defiles it shall surely be put to death: for whoever does any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.">Exodus 31:14-15</a>).<p><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/exodus/31.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verses 12-17.</span> - THE PENALTY FOR NOT OBSERVING THE SABBATH. Various reasons have been given for this recurrence to the sanctity of the sabbath. Kurtz connects it with the giving of the two tables, in which "the law of the sabbath held a particularly prominent place." Kalisch and others view it rather as the sequel to the directions concerning the tabernacle, and as designed to teach "that the holy service in the tabernacle could not supersede the observance of the sabbath, but derived front that observance its true value." A third set of critics regard the recurrence to the subject as purely practical - being intended to meet an immediate danger - that of the people, in their zeal to erect the tabernacle, setting sabbath observance at nought. (So Jarchi, Aben-Ezra, Clark, Rosenmuller, Canon Cook, and others.) It is to be observed, however, that the present passage is not a mere repetition. It adds to former notices (<a href="/exodus/20-8.htm">Exodus 20:8-11</a>; <a href="/exodus/23-12.htm">Exodus 23:12</a>) two new points: - <p><span class="Text_Heading">1.</span> That the sabbath was to be a sign between God and Israel, a "distinguishing badge," a "sacramental bond" (Cook); and <p><span class="Text_Heading">2.</span> That its desecration was to be punished with death (ver. 15). These were supplementary points of so much importance as to furnish ample reason against their announcement being delayed. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/exodus/31-12.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Hebrew</div><span class="word">And the LORD</span><br /><span class="heb">יְהוָ֖ה</span> <span class="translit">(Yah·weh)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - proper - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3068.htm">Strong's 3068: </a> </span><span class="str2">LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel</span><br /><br /><span class="word">said</span><br /><span class="heb">וַיֹּ֥אמֶר</span> <span class="translit">(way·yō·mer)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_559.htm">Strong's 559: </a> </span><span class="str2">To utter, say</span><br /><br /><span class="word">to</span><br /><span class="heb">אֶל־</span> <span class="translit">(’el-)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_413.htm">Strong's 413: </a> </span><span class="str2">Near, with, among, to</span><br /><br /><span class="word">Moses,</span><br /><span class="heb">מֹשֶׁ֥ה</span> <span class="translit">(mō·šeh)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - proper - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_4872.htm">Strong's 4872: </a> </span><span class="str2">Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/exodus/31-12.htm">Exodus 31:12 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/exodus/31-12.htm">Exodus 31:12 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/exodus/31-12.htm">Exodus 31:12 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/exodus/31-12.htm">Exodus 31:12 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/exodus/31-12.htm">Exodus 31:12 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/exodus/31-12.htm">Exodus 31:12 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/exodus/31-12.htm">Exodus 31:12 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/exodus/31-12.htm">Exodus 31:12 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/exodus/31-12.htm">Exodus 31:12 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/exodus/31-12.htm">Exodus 31:12 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/exodus/31-12.htm">OT Law: Exodus 31:12 Yahweh spoke to Moses saying (Exo. Ex) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/exodus/31-11.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Exodus 31:11"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Exodus 31:11" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/exodus/31-13.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Exodus 31:13"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Exodus 31:13" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>