Exodus 31:1–5: Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ‘See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship.'”

March 8th, 2026 by Pastor Ed in devotional

In Exodus 17:10 we read that Hur was one of the men who held up Moses’ arms while Joshua was fighting the Amalikites. And when Moses went up the mountain to meet with God, he left Aaron and Hur as leaders to handle any matters that might come up among the people (Ex. 24:14). But he is not mentioned in Exodus 32, when the people demanded an idol. A non-biblical tradition says the people killed Hur for refusing their demand for the golden calf. Scripture is silent on this matter, but we do know that in chapter 31 God anointed Hur’s grandson with His Spirit, giving him the skill needed to conduct this special artistic construction work.

When it says, “to design artistic works,” the Hebrew suggests, “to think thoughts.” It seems God was inspiring the thoughts and ideas of this artist; so this man, and the others with him, were divinely inspired craftsmen. We typically think of prophets as being filled with the Spirit of God, but here we find Bezalel a Spirit-directed craftsman, or one might even say, a Spirit-filled contractor. How important that we understand that pastors and missionaries are not the only ones functioning under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. God is still using men and women of God, who desire to be used, in all kinds of trades.

We miss the mark when we consider our jobs unimportant to God. Bezalel understood that he was working for God, and each of us today should think of our daily labors in the same way. We do not work for men but for God Almighty. As the Apostle Paul wrote:

Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. (Ephesians 6:5)

“LORD, we chose to work for You today. Direct our hands and minds as we serve You.”

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Exodus 31 KJV

¹ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, ² See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: ³ And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, ⁴ To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, ⁵ And in cutting of stones, to set them , and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship. ⁶ And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee; ⁷ The tabernacle of the congregation, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that isthereupon, and all the furniture of the tabernacle,  ⁸ And the table and his furniture, and the pure candlestick with all his furniture, and the altar of incense,  ⁹ And the altar of burnt offering with all his furniture, and the laver and his foot,  ¹⁰ And the cloths of service, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest’s office, ¹¹ And the anointing oil, and sweet incense for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do. ¹² And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 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. ¹⁴ Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. ¹⁵ Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.  ¹⁶Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. ¹⁷ It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. ¹⁸ And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.