Exodus 31:15

For six days work may be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must surely be put to death.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God addresses Moses and the Israelites at Sinai, concluding the covenant stipulations following the tabernacle instructions. He establishes the weekly labor rhythm as a binding command.

The words — מְלָאכָה (me.la.Khah) denotes the structured labor permitted during the week, while שַׁבָּתוֹן (sha.ba.Ton) specifies the seventh day as a sabbath observance of complete rest.

The thread — The six-days-labor and seventh-day-rest pattern appears in Genesis 2:2, Exodus 16:23, and Leviticus 23:3. These passages collectively frame the Sabbath as a recurring sacred boundary.

Why it lands — The text commands strict cessation of work on the seventh day and attaches capital punishment to its violation. It requires the reader to treat the Sabbath as a permanent covenant obligation rather than a discretionary practice.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

שֵׁ֣שֶׁתShe.shetsix יָמִים֮ya.Mimdays יֵעָשֶׂ֣הye.'a.Sehit will be done מְלָאכָה֒me.la.Khahwork וּבַיּ֣וֹםu./vai./Yomand/ [will be] on the/ day הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗יha./she.vi.'I<the>/ seventh שַׁבַּ֧תsha.Bata sabbath of שַׁבָּת֛וֹןsha.ba.Tonsabbath observance קֹ֖דֶשׁKo.desha holy thing לַיהוָ֑הla./Yah.wehto/ Yahweh כָּל־kol-every הָעֹשֶׂ֧הha./'o.Seh<the>/ [one who] does מְלָאכָ֛הme.la.Khahwork בְּי֥וֹםbe./Yomon/ [the] day of הַשַּׁבָּ֖תha./sha.Batthe/ sabbath מ֥וֹתMotcertainly <to die>יוּמָֽת׃yu.Mathe will be put to death

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Genesis 2:2 And by the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on that day He rested from all His work.
Exodus 16:23 He told them, “This is what the LORD has said: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of complete rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. So bake what you want to bake, and boil what you want to boil. Then set aside whatever remains and keep it until morning.’”
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.
Exodus 34:21 Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even in the seasons of plowing and harvesting, you must rest.
Exodus 31:17 It is a sign between Me and the Israelites forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’”
Exodus 35:2 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.
Jeremiah 17:24 If, however, you listen carefully to Me, says the LORD, and bring no load through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, and keep the Sabbath day holy, and do no work on it,
Luke 13:14 But the synagogue leader was indignant that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath. “There are six days for work,” he told the crowd. “So come and be healed on those days and not on the Sabbath.”
Luke 23:56 Then they returned to prepare spices and perfumes. And they rested on the Sabbath, according to the commandment.
Exodus 16:26 For six days you may gather, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, it will not be there.”