Exodus 35:29 kjv
The 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.
Exodus 35:29 nkjv
The children of Israel brought a freewill offering to the LORD, all the men and women whose hearts were willing to bring material for all kinds of work which the LORD, by the hand of Moses, had commanded to be done.
Exodus 35:29 niv
All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the LORD freewill offerings for all the work the LORD through Moses had commanded them to do.
Exodus 35:29 esv
All the men and women, the people of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work that the LORD had commanded by Moses to be done brought it as a freewill offering to the LORD.
Exodus 35:29 nlt
So the people of Israel ? every man and woman who was eager to help in the work the LORD had given them through Moses ? brought their gifts and gave them freely to the LORD.
Exodus 35 29 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exo 25:1-2 | "Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me." | Principle of freewill contribution. |
| Exo 35:20-22 | "Then all the congregation of the people of Israel departed... Everyone whose heart stirred him and everyone whose spirit moved him came..." | Echoes the "heart moved them" concept. |
| Exo 35:25-26 | "And every skillful woman spun with her hands... All the women whose hearts stirred them to use their skill, spun..." | Women's skill and willing hearts in giving. |
| 1 Chr 29:9 | "Then the people rejoiced because they had given willingly, for with a whole heart they had offered freely to the Lord." | Rejoicing over willing and wholehearted giving. |
| 1 Chr 29:14 | "But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to give willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you." | Recognition that all provision comes from God. |
| Psa 110:3 | "Your people will offer themselves willingly on the day of your power..." | Prophetic of willing service to God. |
| Deu 16:10 | "Then you shall keep the Feast of Weeks to the Lord your God with a tribute of a freewill offering..." | Concept of freewill offerings in feasts. |
| Lev 1:3 | "If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish; he shall bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the Lord." | Accepting offerings before the Lord. |
| 2 Cor 9:7 | "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." | New Testament emphasis on cheerful, willing giving. |
| Phil 4:18 | "I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God." | Financial support as an acceptable offering to God. |
| Rom 12:8 | "the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness." | Giving in generosity, guided by the heart. |
| Num 29:39 | "These you shall present to the Lord at your appointed feasts, besides your freewill offerings, and your vow offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your grain offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your peace offerings." | Differentiating freewill offerings from commanded ones. |
| Heb 8:5 | "They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, 'See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.'" | Reinforces God's direct command for the Tabernacle's design. |
| Exod 39:32 | "Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was finished. And the people of Israel had done all that the Lord had commanded Moses." | Fulfillment of the commanded work. |
| Ezra 1:6 | "And all who were around them aided them with articles of silver, with gold, with goods, with beasts, and with costly things, besides all that was freely offered." | Freely offered gifts for rebuilding the Temple. |
| Neh 2:18 | "And they said, 'Let us rise up and build.' So they strengthened their hands for the good work." | Willingness to rebuild God's house. |
| Isa 60:7 | "All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you...they shall come up with acceptance on my altar, and I will beautify my beautiful house." | Willing offerings in future temple contexts. |
| Mal 1:11 | "For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering." | Universal pure offerings to God's name. |
| Luke 21:1-4 | "He saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box... He said, 'Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them... from her poverty has put in all she had to live on.'" | Emphasis on the heart behind the giving, not the quantity. |
| Rom 15:26 | "For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem." | Voluntary collection for others, a parallel to giving to God's work. |
| 1 Cor 16:2 | "On the first day of every week, each of you is to put aside and store up whatever he gets, so that contributions may not have to be made when I come." | Structured giving in the New Testament. |
| Acts 4:34-35 | "There was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need." | Voluntary, community-wide giving for the church. |
Exodus 35 verses
Exodus 35 29 Meaning
Exodus 35:29 details that all the Israelites, both men and women, who were prompted by a willing and generous spirit, brought their voluntary offerings to the Lord for the construction of the Tabernacle. These contributions were precisely for the sacred work that the Lord had specifically commanded Moses to oversee. The verse underscores the willing heart as the motivation for this sacred giving, highlighting that their actions were a freewill offering unto God Himself.
Exodus 35 29 Context
Exodus 35 initiates the actual construction phase of the Tabernacle after God renewed His covenant with Israel post the golden calf incident (Exodus 32-34). The chapter opens with Moses gathering the people and reiterating God's commands regarding the Sabbath and the call for contributions for the Tabernacle's materials and skilled labor (Exo 35:1-19). This verse (Exo 35:29) serves as a summarizing statement, concluding the detailed list of materials and craftsmen's contributions mentioned in verses 20-28. It highlights the widespread and willing participation of the entire community, both men and women, in providing the necessary resources for God's dwelling place. Historically, this stands in contrast to the previous use of their precious metals for the golden calf, marking a renewed commitment and willingness to obey and serve the Lord. This act of giving established a paradigm of communal and voluntary effort in fulfilling divine commands for worship.
Exodus 35 29 Word analysis
- The Israelites (בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל – B'nei Yisrael): Refers to the entire community, indicating universal participation. This emphasizes a corporate act of obedience and worship following the individual command.
- all (כָּל – kol): Highlights inclusivity; no one was excluded, and participation was widespread. This implies a complete national response to God's call.
- the men and women (אִישׁ֙ וְאִשָּׁ֔ה – ish v'ishah): Explicitly states both genders, showcasing the equal importance of men and women in the spiritual contribution and service to God. Women were crucial in providing textiles and spinning (Exo 35:25-26).
- whose heart (לִבָּ֛ם – libbam): Refers to the innermost being, the seat of motivation and will. It signifies a genuine, internal desire, not external compulsion.
- moved them (נְדִ֥ב – nediv, from nadav): Implies a spontaneous, willing, and generous impulse. It's the opposite of being forced or reluctant. This verb often relates to freewill offerings.
- to bring anything (לְהָבִיא – l'havi): Indicating any kind of contribution, whether material or skill, whatever was needed and they possessed. It was not prescriptive of what to give, but rather that giving itself was the key.
- for the work (לַמְּלָאכָ֖ה – l'mla'akhah): Specific purpose of their giving, for the actual construction and outfitting. This was practical and focused service.
- of building the sanctuary (הַמִּשְׁכָּן – hamishkan): Refers to the Tabernacle, God's dwelling place among His people. Their contributions directly facilitated God's presence among them.
- that the Lord had commanded (אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה – asher-tzivah YHWH): Underscores that the entire initiative was divine, not human. It confirms adherence to God's specific instructions.
- through Moses (בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁה – b'yad Moshe): Moses served as the mediator of God's commands, the conduit through which God's will was communicated to the people.
- brought it (הֵבִ֖יאוּ – hev'u): Simple past tense, indicating that they actually did bring the offerings; their motivation was followed by action.
- as a freewill offering (נְדָבָה – nedavah): A noun meaning a voluntary or spontaneous gift. This is key to understanding the nature of their generosity, not as a tax or compulsory tribute. It speaks to a heart-based act of worship.
- to the Lord (לַיהוָֽה – la'YHWH): The ultimate recipient of their offerings was God Himself. Their giving was an act of worship directed toward Him, demonstrating devotion and covenant faithfulness.
Words-group analysis
- "whose heart moved them to bring": Emphasizes internal, willing motivation. This group highlights that the offerings were not coerced, contrasting with the forced labor experienced in Egypt. It speaks to a transformation of heart.
- "for the work of building the sanctuary that the Lord had commanded through Moses": Specifies the divine origin and purpose of the endeavor. It confirms that their giving was in alignment with God's explicit will, not a human invention. This linkage makes the human contribution a sacred act.
- "brought it as a freewill offering to the Lord": Summarizes the action and its spiritual essence. The act of bringing, coupled with the term "freewill offering" (nedavah), makes it a personal sacrifice and a direct act of worship, signifying dedication to God.
Exodus 35 29 Bonus section
The Hebrew root for "moved them" and "freewill offering" is נדב (n-d-b), which intrinsically connects the internal willingness of the heart with the outward act of giving. This is a foundational principle of worship in the Bible, indicating that true giving, whether of tithes, offerings, or service, must stem from a heart free of compulsion. This verse provides an important theological point: God prefers sincere, willing devotion over forced compliance. It contrasts sharply with pagan practices where offerings might be made out of fear or to appease deities, and also with Israel's previous servile labor in Egypt. Their renewed commitment demonstrated their willingness to align their resources and efforts with God's divine plan, creating a physical manifestation of His presence among them.
Exodus 35 29 Commentary
Exodus 35:29 serves as a profound summary of Israel's renewed commitment to God after the trauma of the golden calf. It highlights that the building of God's dwelling, the Tabernacle, was not funded by a levied tax or forced contribution, but rather entirely sustained by the freewill generosity of the people. This generosity sprang from hearts "moved" or "willing" – a deep internal spiritual motivation rather than external compulsion. Both men and women are recognized, signifying an inclusive, communal outpouring of devotion. Their offerings were precisely for "the work... that the Lord had commanded through Moses," reinforcing that this entire project was divinely initiated and meticulously detailed, making their contributions acts of obedience and worship. The phrase "freewill offering to the Lord" encapsulates the true essence: these gifts were expressions of love and dedication, presented directly to God as an act of heartfelt adoration, thereby transforming physical resources into spiritual acts. This voluntary giving, stemming from the heart, foreshadows later biblical teachings on generosity and cheerful giving in the New Testament.