Bible Strands
Exodus 35:33
to cut gemstones for settings, and to carve wood, so that he may be a master of every artistic craft.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Moses instructs the Israelite assembly at Sinai regarding the tabernacle's construction. The verse specifies the technical skills required of the artisans chosen to execute the sacred work.
The words — The Hebrew חֲרֹשֶׁת אֶבֶן (ḥă·rō·šeṯ 'e·ḇen) literally means "carving of stone," while מְלֶ֥אכֶת כָּל־ (mə·lê·ḵeṯ kāl) translates to "workmanship of all" or "every craft." These terms define the precise technical scope granted to the master artisan.
The thread — The passage frames this skill within the broader tabernacle project, immediately following the description of metalwork design in Exodus 35:32 and preceding the note that God empowers the artisan to teach others in Exodus 35:34. The narrative treats specialized craftsmanship as a delegated divine function rather than merely human talent.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition that technical mastery in sacred contexts originates from divine endowment. It requires the reader to value skilled labor as a necessary component of worship and to acknowledge the responsibility of teaching that skill to others.
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
King James Version
And in the cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work.