Notes for Exodus 35:1LEB
"to do them"; this is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.
Notes for Exodus 35:2LEB
This is an adverbial accusative of time.
The word is קֹדֶשׁ (qodesh, "holiness"). S. R. Driver suggests that the word was transposed, and the line should read: "a sabbath of entire rest, set-a-part to Jehovah" (Exodus, 379). But the word may simply be taken as a substitution for "set-a-part day."
See on this H. Routtenberg, "The Laws of the Sabbath: Biblical Sources," Dor le Dor 6 (1977): 41-43, 99–101, 153–55, 204–6; G. Robinson, "The Idea of Rest in the Old Testament and the Search for the Basic Character of Sabbath," ZAW 92 (1980): 32-43.
Notes for Exodus 35:3LEB
Kindling a fire receives special attention here because the people thought that kindling a fire was not work, but only a preparation for some kind of work. The Law makes sure that this too was not done. But see also G. Robinson, "The Prohibition of Strange Fire in Ancient Israel: A Look at the Case of Gathering Wood and Kindling Fire on the Sabbath," VT 28 (1978): 301-17.
"dwelling places"; KJV, ASV "habitations."
The presence of these three verses in this place has raised all kinds of questions. It may be that after the renewal of the covenant the people needed a reminder to obey Yahweh, and obeying the sign of the covenant was the starting point. But there is more to it than this; it is part of the narrative design of the book. It is the artistic design that puts the filling of the Spirit section (Exodus 31:1–11LEB) prior to the Sabbath laws (Exodus 31:12–18LEB) before the idolatry section, and then after the renewal there is the Sabbath reminder (Exodus 35:1–3LEB) before the filling of the Spirit material (Exodus 35:4–36:7LEB).
Notes for Exodus 35:4LEB
The book now turns to record how all the work of the sanctuary was done. This next unit picks up on the ideas in Exod 31:1–11LEB. But it adds several features. The first part is the instruction of Yahweh for all people to give willingly (Exodus 35:4–19LEB); the next section tells how the faithful brought an offering for the service of the tabernacle (Exodus 35:20–29LEB); the next section tells how Yahweh set some apart with special gifts (Exodus 35:30–35LEB), and finally, the narrative reports how the faithful people of Yahweh enthusiastically began the work (Exodus 36:1–7LEB).
Notes for Exodus 35:5LEB
"from with you."
"Heart" is a genitive of specification, clarifying in what way they might be "willing." The heart refers to their will, their choices.
The verb has a suffix that is the direct object, but the suffixed object is qualified by the second accusative: "let him bring it, an offering."
The phrase is literally "the offering of Yahweh"; it could be a simple possessive, "Yahweh’s offering," but a genitive that indicates the indirect object is more appropriate.
Notes for Exodus 35:7LEB
See the note on this phrase in Exod 25:5LEB.
Notes for Exodus 35:9LEB
"and stones."
"filling."
Notes for Exodus 35:10LEB
"wise of heart"; here also "heart" would be a genitive of specification, showing that there were those who could make skillful decisions.
Notes for Exodus 35:11LEB
In Hebrew style all these items are typically connected with a vav (ו) conjunction, but English typically uses commas except between the last two items in a series or between items in a series that are somehow related to one another. The present translation follows contemporary English style in lists such as this.
Notes for Exodus 35:14LEB
"for" has been supplied.
Notes for Exodus 35:21LEB
"man."
The verb means "lift up, bear, carry." Here the subject is "heart" or will, and so the expression describes one moved within to act.
"his spirit made him willing." The verb is used in Scripture for the freewill offering that people brought (Lev 7).
Literally "the garments of holiness," the genitive is the attributive genitive, marking out what type of garments these were.
Notes for Exodus 35:22LEB
The expression in Hebrew is "men on/after the women," meaning men with women, to ensure that it was clear that the preceding verse did not mean only men. B. Jacob takes it further, saying that the men came after the women because the latter had taken the initiative (Exodus, 1017).
"all gold utensils."
The verb could be translated "offered," but it is cognate with the following noun that is the wave offering. This sentence underscores the freewill nature of the offerings people made. The word "came" is supplied from v. 21 and v. 22.
Notes for Exodus 35:23LEB
The text uses a relative clause with a resumptive pronoun for this: "who was found with him," meaning "with whom was found."
The conjunction in this verse is translated "or" because the sentence does not intend to say that each person had all these things. They brought what they had.
See the note on this phrase in Exod 25:5LEB.
Here "them" has been supplied.
Notes for Exodus 35:24LEB
This translation takes "offering" as an adverbial accusative explaining the form or purpose of their bringing things. It could also be rendered as the direct object, but that would seem to repeat without much difference what had just been said.
U. Cassuto notes that the expression "with whom was found" does not rule out the idea that these folks went out and cut down acacia trees (Exodus, 458). It is unlikely that they had much wood in their tents.
Here "it" has been supplied.
Notes for Exodus 35:25LEB
"wisdom of heart," which means that they were skilled and could make all the right choices about the work.
Notes for Exodus 35:26LEB
The text simply uses a prepositional phrase, "with/in wisdom." It seems to be qualifying "the women" as the relative clause is.
Notes for Exodus 35:27LEB
"and stones of the filling."
Notes for Exodus 35:29LEB
"by the hand of."
Here "them" has been supplied.
Notes for Exodus 35:30LEB
"called by name" (so KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV). This expression means that the person was specifically chosen for some important task (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 342). See the expression with Cyrus in Isa 45:3–4LEB.
Notes for Exodus 35:33LEB
"to set."
"in every work of thought," meaning, every work that required the implementation of design or plan.
Notes for Exodus 35:34LEB
The expression means that Yahweh has given them the ability and the desire to teach others how to do the work. The infinitive construct "to teach" is related to the word Torah, "instruction, guide, law." They will be able to direct others in the work.
Notes for Exodus 35:35LEB
The expression "wisdom of heart," or "wisdom in heart," means artistic skill. The decisions and plans they make are skilled. The expression forms a second accusative after the verb of filling.
The expression "all the work" means "all kinds of work."
Here "They are" has been supplied.
"doers of all work."
"designers of designs."