Exodus 31:15 kjv
Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
Exodus 31:15 nkjv
Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
Exodus 31:15 niv
For six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put to death.
Exodus 31:15 esv
Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death.
Exodus 31:15 nlt
You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day must be a Sabbath day of complete rest, a holy day dedicated to the LORD. Anyone who works on the Sabbath must be put to death.
Exodus 31 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 2:2-3 | And on the seventh day God ended His work... and He rested... and God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it. | God's Sabbath rest at creation. |
| Ex 20:8-11 | Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy... for in six days the LORD made... and rested the seventh day. | Fourth Commandment given at Sinai. |
| Deut 5:12-15 | Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy... as the LORD your God commanded... that your manservant and maidservant may rest. | Sabbath linked to deliverance from Egypt. |
| Ex 35:2 | Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest for the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death. | Repeats the death penalty explicitly. |
| Lev 23:3 | Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation. | Sabbath as a fixed festival. |
| Num 15:32-36 | While the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks upon the sabbath day... all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died. | Concrete example of Sabbath penalty enforced. |
| Ex 31:13 | Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily My sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between Me and you. | Sabbath as a covenant sign. |
| Ezek 20:12 | Moreover also I gave them My sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them. | Emphasizes Sabbath as a sign of sanctification. |
| Ezek 20:20 | And hallow My sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God. | Reiteration of Sabbath as a divine sign. |
| Neh 13:15-22 | In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves... Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? | Post-exilic warning against Sabbath profanation. |
| Isa 56:2 | Blessed is the man... that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. | Blessing promised for Sabbath observance. |
| Isa 58:13-14 | If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable... Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD. | Blessings and delight for honoring Sabbath. |
| Jer 17:24-27 | If ye diligently hearken unto Me, saith the LORD, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but hallow the sabbath day... Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes. But if ye will not hearken unto Me to hallow the sabbath day... then will I kindle a fire. | Conditional blessings for observance, judgment for profanation. |
| Amos 8:5 | Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat...? | Illustrates the Israelite's disregard for the Sabbath. |
| Ex 16:23 | Tomorrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. | Early example of Sabbath principle in Manna collection. |
| Ex 23:12 | Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed. | Sabbath extends rest to servants and animals. |
| Matt 12:8 | For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day. | Jesus' authority over the Sabbath. |
| Mark 2:27-28 | And He said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath. | Purpose of Sabbath; Jesus' lordship over it. |
| Col 2:16-17 | Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. | Sabbath as a shadow pointing to Christ. |
| Heb 4:9-11 | There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest. | Sabbath rest foreshadows spiritual rest in Christ. |
| Rev 1:10 | I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day... | Implies the early Christian practice of gathering on a specific day of worship (Sunday). |
| Gen 9:6 | Whoso shedeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made He man. | Broader principle of capital punishment for grave offenses. |
Exodus 31 verses
Exodus 31 15 Meaning
Exodus 31:15 outlines the divine decree regarding the observance of the Sabbath day within the Mosaic covenant. It explicitly states that six days are designated for work, but the seventh day is a sacred Sabbath of complete rest, set apart for the LORD. Furthermore, it imposes the most severe penalty, death, for anyone who violates this command by performing work on the Sabbath. This underscores the paramount importance of the Sabbath as a holy institution and a foundational sign of God's covenant with Israel.
Exodus 31 15 Context
Exodus 31:15 appears within God's specific instructions to Moses on Mount Sinai regarding the construction of the Tabernacle and its furnishings. Chapters 25-30 detail the elaborate plans for the sacred dwelling, followed by God's appointment of Bezalel and Oholiab, filled with the Spirit of God, to carry out this detailed work (Ex 31:1-11). It is precisely at this juncture, immediately after commissioning the most vital work for establishing divine worship, that God inserts a strong reassertion of the Sabbath command (Ex 31:12-17).
The immediate context emphasizes that even the sacred, divinely commissioned work of building God's dwelling does not supersede the fundamental command to observe the Sabbath. This highlights the Sabbath's absolute priority and profound theological significance. Historically and culturally, ancient Near Eastern societies, unlike Israel, had no universal day of rest for all people, including slaves and animals. Work was often continuous, driven by the demands of their pagan gods or kings. The Israelite Sabbath commandment, therefore, stood in stark contrast, implicitly polemicizing against the relentless work ethics of surrounding nations. It affirmed a unique relationship with a Creator God who not only rested but also commanded His people to rest, reinforcing His sovereignty over time and humanity's subservience to His divine ordering rather than endless toil.
Exodus 31 15 Word analysis
- Six days: (Hebrew: שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים, sheʹshet yâmim) – Directly echoes the creation account in Genesis 1 and 2, establishing the divine rhythm for work as part of the created order. This period is permitted for human labor and enterprise.
- may work be done: (Hebrew: תֵעָשֶׂה מְלָאכָה, te'âseh melakhah) – "Work" here (melakhah) refers specifically to productive, creative, or gainful labor, not just any activity. It signifies a permitted activity within the divinely appointed timeframe, contrasting with the forbidden activity on the Sabbath.
- but in the seventh: (Hebrew: וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי, ûvāyôm hashshevi‘î) – This introduces a sharp antithesis to the preceding phrase, emphasizing the fundamental distinction and inviolability of this specific day.
- is the sabbath of rest: (Hebrew: שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן, shabbat shabbatōn) – This is an intensive Hebrew construct, meaning "a Sabbath of complete rest" or "a Sabbath of Sabbaths." It signifies an absolute cessation from the kind of creative work (melakhah) done on the other six days. It denotes deep, profound, and enforced inactivity regarding typical daily labor, set apart from ordinary days.
- holy to the LORD: (Hebrew: קֹדֶשׁ לַיהוָה, kōdesh l'YHWH) – This indicates the Sabbath's sacred nature and purpose. It is consecrated, set apart by God and for God, reflecting His character and proprietorship. Its holiness does not come from human observance but is intrinsic because God Himself hallowed it.
- whosoever doeth any work: (Hebrew: כָּל־הָעֹשֶׂה מְלָאכָה, kol ha'oseh melakhah) – "Anyone doing work" applies universally to all members of the covenant community, regardless of status or occupation. This signifies no exceptions for those within the covenant, including those performing Tabernacle work, reinforcing the Sabbath's ultimate authority.
- in the sabbath day: Clarifies the specific time frame of the forbidden action.
- he shall surely be put to death: (Hebrew: מוֹת יוּמָת, môt yūmât) – This is a strong Hebrew idiomatic expression using an infinitive absolute, emphasizing absolute certainty: "dying, he shall die." This is not a recommendation but a firm divine mandate for capital punishment. It underscores the extreme gravity of the offense as an act of rebellion against God's sovereign command and His covenant sign, deemed equivalent to blasphemy or idolatry in its contempt for divine authority.
- Words-Group analysis:
- "Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest": This rhythmic contrast establishes the divinely ordained allocation of time – periods for human effort and a dedicated period for divine focus and physical rejuvenation. It balances labor with essential rest.
- "sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD": This phrase encapsulates the essence and purpose of the Sabbath. It is a day characterized by cessation from ordinary work, profoundly sacred, and dedicated wholly to God. Its holiness derives from God's act of setting it apart.
- "whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death": This passage delineates the strict boundary and the ultimate penalty for its transgression. The severity of the punishment emphasizes that profaning the Sabbath was not merely breaking a rule, but a profound violation of the covenant and an affront to the holy character of God. It highlighted that neglecting God's design for time constituted a capital offense against His kingship over Israel.
Exodus 31 15 Bonus section
The strong emphasis on the death penalty for Sabbath-breaking illustrates that covenant loyalty and obedience to divine ordinances were integral to Israel's national existence as a theocracy. This specific command against work on the Sabbath extended beyond individuals, encompassing all within the household, including servants and livestock (Ex 20:10, Deut 5:14), emphasizing a collective, unifying cessation of labor as a testament to their identity under God. While the Mosaic Law with its civil penalties is superseded by the New Covenant, the spiritual principle of setting aside time for God, rest, and worship remains profoundly relevant for believers. The Sabbath ultimately foreshadowed the rest believers find in Christ and the eternal rest that awaits God's people (Heb 4:9-10).
Exodus 31 15 Commentary
Exodus 31:15 profoundly articulates the solemnity of the Sabbath within the Mosaic covenant. Its placement immediately after instructions for the Tabernacle's construction is deliberate, asserting that even the most sacred work for God does not supersede the obligation to keep His appointed day holy. The repeated emphasis on "rest" (shabbat shabbaton) signals a complete cessation from labor, contrasting with the permitted "work" (melakah) on other days. The phrase "holy to the LORD" indicates that the Sabbath's sanctity is intrinsic, a direct emanation from God's own holiness and His act of sanctification at creation (Gen 2:2-3).
The capital punishment clause—"he shall surely be put to death"—underscores the absolute gravity of Sabbath desecration. In theocratic Israel, violating the Sabbath was considered an act of rebellion against God Himself, who ordained it as a perpetual sign of His covenant with His people (Ex 31:13). It represented a disregard for His creation pattern, His sovereignty, and the distinctive identity of Israel as a people set apart by God. This penalty reinforced that ignoring the Sabbath was not a minor infraction, but a capital offense, tantamount to a rejection of the foundational covenant relationship and a denial of God's Lordship over all of life, including time. This uncompromising law impressed upon the Israelites the sacredness of the day, reflecting God's commitment to His design for human and spiritual well-being.