Exodus 31:1–5
God fills Bezalel with his spirit to work in gold, silver and wood
Study it word by word1And YHWH spoke to Moses, saying,
2“See, I have called by name Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah,
3and I have filled him with the spirit of Elohim, with wisdom, and with understanding, and with knowledge, and with all kinds of work,
4to devise designs, to work in gold, and in silver, and in bronze,
5and in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in all kinds of work.
In its context
…
6And I, look, have appointed with him Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the heart of all the wise of heart I have put wisdom, so that they make all that I have commanded you:
7the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and the cover of expiation that is on it, and all the utensils of the tent;
Its words in the original
- יְדַבֵּרyedaber· speak
Speak, talk, say; also promise or command.
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- מֹשֶׁהmoshe· Moses
Moses, the man God called to bring Israel out of Egypt and through whom he gave the Law. His name sounds like "draw out" (Exodus 2:10).
- אמֹרmor· say
Say, speak. The most common verb for bringing in what someone says; sometimes "think" (say to oneself) or "command".
- רְאֵהree· see
See. Also look, observe, notice, consider; in some forms, "appear" or "show".
- קָרָאתִיkarati· call, proclaim
Call: speak out to someone, summon, invite, give a name, proclaim; also read aloud. "Call on the name of YHWH" is to pray to him and worship him.
- שֵׁםshem· name
Name. In the Bible a name says who someone is; so it also means fame, renown or reputation.
- בְּצַלְאֵלbetsalel· Bezalel
Bezalel, the craftsman of the tribe of Judah whom God appointed to lead the building of the dwelling; also another Israelite (Ezra 10:30). The name means "in the shadow of God".
- בֶּןben· son
Son. In the plural it can include sons and daughters, and also grandsons and descendants. "Son of..." also says what group someone belongs to ("sons of Israel" = Israelites).
- אוּרִיuri· Uri
Uri, a name borne by several men, among them the father of Bezalel.
- חוּרchur· Hur
Hur, a name borne by several men, among them the man of the tribe of Judah who, with Aaron, held up the hands of Moses (Exodus 17:12), and a king of Midian (Numbers 31:8).
- מַטֵּהmate· staff; tribe
Staff, rod, branch. Elsewhere, tribe.
- יְהוּדָהyehuda· Judah
Judah, the fourth son of Jacob and Leah; also the tribe that came from him and its land, and later the southern kingdom; King David came from it. The name sounds like "give thanks". Borne also by other Israelites.
- אֲמַלֵּאamale· fill, be full
Fill or be full; also fulfill or complete (a time, a word given).
- רוּחַruach· spirit, wind, breath
The basic idea is "air in motion". The same word can be "wind"; "breath", the air that is breathed and keeps life; or "spirit": the mood or inner strength of a person, or the Spirit of God, his presence and power at work.
- אֱלֹהִיםelohim· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.
- חָכְמָהchachma· wisdom, skill
Wisdom: knowing how to live and act well; also the skill of a good craftsman.
- תְבוּנָהtevuna· understanding
Understanding: the ability to understand and to find the right way.
- דַעַתdaat· knowledge
Knowledge: knowing something, and also knowing it by experience.
- מְלָאכָהmelacha· work
Work: the task someone carries out and also what results from it; also property, goods.
- חְשֹׁבcheshov· think, count, devise
Think, consider; count something as something else ("count as", "credit as"). Also devise, design, plan, often evil: "the work of a skilled craftsman" is, literally, "the work of one who designs".
- מַחֲשָׁבֹתmachashavot· plan, thought; design
Thought, plan, what someone intends; also an artistic design.
- עֲשׂוֹתasot· do, make
Do, make, in the widest sense: build, produce, carry out, keep (a command), prepare.
- זָּהָבzahav· gold
Gold.
- כֶּסֶףkesef· silver, money
Silver. Since payment was made by weighing silver, the word also means "money".
- נְּחֹשֶׁתnechoshet· bronze, copper
Copper or bronze; also bronze chains.
- חֲרֹשֶׁתcharoshet· carving
Carving: working stone or wood.
- אֶבֶןeven· stone
Stone; also a weight for scales.
- עֵץets· tree, wood
Tree; also wood and what is made of it (a stick, a pole).