Exodus

Exodus 31:14–17

¹⁴Keep the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Anyone who profanes it must surely be put to death. Whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from among his people. ¹⁵For 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.

¹⁶The Israelites must keep the Sabbath, celebrating it as a permanent covenant for the generations to come. ¹⁷It 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.’”

Read all of Exodus 31

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Exodus 31:14

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Keep	וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙	ū·šə·mar·tem	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural	H8104 keep, watch, preserve
the Sabbath	הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת	haš·šab·bāṯ	Article; Noun - common singular	H7676 Sabbath
for	כִּ֛י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
it	הִ֖וא	hî	Pronoun - third person feminine singular	H1931 he, she
is holy	קֹ֥דֶשׁ	qō·ḏeš	Noun - masculine singular construct	H6944 sacred, sanctity
to you	לָכֶ֑ם	lā·ḵem	Preposition; second person masculine plural
Anyone who profanes it	מְחַֽלְלֶ֙יהָ֙	mə·ḥal·le·hā	Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural construct; third person feminine singular	H2490 bore, pierce
must surely be put to death	מ֣וֹת	mō·wṯ	Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute	H4191 die
Whoever	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
does	הָעֹשֶׂ֥ה	hā·‘ō·śeh	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H6213 do, make
any work	מְלָאכָ֔ה	mə·lā·ḵāh	Noun - feminine singular	H4399 occupation, work
on	בָהּ֙	ḇāh	Preposition; third person feminine singular
must be cut off	וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה	wə·niḵ·rə·ṯāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular	H3772 cut off, cut down
from among	מִקֶּ֥רֶב	miq·qe·reḇ	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H7130 inward part, midst
his people	עַמֶּֽיהָ׃	‘am·me·hā	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person feminine singular	H5971 people

Exodus 31:15

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For six	שֵׁ֣שֶׁת	šê·šeṯ	Number - masculine singular construct	H8337 six
days	יָמִים֮	yā·mîm	Noun - masculine plural	H3117 day
work	מְלָאכָה֒	mə·lā·ḵāh	Noun - feminine singular	H4399 occupation, work
may be done	יֵעָשֶׂ֣ה	yê·‘ā·śeh	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
but the seventh	הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י	haš·šə·ḇî·‘î	Article; Number - ordinal masculine singular	H7637 seventh
day	וּבַיּ֣וֹם	ū·ḇay·yō·wm	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3117 day
is a Sabbath	שַׁבַּ֧ת	šab·baṯ	Noun - common singular construct	H7676 Sabbath
of complete rest	שַׁבָּת֛וֹן	šab·bā·ṯō·wn	Noun - masculine singular	H7677 sabbath observance, sabbatism
holy	קֹ֖דֶשׁ	qō·ḏeš	Noun - masculine singular	H6944 sacred, sanctity
to the LORD	לַיהוָ֑ה	Yah·weh	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
Whoever	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
does	הָעֹשֶׂ֧ה	hā·‘ō·śeh	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H6213 do, make
work	מְלָאכָ֛ה	mə·lā·ḵāh	Noun - feminine singular	H4399 occupation, work
on the Sabbath	הַשַּׁבָּ֖ת	haš·šab·bāṯ	Article; Noun - common singular	H7676 Sabbath
day	בְּי֥וֹם	bə·yō·wm	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3117 day
must surely be put to death	מ֥וֹת	mō·wṯ	Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute	H4191 die

Exodus 31:16

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The Israelites	בְנֵֽי־	ḇə·nê-	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
must keep	וְשָׁמְר֥וּ	wə·šā·mə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural	H8104 keep, watch, preserve
the Sabbath	הַשַּׁבָּ֑ת	haš·šab·bāṯ	Article; Noun - common singular	H7676 Sabbath
celebrating	לַעֲשׂ֧וֹת	la·‘ă·śō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H6213 do, make
it	הַשַּׁבָּ֛ת	haš·šab·bāṯ	Article; Noun - common singular	H7676 Sabbath
as a permanent	עוֹלָֽם׃	‘ō·w·lām	Noun - masculine singular	H5769 long duration, antiquity, futurity
covenant	בְּרִ֥ית	bə·rîṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H1285 covenant
for the generations to come	לְדֹרֹתָ֖ם	lə·ḏō·rō·ṯām	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H1755 period, generation, dwelling

Exodus 31:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
It	הִ֖וא	hî	Pronoun - third person feminine singular	H1931 he, she
is a sign	א֥וֹת	’ō·wṯ	Noun - common singular construct	H226 sign
between Me	בֵּינִ֗י	bê·nî	Preposition; first person common singular	H996 interval, space between
and the Israelites	בְּנֵ֣י	bə·nê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
forever	לְעֹלָ֑ם	lə·‘ō·lām	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H5769 long duration, antiquity, futurity
for	כִּי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
in six	שֵׁ֣שֶׁת	šê·šeṯ	Number - masculine singular construct	H8337 six
days	יָמִ֗ים	yā·mîm	Noun - masculine plural	H3117 day
the LORD	יְהוָה֙	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
made	עָשָׂ֤ה	‘ā·śāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
the heavens	הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם	haš·šā·ma·yim	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H8064 sky, aloft
and the earth	הָאָ֔רֶץ	hā·’ā·reṣ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
but on the seventh	הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י	haš·šə·ḇî·‘î	Article; Number - ordinal masculine singular	H7637 seventh
day	וּבַיּוֹם֙	ū·ḇay·yō·wm	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3117 day
He rested	שָׁבַ֖ת	šā·ḇaṯ	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7673 cease, desist, rest
and was refreshed	וַיִּנָּפַֽשׁ׃ס	way·yin·nā·p̄aš	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5314 breathe, refreshed