Exodus 31:16

Exo 31:16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, [for] a perpetual covenant.

Ver. 16. For a perpetual covenant.] So the Sabbath is called by way of eminency; as if nothing of God’s covenant were kept, if this were not Philo Judaeus saith, The fourth commandment is a famous precept, and profitable to excite all kind of virtue and piety.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Or, Sabbath.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 16. A perpetual covenant.] Because it is a sign of this future rest and blessedness, therefore the religious observance of it must be perpetually kept up. The type must continue in force till the antitype come.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

16. Wherefore] The Heb. is simply And.

to observe] to hold. See on Exo_12:47.

a perpetual (or, as the same Heb. is rendered elsewhere, everlasting) covenant] An expression frequent in P: Gen_9:16 (of the rainbow), Gen_17:7; Gen_17:13; Gen_17:19 (of circumcision), Lev_24:8, cf. Num_18:19; Num_25:13; also Eze_16:60; Eze_37:26, Jer_50:5, Isa_24:5; Isa_55:3; Isa_61:8, Psa_105:10†. Here, as the context shews (cf. p. 175), the stress lies not on the divine promise, but on Israel’s obligation to observe the terms on which the covenant is based.

16, 17. The main thoughts of vv. 13–15 repeated, and emphasized, in P’s manner: cf. on Exo_6:27.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath,.... On whom the sabbath of the seventh day was only enjoined, as well as that of the seventh and of the fiftieth years, being all ceremonial and shadowy:

to observe the sabbath throughout their generations; so long as the Mosaic dispensation lasted, and their civil polity and church state continued, even until the Messiah came, when all those Jewish shadows, rites, and ceremonies, fled away and disappeared:

for a perpetual covenant; just in the same sense as circumcision was, Gen 17:13.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Or, shall keep the sabbath by observing or celebrating the sabbath, i. e. by observing or celebrating it, the antecedent being put for the relative, as is frequently done. So here is another most emphatical repetition to oblige us to the greater caution and diligence in this great duty, and to show what stress God lays upon it, who hath therefore placed this in the midst of the commands of the decalogue, as the heart which gives life and rigour to all the rest. Or it may be rendered thus; shall observe the day of rest to celebrate the sabbath; and so the phrase is like that in the fourth command, Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy. So here, Observe the sabbath. i.e. watch its coming and approach, consider attentively the nature and use of it, and that not as a matter of idle speculation, but of serious practice; or, so that you may do or celebrate the sabbath, i.e. perform all the duties of it. Or thus, shall observe the sabbath, to make it a sabbath or day of rest, and that no idle or carnal rest, but a rest, holy to the Lord, as it is called in the foregoing verse.

For a perpetual covenant, or, by a perpetual covenant, or, it is a perpetual covenant, i. e. condition or part of that agreement made between me and them. They have solemnly covenanted or promised that they will do all that I commanded them, Exo 24:7,8, among which this is a chief branch; and I have covenanted to bless and sanctify them in so doing. And this word perpetual, as also the word for ever, being added to it in the next verse, may intimate that this hath a longer perpetuity than the ceremonies, to which this phrase is sometimes ascribed, the rather because the reason of this perpetuity given in the next verse is such as hath its force not only till Christ, but even till the end of the world, and it is fit and just that men should retain this monument or memorial of the world’s creation even till its dissolution.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

For a perpetual covenant. The sabbath is itself a covenanti.e. , a part of the covenant between God and Israel (Exo_24:4) and it is, also, a sign of covenanti.e. , a perceptible indication that the nation has entered into a special agreement with God, and undertaken the observance of special laws.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

It was to be observed throughout their generations, in every age, for a perpetual covenant - This was to be one of the most lasting tokens of the covenant between God and Israel.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

General Information:

Yahweh continues telling Moses what he must tell the people of Israel.

must keep the Sabbath

God speaks of obeying his instructions about the Sabbath as keeping the Sabbath. AT: "must obey Yahweh's instructions about the Sabbath" (See: Metaphor)

They must observe it throughout their people's generations

"They and all the generations of their descendants must observe it." See how you translated "throughout their people's generations" in Exodus 12:42.

permanent law

"a law the will not end." See how you translated this in Exodus 28:43.

translationWords

Israel

Sabbath

generation

sign

heaven

earth

rest

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.