Exodus 31:4

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 31:1-11

A great deal of fine work God had ordered to be done about the tabernacle; the materials the people were to provide, but who must put them into form? Moses himself was learned in all the learning of the Egyptians, nay, he was well acquainted with the words of God, and the visions of the Almighty; but he knew not how to engrave or embroider. We may suppose that there were some very ingenious men among the Israelites; but, having lived all their days in bondage in Egypt, we cannot think they... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 31:4

To devise cunning works ,.... To invent, contrive, and draw patterns, for the weavers particularly, for the making of the curtains of the tabernacle, the vail of the most holy place, the ephod, and the curious girdle of it, which were made of cunning work, curiously wrought by the weaver; and so Jarchi interprets this of the weaving of the work of Chosheb, or cunning work, of the devising of cunning works, or of the knowledge of witty inventions, by Wisdom or the Messiah, see Proverbs 8:12 ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 31:4

Cunning works - מחשבת machashaboth , works of invention or genius, in the goldsmith and silversmith line. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 31:1-11

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 31:3-6

Artistic excellence. I. ITS FOUNDATION A NATURAL GIFT . God singled out from the mass of the people such as were "wise hearted." A natural foundation was necessary for his spirit to work upon. It is generally allowed, in the case of a poet, that " nascitur, non fit ." But the same is true of all art-genius. Every artist, be he poet, painter, sculptor, musician, or mere designer of furniture, requires to have a something implanted within him from the first, out of which his... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 31:4-5

The result of these gifts would be to enable him—1. To devise cunning works — i.e; to design everything excellently; and 2. To work in all manner of workmanship — i.e; to carry out his designs with success. It has been said that "as everything that had to be done was prescribed in strict and precise detail, there was to be no exercise of original powers of invention nor of taste" (Cook); but this was scarcely so. The forms of the cherubim, the patterns to be woven into the stuffs, or... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Exodus 31:1-11

Exodus 35:30-35. This solemn call of Bezaleel and Aholiab is full of instruction. Their work was to be only that of handicraftsmen. Still it was Yahweh Himself who called them by name to their tasks, and the powers which they were now called upon to exercise in their respective crafts, were declared to have been given them by the Holy Spirit. Thus is every effort of skill, every sort of well-ordered labor, when directed to a right end, brought into the very highest sphere of association.There... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Exodus 31:4

devise . Note the 5 and the 7 (see App-10 ). See note on Exo 31:26 . Cunning works. Gold, silver, brass, stones, 5 7 timber. All workmanship. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Exodus 31:1-5

"And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to devise skillful works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in cutting of stones for setting, and in carving of wood, to work in all manner of workmanship."Bezalel, it appears, was thus named as the general foreman of the... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Exodus 31:2-6

Exodus 31:2-6. See, I have called by name Bezaleel, &c.— Bezaleel and Aholiab, Exo 31:5 are particularly chosen (which is the meaning of the phrase calling by name, Isaiah 45:3.) as the principal artists, the chief directors and overseers of the work and the workmen who were under them. For an explanation of the phrase, I have filled him with the Spirit of God, &c. Exo 31:3 see note on ch. Exodus 28:3. It is not to be questioned, that the arts were carried to a great height at this time... read more

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