Exodus 31:2

Exo 31:2 See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:

Ver. 2. The son of Hur.] Of that Hur mentioned in Exo 17:12; Exo 24:14.

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.

I have chosen and made meet, Exod. 35:30.

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

Verse 2. I have called by name Bezaleel] That is, I have particularly appointed this person to be the chief superintendent of the whole work. His name is significant, בצלאל betsal-el, in or under the shadow of God, meaning, under the especial protection of the Most High. He was the son of Uri, the son of Hur, the son of Caleb or Chelubai, the son of Esron, the son of Pharez, the son of Judah. See 1Ch 2:5, 1Ch 2:9, 1Ch 2:18-20, and See Clarke on Ex 17:10.

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

(2) I have called by name.—It is a high honour to be called of God by name. He thus calls only those whom He appoints to some great work, as Moses (Exo_3:4; Exo_33:12), Samuel (1Sa_3:10), and Cyrus (Isa_45:3-4).

Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur.—Hur, the grandfather of Bezaleel, is generally supposed to be identical with the Hur who supported Moses’s hands (Exo_17:12), and was left joint regent with Aaron when Moses went up into Mount Sinai (Exo_24:14). There is, however, no evidence of this beyond the identity of the name.

Of the tribe of Judah.—Descended from Judah through Pharez, Hezron, and Caleb (1Ch_2:5; 1Ch_2:18-20).

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2. called by name] i.e. specially chosen: cf. Isa_45:3-4 (of Cyrus).

Bĕẓal’çl] i.e. ‘In the shadow (i.e. protection, Num_14:9 RVm.) of God’; cf. the Ass. name Ina-ṣilli-Bel, ‘In the shadow of Bel’ (cited by Bä.). There are no sufficient grounds for identifying the Ḥur here with the Ḥur of Exo_17:10, Exo_24:14. The whole series Ḥur, Uri, Bĕẓal’çl occurs again in 1Ch_2:19 f., in the ‘family’ of Caleb, one of the three leading clans of Judah; but the relation of the two series of names to each other is uncertain: 1Sa_30:14 appears to shew that even in David’s time the Caleb-clan was not yet actually part of Judah (comp. the writer’s Genesis, p. 327; and DB., EB., s.v. Caleb).

In v. 6 Oholiab is associated with Bĕẓal’çl; but Bĕẓal’çl is evidently regarded as the constructor in chief: he always takes the first place (Exo_36:1-2; cf. Exo_38:22 f.), and is often mentioned alone (Exo_37:1, and implicitly in vv. 10, 17, 25, &c.).

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.

See, I have called by name Bezaleel,.... Had pitched upon, chosen, and distinguished him particularly from all other men to be the architect or chief master builder of the tabernacle, and to be the director and overseer of the whole work relating to it: the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem paraphrase it,""I have called with a good name Bezaleel";''as if respect was to be had to his name Bezaleel, as given him by God, and very expressive and significant; whereas the phrase of calling "by name" does not signify the imposing of a name upon him, but the singular and personal choice of him to an office: indeed, his name Bezaleel is very significant, and may be rendered, "in the shadow of God"; and he was under the shadow, influence, and protection of the Lord, and was called to be concerned in making those things, which were shadows of good things to come; and he may be considered in all as a type of Christ, who is the chief and master builder of his church, has the care and oversight of it, and under whom others work; for except he built the house, they labour in vain that build it; he was called by name, or eminently chosen to this work, he took not this honour to himself, but was called of God, as Bezaleel was, and was hid and abode under the shadow of the Almighty all the while he was concerned in it, see Psa 91:1.

the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; Bezaleel's father's name was Uri, which signifies, "my light"; and his grandfather's name Hur, which has the signification of liberty or freedom; the same that Moses left with Aaron to judge the people of Israel during his stay in the mount, and is thought to have been the husband of Miriam; so that his grandfather being living, he may be supposed to be but a young man: the Jews say (n) he was but thirteen years of age when he was employed in this service, but that is not probable; though indeed his antitype, when but twelve years of age, said, "wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" his Father, whom he calls Uri, my light, Psa 27:1 he being the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person; and is the Son of God that makes men free, and they are free indeed; and of whom it is evident that he sprung out of the tribe of Judah, a tribe greatly honoured of God.

(n) Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 6. 2.

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

By name. I have fixed upon and taken into my service, as Isaias xliii. 1.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

He seems to be the same mentioned 1Ch 2:20

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

I have called by name. God "calls by name" only those whom he appoints to some high office, as Moses, (Exo_3:4 Exo_33:12) Cyrus, (Isa_45:3, Isa_45:4) and here Bezaleel and Aholiab. He honours us highly in even condescending to "know us by name," still more in "calling" us. Bezaleel is traced to Judah in Chronicles through five ancestors Uri, Hur, Caleb, Hezron, and Pharez, Judah"s son by Tamar. The genealogy, though less contracted than most of those in Exodus, probably contains two or three omissions. The son of Hur. Hur, the grandfather of Bezaleel, is thought to be the person mentioned in Exo_17:10, and Exo_24:14.

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

See I have called Bezaleel, the grandson of Hur, probably that Hur who had helped to hold up Moses's hand, chap. xvii, 10-12, and was at this time in commission with Aaron for the government of the people in the absence of Moses. Aholiab of the tribe of Dan. is appointed next to Bezaleel, and partner with him. Hiram, who was the head-workman in the building of Solomon's temple, was also of the tribe of Daniel, 2 Chron. ii, 14.

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

קראתי בשם I HAVE CALLED BY NAME — to accomplish My work — BEZALEL.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

SEE, I HAVE CALLED BY NAME BEZALEL THE SON OF URI, THE SON OF HUR. G-d said to Moses, See, I have called by name, and Moses said to Israel, See, the Eternal hath called by name. The reason for this is because Israel in Egypt had been crushed under the work in mortar and in brick, and had acquired no knowledge of how to work with silver and gold, and the cutting of precious stones, and had never seen them at all. It was thus a wonder that there was to be found amongst them such a great wise-hearted man who knew how to work with silver and gold, and in cutting of stones [for setting] and in carving of wood, a craftsman, an embroiderer, and a weaver. For even amongst those who study before the experts, you cannot find one who is proficient in all these crafts. And even those who know them and are used to doing them, if their hands are continually engaged in [work with] lime and mud, lose the ability to do with them such artistic and delicate work. Moreover, he [i.e. Bezalel] was a great Sage in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, to understand the secret of the Tabernacle and all its vessels, why they were commanded and to what they hinted. Therefore G-d said to Moses that when he sees this wonder he should know that I filled him with the spirit of G-d, to know all these things in order that he would make the Tabernacle. For it was His Will to make the Tabernacle in the wilderness, and He created him for His glory, “Whatsoever the Holy One, blessed be He, created in His world He created it but for His glory.” Bezalel thus was born for that sacred purpose, as the thought continues to be unfolded by Ramban. for it is He that called the generations from the beginning, it being similar in meaning to the verse, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee. The same type of expression we find in the verse, See that the Eternal hath given you the Sabbath; therefore He giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days. Our Rabbis have on this topic a Midrash: “G-d showed Moses the book of the first man and told him: ‘Each person I have given a role from that moment on, and Bezalel too I have given a role already then, as it is said, See, I have called by name Bezalel.’” This is similar to what I have explained. The Rabbis have also said: “Bezalel knew how to combine the letters with which heaven and earth were created.” The purport of this saying is that the Tabernacle alludes to these matters [heaven and earth], and he knew and understood its secret.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.