Exodus 35

Exodus 35

The big picture

Exodus 35 opens in verse 1 with “And Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 18 with “The pins of the tabernacle, and the pins of the court, and their cords,”, and closes in verse 35 with “Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver…” Repeated or prominent terms include work, LORD, offering, heart, children. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.

Scripture beside the summary

Exodus · King James Version · 35

Exodus 35:1-7

1–7: Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together…

Exodus 35:1–7 opens with “And Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said unto them…” and reaches “And rams’ skins dyed red, and badgers’ skins, and shittim wood,” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Exodus 35 develops its own movement around work, LORD, offering, heart, children, with particular weight carried by LORD, children, commanded.

Context that brings the passage to life

“And Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said unto them, These are the words…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD …” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

Exodus 35:1-7

King James Version

1And Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said unto them, These are the words which the LORD hath commanded, that ye should do them.

2Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD : whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.

3Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.

4And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying,

5Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD : whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD ; gold, and silver, and brass,

6And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair,

7And rams’ skins dyed red, and badgers’ skins, and shittim wood,

Exodus 35:8-14

8–14: Oil for the light, and spices for anointing oil, and for the sweet…

Exodus 35:8–14 opens with “And oil for the light, and spices for anointing oil, and for the sweet incense,” and reaches “The candlestick also for the light, and his furniture, and his lamps, with the oil for the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Exodus 35 develops its own movement around work, LORD, offering, heart, children, with particular weight carried by light, covering, staves.

Context that brings the passage to life

“And oil for the light, and spices for anointing oil, and for the sweet incense,” The line’s distinctive content terms include anointing, incense, light. Its relationship to verses 9 shows what work it does in this passage.

Exodus 35:8-14

King James Version

8And oil for the light, and spices for anointing oil, and for the sweet incense,

9And onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod, and for the breastplate.

10And every wise hearted among you shall come, and make all that the LORD hath commanded;

11The tabernacle, his tent, and his covering, his taches, and his boards, his bars, his pillars, and his sockets,

12The ark, and the staves thereof, with the mercy seat, and the vail of the covering,

13The table, and his staves, and all his vessels, and the shewbread,

14The candlestick also for the light, and his furniture, and his lamps, with the oil for the light,

Exodus 35:15-21

15–21: The incense altar, and his staves, and the anointing oil, and the sweet…

Exodus 35:15–21 opens with “And the incense altar, and his staves, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the…” and reaches “And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Exodus 35 develops its own movement around work, LORD, offering, heart, children, with particular weight carried by court, garments, holy.

Context that brings the passage to life

“And the incense altar, and his staves, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the door at…” The line’s distinctive content terms include incense, altar, anointing. Its relationship to verses 16 shows what work it does in this passage.

“The altar of burnt offering, with his brasen grate, his staves, and all his vessels, the laver and his foot,” The line’s distinctive content terms include altar, brasen, burnt. Its relationship to verses 15 and 17 shows what work it does in this passage.

Exodus 35:15-21

King James Version

15And the incense altar, and his staves, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the door at the entering in of the tabernacle,

16The altar of burnt offering, with his brasen grate, his staves, and all his vessels, the laver and his foot,

17The hangings of the court, his pillars, and their sockets, and the hanging for the door of the court,

18The pins of the tabernacle, and the pins of the court, and their cords,

19The cloths of service, to do service in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest’s office.

20And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses.

21And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD’s offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments.

Exodus 35:22-28

22–28: They came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and…

Exodus 35:22–28 opens with “And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and…” and reaches “And spice, and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Exodus 35 develops its own movement around work, LORD, offering, heart, children, with particular weight carried by offering, women, blue.

Context that brings the passage to life

“And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings…” The line’s distinctive content terms include gold, offered, both. Its relationship to verses 23 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And every man, with whom was found blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair, and red skins of…” The line’s distinctive content terms include skins, badgers, blue. Its relationship to verses 22 and 24 shows what work it does in this passage.

Exodus 35:22-28

King James Version

22And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the LORD .

23And every man, with whom was found blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair, and red skins of rams, and badgers’ skins, brought them.

24Every one that did offer an offering of silver and brass brought the LORD’s offering: and every man, with whom was found shittim wood for any work of the service, brought it.

25And all the women that were wise hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen.

26And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats’ hair.

27And the rulers brought onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate;

28And spice, and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense.

Exodus 35:29-35

29–35: The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD , every…

Exodus 35:29–35 opens with “The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD , every man and woman, whose…” and reaches “Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Exodus 35 develops its own movement around work, LORD, offering, heart, children, with particular weight carried by work, manner, cunning.

Context that brings the passage to life

“The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD , every man and woman, whose heart made them willing…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, the LORD hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur…” Naming Bezaleel and Hur keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of…” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.

Exodus 35:29-35

King James Version

29The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD , every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the LORD had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses.

30And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, the LORD hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah;

31And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship;

32And to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,

33And in the cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work.

34And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.

35Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work.

Details worth noticing

35verses in this reading
5major movements
3verses with speech

The opening image

Exodus 35:1 begins with “And Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said unto them, These are the words which the LORD hath commanded, that ye…”

Where the chapter turns

Exodus 35:18 forms a natural hinge: “The pins of the tabernacle, and the pins of the court, and their cords,”

The final note

Exodus 35:35 leaves the reader with “Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in…”

A word trail through the chapter

The words work, LORD, offering, heart, children, Israel help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.

What does the return to Bethel require beyond travel?

The removal of foreign gods and a renewed orientation toward the God who answered Jacob.

Which relationships are remembered at Isaac's burial?

Both sons participate, despite their long history of rivalry.

KJV words made clear

unto
to
hath
has
spake
spoke

Text first

Where readers differ

The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.

The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.

Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.