Exodus 31:4

Exo 31:4 To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,

Ver. 4. To devise cunning works.] All skill in lawful callings, whether manual or mental, is of God. {Isa 28:26}

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.

Verse 4. Cunning works] מחשבת machashaboth, works of invention or genius, in the goldsmith and silversmith line.

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

(4-5) Cunning works . . . in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in cutting of stones

. . .—It is a characteristic of early art that it eschews specialism, and it is as nearly universal as possible. Theodore of Samos (ab. B.C. 600-560) was an architect, a worker in bronze, and an engraver of hard stones. Michael Angelo was an architect, painter, and sculptor. Giotto was the same, and also a worker in mosaic. It is some time before, in each particular people or country, the imitative arts become separated, and each artist aspires to eminence in one branch only. (Comp. the multiform artistic powers ascribed to Hiram of Tyre in chap. 214.)

In cutting of stones, to set them—i.e., in gem-engraving. This branch of art was needed for engraving the names of the tribes upon the two onyxes of the ephod (Exo_28:9), and upon the twelve precious stones of the breastplate (Exo_28:17-18). It was an art very early practised both in Chaldæa and in Egypt. (See Note 2 on Exo_28:8.)

In carving of timber.—Rather, cutting of timber. The woodwork of the sanctuary was not “carved,” but plain.

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

4. devise cunning works] devise works of skill (Speaker’s Comm.); so Exo_35:32; Exo_35:35. Lit. devise (or design, Exo_26:1) devices (Jer_18:18); here of skill in contriving and executing works of art, as in 2Ch_26:15 mechanical contrivances (Heb. devices [EVV. engines, i.e. ingenia, inventions], the device of the deviser).

4, 5. in gold, and in silver, and in bronze, &c.] such as would be needed for carrying out the preceding body of directions (Exo_25:10 ff.; Exo_26:15 ff.; Exo_28:9-11; Exo_28:21, &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.

To devise cunning works,.... To invent, contrive, and draw patterns, for the weavers particularly, for the making of the curtains of the tabernacle, the vail of the most holy place, the ephod, and the curious girdle of it, which were made of cunning work, curiously wrought by the weaver; and so Jarchi interprets this of the weaving of the work of Chosheb, or cunning work, of the devising of cunning works, or of the knowledge of witty inventions, by Wisdom or the Messiah, see Pro 8:12.

to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass; for it is not to be supposed there were either goldsmiths or brasiers among the Israelites; only masons and bricklayers, and brickmakers, and such sort of manufacturers; so that Bezaleel had need of immediate wisdom from the Spirit of God, not only to devise curious works in these several things as in others, but to teach men how to work in them, what tools to work with, and how to use them, how to melt these several metals, and into what forms and shapes to put them, and then to polish them; as there were some things in the temple to be made of gold, as the candlestick, others of silver, as the sockets of the tabernacle, and others of brass, as the altar of burnt offering, and its vessels, with other things.

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

Brass. Septuagint add, "and violet, and purple, and scarlet spun, and byssus twisted."

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).

4, 5. To devise cunning works — To plan and execute designs; to think out and elaborate such works of art in metal, stone, and wood, and other material, as would be required in the sanctuary, or in connexion with its services.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vers. 4, 5. The result of these gifts would be to enable him

1. To devise cunning worksi.e. , to design everything excellently; and

2. To work in all manner of workmanshipi.e. , to carry out his designs with success. It has been said that "as everything that had to be done was prescribed in strict and precise detail, there was to be no exercise of original powers of invention nor of taste" (Cook); but this was scarcely so. The forms of the cherubim, the patterns to be woven into the stuffs, or embroidered on them, the shapes of the vessels, of the capitals of the pillars, and of the laver were not prescribed in the directions. Bezaleel and Aholiab would have had to design them after such a description as Moses could give of the "pattern" which he had seen in the mount. In doing this, there would be much room for the exercise of inventive power and taste.

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

לחשב מחשבה lit., TO DEVISE DEVICES — this refers to the weaving of an artist’s work.

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.