Exodus 35:3 kjv
Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.
Exodus 35:3 nkjv
You shall kindle no fire throughout your dwellings on the Sabbath day."
Exodus 35:3 niv
Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day."
Exodus 35:3 esv
You shall kindle no fire in all your dwelling places on the Sabbath day."
Exodus 35:3 nlt
You must not even light a fire in any of your homes on the Sabbath."
Exodus 35 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 2:2-3 | By the seventh day God completed... and He rested... | God's example of rest |
| Ex 16:23 | "...Tomorrow is a Sabbath... Bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil today..." | Prepare food before Sabbath |
| Ex 20:8-11 | "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy..." | Fourth Commandment on Sabbath |
| Ex 23:12 | "Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest..." | Command for rest |
| Ex 31:14-15 | "You shall keep the Sabbath... for whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off..." | Penalty for Sabbath breaking |
| Ex 35:2 | "Six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy day..." | General Sabbath rest (preceding v.3) |
| Lev 23:3 | "Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest..." | Sabbath as holy convocation |
| Num 15:32-36 | "While the sons of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering wood on the Sabbath day..." | Example of executing a Sabbath breaker |
| Deut 5:12-15 | "Observe the Sabbath day to keep it holy... for you were a slave in the land of Egypt..." | Recounts Sabbath command, emphasizes liberation |
| Neh 13:15-18 | "In those days I saw in Judah some treading wine presses on the Sabbath... also bringing in burdens..." | Nehemiah rebukes profanation |
| Jer 17:21-23 | "Thus says the Lord, 'Take heed for yourselves, and do not carry any burden on the Sabbath day...'" | Prophetic warning against Sabbath breaking |
| Isa 58:13-14 | "If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day..." | Delighting in the Sabbath |
| Matt 12:1-8 | "For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." | Jesus' authority over Sabbath (grain field) |
| Matt 12:9-14 | "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" | Jesus heals on Sabbath, confronting tradition |
| Mk 2:27-28 | "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath..." | Purpose of the Sabbath |
| Lk 6:1-5 | "...His disciples picked and ate the heads of grain..." | Jesus and Sabbath (disciples' actions) |
| Lk 6:6-11 | "Now on another Sabbath He entered the synagogue and was teaching; and there was a man whose right hand was withered." | Jesus heals on Sabbath (withered hand) |
| Lk 13:10-17 | Jesus frees woman from infirmity on Sabbath, rebukes synagogue officials. | Jesus heals on Sabbath (woman with spirit) |
| Lk 14:1-6 | Jesus heals man with dropsy on Sabbath, challenges legality. | Jesus heals on Sabbath (dropsy) |
| Jn 5:16-18 | "For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath." | Conflict over Jesus' Sabbath actions |
| Col 2:16-17 | "Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink... or a Sabbath day—these are a mere shadow..." | Sabbath as a shadow pointing to Christ |
| Heb 4:9-10 | "So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God... for the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested..." | Future Sabbath rest in God |
| Eze 20:12 | "Also I gave them My Sabbaths to be a sign between Me and them..." | Sabbaths as a covenant sign |
Exodus 35 verses
Exodus 35 3 Meaning
This verse states a clear and direct prohibition against kindling any fire within Israelite homes on the Sabbath day. This command, given within the broader instructions for Sabbath observance, emphasizes the complete cessation from ordinary, productive labor, including even mundane household activities that would require starting a new fire. Its purpose is to underscore the sanctity of the Sabbath as a day set apart for God and for rest, distinct from the regular six days of work.
Exodus 35 3 Context
Exodus 35:3 appears immediately following Moses' reiteration of the Sabbath commandment (Exodus 35:2) to the whole congregation of Israel. This discourse takes place after Moses has returned from the top of Mount Sinai with the second set of tablets and the detailed instructions for building the Tabernacle. The order is significant: before the sacred work of constructing the dwelling place for God can begin, the foundational law of Sabbath rest is reaffirmed and given specific definition. The inclusion of this particular prohibition against kindling fire serves to illustrate the meticulous and pervasive nature of the Sabbath's rest, extending to even domestic, private, and seemingly small actions, preventing the people from engaging in any type of "work" for practical purposes during the holy day. Historically and culturally, the weekly, universal day of cessation from all work, particularly a prohibition as specific as fire-kindling for regular activities like cooking or forging, marked Israel apart from surrounding nations who engaged in daily pagan rites often involving fire or had no similar, consistent rest day for all classes of people.
Exodus 35 3 Word analysis
- You shall kindle no: (לֹא־תְבַעֲרוּ - lo t'va'aru) The negative command "lo" precedes the verb "t'va'aru." The root "בָּעַר" (ba'ar) means to burn, consume, or kindle. This active verb choice specifically prohibits initiating a fire, implying a complete halt to fire-related activities that would involve starting a flame. This suggests that even if one had an existing fire, performing tasks that require reigniting or expanding it, which constitutes creative work, would be forbidden. It emphasizes the active step of 'causing to burn,' which falls under productive labor.
- fire: (אֵשׁ - esh) Fire was essential in ancient Israel for cooking, warmth, light, and various crafts (like metalwork for the Tabernacle). Prohibiting its kindling on the Sabbath therefore meant a substantial disruption to daily routines, enforcing true cessation from usual activities. This choice highlights a key area of work for which Israel must rely on pre-preparation or simply abstain.
- throughout your habitations: (בְּכֹל מֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם - bekhol moshvoteykhem) "Bekhol" means "in all" or "throughout." "Moshvoteykhem" refers to dwellings, settlements, or habitations. This phrase underscores the universal scope of the command: it applies to every Israelite in their personal homes and places of residence, not just public spaces or specific communal tasks. This ensured a widespread and consistent observance of the Sabbath as a day free from common domestic labor. It implied an inconvenience to achieve sacred rest, prioritizing God's command over comfort.
- upon the Sabbath day: (יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת - yom haShabbat) "Yom" means day. "HaShabbat" (the Sabbath) derives from the root "שָׁבַת" (shabat), meaning to cease, rest, or desist from work. This specific designation points to the day's inherent sacredness and its purpose: a day consecrated to the Lord, marking cessation from one's own labor to reflect God's rest after creation. The prohibition concerning fire is one tangible demonstration of what it means to truly "cease" on this consecrated day.
Exodus 35 3 Bonus section
The command in Exodus 35:3 laid a foundation for extensive rabbinic interpretations of "work" (melakha) forbidden on the Sabbath. Over time, Jewish oral tradition and later codified law elaborated this into 39 categories of prohibited actions, many of which are conceptually linked to the activities performed during the construction of the Tabernacle. Kindling fire falls under the category of Bishul (cooking) and Havara (burning). This verse highlights that the Sabbath observance wasn't just about large, obvious labors but also about every act of creation or productive use of energy, emphasizing a profound, holistic rest that points to a spiritual surrender to God's providence and work. It foreshadows the ultimate spiritual rest offered through Christ, who is Lord of the Sabbath and provides freedom from the burden of striving through our own works.
Exodus 35 3 Commentary
Exodus 35:3 is a very specific prohibition that provides a concrete example of what constitutes "work" forbidden on the Sabbath. It moves beyond the general command to "rest" by defining a common activity, kindling fire, as prohibited labor. This prohibition implied that food must be cooked or prepared beforehand (as seen in the manna instructions in Exodus 16:23), and other fire-dependent activities such as forging or melting materials for the Tabernacle must cease. The command was a strong deterrent against commercial activities and intensive domestic chores, forcing a deeper cessation from the weekly routine. It trained Israel to set aside a day not merely for idleness, but for sacred purpose, reflecting God's own rest on the seventh day of creation and reminding them of their deliverance from forced labor in Egypt. It serves to underscore the radical call to consecrate time and prioritize the Creator's will above comfort or gain.