Exodus 31:13
“You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, ‘Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the LORD, sanctify you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse emphasizes that keeping the Sabbath isn't just about resting; it's a profound sign of God's unique work of setting Israel apart and making them holy. This holy observance serves as a constant reminder that their ability to be set apart comes directly from the LORD himself.
Fresh from instructions on building the Tabernacle, God reiterates the absolute importance of observing the Sabbath. He emphasizes that this day is not just a day of rest but a sacred covenant sign, distinguishing Israel from all other nations and reminding them that God is the one who sets them apart as holy. This observance is to be a perpetual reminder, marking their ongoing relationship with Him.
Why did God give Israel the Sabbath? It wasn't just a day off. It was a profound statement of identity, setting them apart.
More Than Just Rest
The Sabbath is presented as a "sign between me and you." This wasn't a minor detail; it was a public declaration of belonging.
The verse connects the Sabbath directly to God's power to make us holy. What does this mean for us?
God's Work in Us
The ultimate purpose of the Sabbath, as revealed here, is to facilitate our knowledge of God as our sanctifier.
Understand the original words
shabbat · Hebrew Noun
A day of cessation from ordinary labor, established by God at creation and commanded to Israel as a perpetual reminder of God's work, authority, and covenant relationship.
oth · Hebrew Noun
A visible token or pledge confirming a covenant; it serves as a memorial to remind the parties of their obligations and the reality of the relationship.
qadash · Hebrew Verb
To make holy or set apart for God's use; in relation to God's people, it denotes the process by which He separates them from the common and unclean to be His own possession.
This passage establishes the Sabbath as a day of rest and blessing right from creation, highlighting its foundational importance and connection to God's own rest.
Deuteronomy 5:12-15This retelling of the Ten Commandments frames the Sabbath command with both the creation account and the liberation from slavery in Egypt, emphasizing rest and remembrance as integral to God's redemptive work.
The prophet Ezekiel reiterates that the Sabbath was given as a sign between God and Israel, intended to remind them that God is the one who sanctifies them, directly echoing the language in Exodus.
This New Testament passage speaks of a spiritual rest that remains for God's people, linking the Old Testament Sabbath rest to the ultimate rest found in Christ and the new creation.
clarkeExodus 31:13: "Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you."
My Sabbaths ye shall keep - See Clarke's note on Genesis 2:3 . See Clarke's note on Exodus 20:8 .
wesleyExodus 31:13: "Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you."
31:13 It is a sign between me and you - The institution of the sabbath was a great instance of God's favour, and a sign that he had distinguished them from all other people: and their religious observance of it, was a great instance of their duty to him. God, by sanctify…
The verse emphasizes that keeping the Sabbath isn't just about resting; it's a profound sign of God's unique work of setting Israel apart and making them holy. This holy observance serves as a constant reminder that their ability to be set apart comes directly from the LORD himself.
Fresh from instructions on building the Tabernacle, God reiterates the absolute importance of observing the Sabbath. He emphasizes that this day is not just a day of rest but a sacred covenant sign, distinguishing Israel from all other nations and reminding them that God is the one who sets them apart as holy. This observance is to be a perpetual reminder, marking their ongoing relationship with Him.
Fresh from instructions on building the Tabernacle, God reiterates the absolute importance of observing the Sabbath. He emphasizes that this day is not just a day of rest but a sacred covenant sign, distinguishing Israel from all other nations and reminding them that God is the one who sets them apart as holy. This observance is to be a perpetual reminder, marking their ongoing relationship with Him.
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"“You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, ‘Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the LORD, sanctify you." — The verse emphasizes that keeping the Sabbath isn't just about resting; it's a profound sign of God's unique work of setting Israel apart and making them holy. This holy observance serves as a consta…
