Exodus 31 · Verse 3

Exodus 31:3

And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
Exodus 31:3, King James Version

Exodus 31:3 in other translations

BSBAnd I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of craftsmanship,
WEBI have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all kinds of workmanship,
ASVand I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
YLTand I fill him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all work,
DARBYand have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in every work,
BBEAnd I have given him the spirit of God and made him wise and full of knowledge and expert in every sort of handwork,
WebsterAnd I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,

What does Exodus 31:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Exodus 31:3-5
3-5. I have filled him with the spirit of God--It is probable that he was naturally endowed with a mechanical genius, and had acquired in Egypt great knowledge and skill in the useful, as well as liberal, arts so as to be a first-class artisan, competent to take charge of both the plain and ornamental work, which the building of the sacred edifice required. When God has any special work to be accomplished, He always raises up instruments capable of doing it; and it is likely that He had given to the son of Uri that strong natural aptitude and those opportunities of gaining mechanical skill, with an ultimate view to this responsible office. Notwithstanding that his grand duty was to conform with scrupulous fidelity to the pattern furnished, there was still plenty of room for inventive talent and tasteful exactness in the execution; and his natural and acquired gifts were enlarged and invigorated for the important work.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 I have filled him with the spirit of God - See Clarke's note on Exo 28:3. In wisdom - חכמה, chochmah, from חכם chacham, to be wise, skillful, or prudent, denoting the compass of mind and strength of capacity necessary to form a wise man: hence our word wisdom, the power of judging what is wise or best to be done; from the Saxon, to teach, to advise, and to judge; hence the doom or judgment of the well taught, wise, or prudent man. Understanding - תבונה tebunah, from בן ban or bun, to separate, distinguish, discern; capacity to comprehend the different parts of a work, how to connect, arrange, etc., in order to make a complete whole. Knowledge - דעת daath, denoting particular acquaintance with a person or thing; practical, experimental knowledge.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Exodus 31:1-11

The Israelites, who had been masons and bricklayers in Egypt, were not qualified for curious workmanship; but the Spirit who gave the apostles utterance in divers tongues, miraculously gave Bezaleel and Aholiab the skill that was wanting. The honour which comes from God, is always attended with a work to be done; to be employed for God is high honour. Those whom God calls to any service, he will find or make fit for…

Read the full comment on Exodus 31:1-11 →

Exodus 31:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וָאֲמַלֵּ֥אva.'a.ma.Le'and I have filledH4390
אֹת֖וֹ'o.To<obj.> himH853
ר֣וּחַRu.ach[the] spirit ofH7307
אֱלֹהִ֑ים'E.lo.HimGodH430
בְּחָכְמָ֛הbe.cha.khe.Mahwith skillH2451
וּבִתְבוּנָ֥הu.vit.vu.Nahand with understandingH8394
וּבְדַ֖עַתu.ve.Da.'atand with knowledgeH1847
וּבְכָל\־u.ve.Khol-and with allH3605
מְלָאכָֽה\׃me.la.KhahworkmanshipH4399

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Exodus 31:3

  • Exodus 35:31

    And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship;

  • Isaiah 28:26

    For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.

  • 1 Kings 7:14

    He was a widow’s son of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass: and he was filled with wisdom, and understanding, and cunning to work all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his work.

  • 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

    Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. …

  • Isaiah 28:6

    And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.

  • 1 Kings 3:9

    Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
filled.
35:31; 1Ki 3:9; 7:14; Isa 28:6,26; 1Co 12:4-11
the spirit of God.{Ruach Elohim,} rather, "a spirit of God;" which is a usual Hebraism, signifying "an excellent spirit;" or, as we should now say, "a distinguished genius for the work he had to perform." No man, by course of reading or study, ever acquired a genius of any kind: we call it natural, and say it was born with the man: Moses teaches us to consider it divine. The prophet Isaiah, (ch. 28:24-29,) pointedly refers to this sort of teaching as coming from God, even in the most common and less difficult arts of life. Dark as the heathens were, yet they acknowledged that all talents and the seeds of all arts came from God.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Exodus 31:2

    See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:

  • Exodus 31:3

    And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,

  • Exodus 31:4

    To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,

Read all of Exodus 31

Exodus 31:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y lo he henchido de espíritu de Dios, en sabiduría, y en inteligencia, y en ciencia, y en todo artificio,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et je l’ai rempli de l’esprit de Dieu, en sagesse, et en intelligence, et en connaissance, et pour toutes sortes d’ouvrages,
German
Elberfelder 1871		und habe ihn mit dem Geiste Gottes erfüllt, in Weisheit und in Verstand und in Kenntnis und in jeglichem Werk;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et implevi spiritu Dei, sapientia, et intelligentia et scientia in omni opere,