Exodus 36:2
in Exodus 36Then Moses summoned Bezalel, Oholiab, and every skilled person whom the LORD had gifted—everyone whose heart stirred him to come and do the work.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab, and every wise-hearted man, in whose heart Jehovah had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it:
KJV
And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whose heart the Lord had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it:
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This verse in Exodus 36
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
So Bezalel, Oholiab, and every skilled person
on Exodus 36:1-2
The building begins with two named men and the skill put in them, before a single material is measured. Exodus 31:3 says Bezalel was filled with the Spirit of God, the first person in Scripture said to be so filled.
This site's exposition
Then Moses summoned Bezalel, Oholiab
Adam Clarke reads verse 1 as the close of chapter 35, so the work starts here when Moses summoned the craftsmen. Matthew Henry finds two marks, the skill the LORD had given and a heart stirred to come. John Calvin reads the stirred heart as the LORD's work too.
The record, by era
The Reformation1 voice
Thus the absurdity of the Papists is refuted, who, in order to prove free-will, think it sufficient to drag forward the passages in which rectitude of will is commended: whereas, even though men may will aright, it is foolish to infer that therefore they are possessed of free-will, unless it be proved that the will proceeds from themselves.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man,....
Note, Those are to be called to the building of the gospel tabernacle whom God has by his grace made in some measure fit for the work and free to engage in it. Ability and willingness (with resolution) are the two things to be regarded in the call of ministers.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
CALLED. The heh of the word le-korvah (to come) is superfluous.
2 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
In one day they brought all this donation to the Tent of Meeting where Moses was, 45 See above,:7. and the wise men took it from Moses on that very same day and on the following day, early in the morning.
Look. Bezalel himself shall make the glorious object. 1 The ark. See Ex.:1. Va-asah (shall work or shall make) is in the singular.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 1 further source is cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
25 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּקְרָ֣א | vaiyikra' | and he called | H7121 → | 733 times |
| מֹשֶׁ֗ה | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| בְּצַלְאֵ֘ל | betzalel | Bezalel | H1212 → | 9 times |
| וְאֶל־ | veel- | and to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אָֽהֳלִיאָב֒ | ʾoholiav | Oholiab | H171 → | 5 times |
| וְאֶל֙ | veel | and to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אִ֣ישׁ | ʾish | person | H376 → | 1663 times |
| חֲכַם־ | chakham- | skillful of | H2450 → | 138 times |
| לֵ֔ב | lev | heart | H3820 → | 595 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | whom | H834 → | 5497 times |
| נָתַ֧ן | natan | he had put | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| יְהוָ֛ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| חָכְמָ֖ה | chokhmah | skill | H2451 → | 153 times |
| בְּלִבּ֑וֹ | belibo | in heart his | H3820 → | 595 times |
| כֹּ֚ל | kol | every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | [one] whom | H834 → | 5497 times |
| נְשָׂא֣וֹ | nesao | it lifted him | H5375 → | 656 times |
| לִבּ֔וֹ | libo | heart his | H3820 → | 595 times |
| לְקָרְבָ֥ה | lekarevah | to draw near | H7126 → | 280 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הַמְּלָאכָ֖ה | hamelakhah | the work | H4399 → | 167 times |
| לַעֲשֹׂ֥ת | laasot | to do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| אֹתָֽהּ׃ | ʾotah | <obj.> it | H853 → | 10935 times |
וַיִּקְרָ֣אand he called
vaiyikra'H7121 →733 times
מֹשֶׁ֗הMoses
moshehH4872 →765 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
בְּצַלְאֵ֘לBezalel
betzalelH1212 →9 times
וְאֶל־and to
veel-H413 →5510 times
אָֽהֳלִיאָב֒Oholiab
ʾoholiavH171 →5 times
וְאֶל֙and to
veelH413 →5510 times
כָּל־every
kol-H3605 →5413 times
אִ֣ישׁperson
ʾishH376 →1663 times
חֲכַם־skillful of
chakham-H2450 →138 times
לֵ֔בheart
levH3820 →595 times
אֲשֶׁ֨רwhom
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
נָתַ֧ןhe had put
natanH5414 →2011 times
יְהוָ֛הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
חָכְמָ֖הskill
chokhmahH2451 →153 times
בְּלִבּ֑וֹin heart his
beliboH3820 →595 times
כֹּ֚לevery
kolH3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁ֣ר[one] whom
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
נְשָׂא֣וֹit lifted him
nesaoH5375 →656 times
לִבּ֔וֹheart his
liboH3820 →595 times
לְקָרְבָ֥הto draw near
lekarevahH7126 →280 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הַמְּלָאכָ֖הthe work
hamelakhahH4399 →167 times
לַעֲשֹׂ֥תto do
laasotH6213 →2628 times
אֹתָֽהּ׃<obj.> it
ʾotahH853 →10935 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Colossians 4:17Tell Archippus: “See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord.”
it leads to
- Philemon 1:2
to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets at your house:
- Acts 1:17
He was one of our number and shared in this ministry.”
- 2 Timothy 4:1–5
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing and His kingdom:
- 1 Timothy 6:20
O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid irreverent, empty chatter and the opposing arguments of so-called “knowledge,”
- 1 Timothy 4:16
Pay close attention to your life and to your teaching. Persevere in these things, for by so doing you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
- Philemon 1:2
Through
Acts 14:23Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church, praying and fasting as they entrusted them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.
it leads to
- Titus 1:5
The reason I left you in Crete was that you would set in order what was unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.
- Acts 11:30
This they did, sending their gifts to the elders with Barnabas and Saul.
- Titus 1:5
Through
Hebrews 5:4No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was.
it leads to
- Exodus 28:1
“Next, have your brother Aaron brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, to serve Me as priests.
- Exodus 28:1
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Exodus
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.