Exodus Chapter 31    

“the Tent of Meeting.” The “Tabernacle” (“Dwelling Place”) is also referred to as the “Tent of Meeting” because it was the place where people met with God. The Hebrew phrase is 'ohel mo'ed, in which 'ohel (#0168) means “tent,” and is followed by mo'ed (#04150 מוֹעֵד or מֹעֵד) which means a “meeting” or a “place for a meeting.” Thus the 'ohel mo'ed is the “Tent of Meeting” (see commentary on Exod. 27:21).

“the bronze basin with its base.” This is the large bronze basin that was in the courtyard of the Tabernacle and was used for washing (cp. Exod. 30:18; 38:8).

“you are to keep my Sabbaths!” God rested on the seventh day in Genesis 2:1-3, but He did not command that anyone follow His example and rest on the seventh day until Exodus 16, when He gave the manna from heaven, and even then He did not fully explain the Sabbath. The Sabbath became part of the Law and the Old Covenant when it was given as part of the Ten Commandments (Exod. 20:8-11).

[For more on the Sabbath, see commentary on Exod. 20:10.]

“death, yes, death!” This is the figure of speech polyptoton (see commentary on Gen. 2:16).

“a Sabbath of complete rest.” The Hebrew is shabbath shabbathon, more literally, “a Sabbath of Sabbath observance.”

[For more information, see commentary on Leviticus 25:4.]

“death, yes, death!” For this construction and translation of the Hebrew text, see commentary on Genesis 2:16.