Exodus 35:2
New International Version
For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a day of sabbath rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it is to be put to death.

New Living Translation
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 that day must be put to death.

English Standard Version
Six days work shall be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death.

Berean Standard Bible
For six days work may be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on that day must be put to death.

King James Bible
Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.

New King James Version
Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh day shall be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death.

New American Standard Bible
“For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest to the LORD; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death.

NASB 1995
“For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy day, a sabbath of complete rest to the LORD; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death.

NASB 1977
“For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy day, a sabbath of complete rest to the LORD; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death.

Legacy Standard Bible
“Six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy day, a sabbath of complete rest to Yahweh; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death.

Amplified Bible
“For six days work may be done, but the seventh day shall be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of complete rest to the LORD; whoever does any kind of work on that day shall be put to death.

Christian Standard Bible
For six days work is to be done, but on the seventh day you are to have a holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest to the LORD. Anyone who does work on it must be executed.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For six days work is to be done, but on the seventh day you are to have a holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest to the LORD. Anyone who does work on it must be executed.

American Standard Version
Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day there shall be to you a holy day, a sabbath of solemn rest to Jehovah: whosoever doeth any work therein shall be put to death.

Contemporary English Version
You have six days in which to do your work. But the seventh day must be dedicated to me, your LORD, as a day of rest. Whoever works on the Sabbath will be put to death.

English Revised Version
Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of solemn rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work therein shall be put to death.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
You may work for six days, but the seventh day is a holy day of worship, a day when you don't work. It is dedicated to the LORD. Whoever does any work on this day should be put to death.

Good News Translation
You have six days in which to do your work, but the seventh day is to be sacred, a solemn day of rest dedicated to me, the LORD. Anyone who does any work on that day is to be put to death.

International Standard Version
For six days work is to be done, but on the seventh day you are to have a holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest in dedication to the LORD. Anyone who does work on that day is to be executed.

Majority Standard Bible
For six days work may be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on that day must be put to death.

NET Bible
In six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there must be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of complete rest to the LORD. Anyone who does work on it will be put to death.

New Heart English Bible
'Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of solemn rest to the LORD: whoever does any work in it shall be put to death.

Webster's Bible Translation
Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day there shall be to you a holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whoever doth work therein shall be put to death.

World English Bible
‘Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of solemn rest to Yahweh: whoever does any work in it shall be put to death.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
[For] six days work is done, and on the seventh day there is a holy [day] for you, a Sabbath of rest to YHWH; any who does work in it is put to death;

Young's Literal Translation
Six days is work done, and on the seventh day there is to you a holy day, a sabbath of rest to Jehovah; any who doeth work in it is put to death;

Smith's Literal Translation
Six days thou shalt do work and in the seventh day a holy cessation, a cessation to Jehovah: all doing work in it shall die.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Six days you shall do work: the seventh day shall be holy unto you, the sabbath, and the rest of the Lord: he that shall do any work on it, shall be put to death.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For six days you shall do work; the seventh day, the Sabbath and the rest of the Lord, will be holy to you; whoever will have done any work in it shall be killed.

New American Bible
On six days work may be done, but the seventh day shall be holy to you as the sabbath of complete rest to the LORD. Anyone who does work on that day shall be put to death.

New Revised Standard Version
Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy sabbath of solemn rest to the LORD; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day shall be holy to you, a sabbath of rest to the LORD; whosoever does any work on it shall be put to death.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Moshe gathered all of the Assembly of the children of Israel and he said to them: “These are the words that LORD JEHOVAH commanded to do.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you a holy day, a sabbath of solemn rest to the LORD; whosoever doeth any work therein shall be put to death.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Six days shalt thou perform works, but on the seventh day shall be rest - a holy sabbath - a rest for the Lord: every one that does work on it, let him die.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Sabbath
1Then Moses assembled the whole congregation of Israel and said to them, “These are the things that the LORD has commanded you to do: 2For six days work may be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on that day must be put to death. 3Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day.”…

Cross References
Genesis 2:2-3
And by the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on that day He rested from all His work. / Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on that day He rested from all the work of creation that He had accomplished.

Exodus 20:8-11
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. / Six days you shall labor and do all your work, / but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant or livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates. ...

Deuteronomy 5:12-15
Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you. / Six days you shall labor and do all your work, / but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox or donkey or any of your livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest as you do. ...

Leviticus 23:3
For six days work may be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, a day of sacred assembly. You must not do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the LORD.

Numbers 15:32-36
While the Israelites were in the wilderness, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day. / Those who found the man gathering wood brought him to Moses, Aaron, and the whole congregation, / and because it had not been declared what should be done to him, they placed him in custody. ...

Isaiah 58:13-14
If you turn your foot from breaking the Sabbath, from doing as you please on My holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight, and the LORD’s holy day honorable, if you honor it by not going your own way or seeking your own pleasure or speaking idle words, / then you will delight yourself in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the land and feed you with the heritage of your father Jacob.” For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Nehemiah 13:15-22
In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, and figs. All kinds of goods were being brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them against selling food on that day. / Additionally, men of Tyre who lived there were importing fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in Jerusalem. / Then I rebuked the nobles of Judah and asked, “What is this evil you are doing—profaning the Sabbath day? ...

Jeremiah 17:21-27
This is what the LORD says: Take heed for yourselves; do not carry a load or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. / You must not carry a load out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath day, but you must keep the Sabbath day holy, just as I commanded your forefathers. / Yet they would not listen or incline their ear, but they stiffened their necks and would not listen or receive My discipline. ...

Ezekiel 20:12-24
I also gave them My Sabbaths as a sign between us, so that they would know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them. / Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not follow My statutes and they rejected My ordinances—though the man who does these things will live by them—and they utterly profaned My Sabbaths. Then I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and put an end to them in the wilderness. / But I acted for the sake of My name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. ...

2 Chronicles 36:21
So the land enjoyed its Sabbath rest all the days of the desolation, until seventy years were completed, in fulfillment of the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah.

Matthew 12:1-8
At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them. / When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.” / Jesus replied, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? ...

Mark 2:23-28
One Sabbath Jesus was passing through the grainfields, and His disciples began to pick the heads of grain as they walked along. / So the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” / Jesus replied, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? ...

Luke 6:1-5
One Sabbath Jesus was passing through the grainfields, and His disciples began to pick the heads of grain, rub them in their hands, and eat them. / But some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” / Jesus replied, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? ...

John 5:16-18
Now because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews began to persecute Him. / But Jesus answered them, “To this very day My Father is at His work, and I too am working.” / Because of this, the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him. Not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.

Acts 13:14-15
And from Perga, they traveled inland to Pisidian Antioch, where they entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and sat down. / After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent word to them: “Brothers, if you have a word of encouragement for the people, please speak.”


Treasury of Scripture

Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whoever does work therein shall be put to death.

six days

Exodus 20:9,10
Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: …

Exodus 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.

Exodus 31:13-16
Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you…

an holy day.

Numbers 15:32-36
And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day…

Deuteronomy 5:12-14
Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee…

Luke 13:14,15
And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day…

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Exodus 35
1. The Sabbath
4. The free gifts for the tabernacle
20. The readiness of the people to offer
30. Bezaleel and Aholiab are called to the work














For six days work may be done
This phrase establishes the rhythm of work and rest that God ordained for His people. The Hebrew word for "work" is "melachah," which refers to occupational or creative work. Historically, this command reflects the creation narrative in Genesis, where God worked for six days and rested on the seventh. It underscores the value of diligent labor while also setting boundaries to prevent work from becoming an idol.

but the seventh day
The "seventh day" is significant as it is set apart from the other days of the week. In Hebrew, the word for "seventh" is "shevi'i," which is closely related to "shabbat," meaning rest. This day is not just another day but is divinely ordained as a time of cessation from labor, reflecting God's own rest after creation.

shall be your holy day
The term "holy" in Hebrew is "qodesh," meaning set apart or sacred. This indicates that the Sabbath is not merely a day off but a day dedicated to the Lord. It is a time for spiritual renewal and worship, reminding the Israelites of their covenant relationship with God.

a Sabbath of complete rest
The word "Sabbath" comes from the Hebrew "shabbat," meaning to cease or desist. "Complete rest" emphasizes the total cessation of work, allowing for physical, mental, and spiritual rejuvenation. This rest is not just for the individual but for the entire community, promoting equality and compassion.

to the LORD
This phrase highlights the purpose of the Sabbath as being dedicated to God. It is a day to focus on the divine, to worship, and to remember God's provision and sovereignty. The Sabbath serves as a sign of the covenant between God and His people, as seen in Exodus 31:13.

Whoever does any work on that day
This part of the verse underscores the seriousness of the Sabbath command. The prohibition against work is absolute, reflecting the importance of obedience to God's law. It serves as a reminder that God's commands are not to be taken lightly.

must be put to death
The severity of this penalty reflects the holiness of the Sabbath and the seriousness of violating God's commands. In the ancient Near Eastern context, this underscores the communal responsibility to uphold God's law. While the New Testament does not prescribe such penalties, the principle of honoring God's ordained times remains significant for believers today.

Verse 2 ?is almost a repetition of Exodus 31:15.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
For six
שֵׁ֣שֶׁת (šê·šeṯ)
Number - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8337: Six (a cardinal number)

days
יָמִים֮ (yā·mîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3117: A day

work
מְלָאכָה֒ (mə·lā·ḵāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4399: Deputyship, ministry, employment, work, property

shall be done,
תֵּעָשֶׂ֣ה (tê·‘ā·śeh)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

but on the seventh
הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י (haš·šə·ḇî·‘î)
Article | Number - ordinal masculine singular
Strong's 7637: Seventh (an ordinal number)

day
וּבַיּ֣וֹם (ū·ḇay·yō·wm)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3117: A day

you are to have
יִהְיֶ֨ה (yih·yeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

a holy
קֹ֛דֶשׁ (qō·ḏeš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6944: A sacred place, thing, sanctity

Sabbath
שַׁבַּ֥ת (šab·baṯ)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 7676: Intermission, the Sabbath

of complete rest
שַׁבָּת֖וֹן (šab·bā·ṯō·wn)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7677: Sabbath observance, sabbatism

to the LORD.
לַיהוָ֑ה (Yah·weh)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

Anyone
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

who does
הָעֹשֶׂ֥ה (hā·‘ō·śeh)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

work
מְלָאכָ֖ה (mə·lā·ḵāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4399: Deputyship, ministry, employment, work, property

on [that day]
ב֛וֹ (ḇōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

must be put to death.
יוּמָֽת׃ (yū·māṯ)
Verb - Hofal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill


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OT Law: Exodus 35:2 Six days shall work be done (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 35:1
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