The Meaning of Exodus 31:13 Explained

Exodus 31:13

KJV: 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.

YLT: And thou, speak unto the sons of Israel, saying, Only, My sabbaths ye do keep, for it is a sign between Me and you, to your generations, to know that I, Jehovah, am sanctifying you;

Darby: And thou, speak thou unto the children of Israel, saying, Surely my sabbaths shall ye keep; for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that ye may know that it is I, Jehovah, who do hallow you.

ASV: Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily ye shall keep my sabbaths: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am Jehovah who sanctifieth you.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Exodus 31:13 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 31:1-18 - Wise Workmen For The Tabernacle
Whenever there is special work to be done God will find and endow the men who are to do it. "I have called,"¦ I have filled,"¦ I have appointed," etc. There is a niche for each of us in God's service, to each a special work is given; and for each those talents are imparted, which are requisite and adequate. "Created unto good works," says the Apostle, "which God has before prepared that we should walk in them," Ephesians 2:10. The talent for the sphere and the sphere for the talent-God's call binding the two with golden clasps.
But amid all our work for God there should be Sabbath-keeping-i.e., the inner rest of the soul. We are by nature full of our own works and schemes and plans; but when the spirit of rest enters us, all this is altered. Then we are not agents, but instruments; we do not work for God, but God works through us; we enter into His rest, and cease from ourselves. See Hebrews 4:10. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 31

1  Bezaleel and Aholiah are appointed for the work of the tabernacle
12  The observation of the Sabbath is again commanded
18  Moses receives the two tablets

What do the individual words in Exodus 31:13 mean?

and You speak to the sons of Israel saying truly - My Sabbaths you shall keep for a sign it [is] between Me and you throughout your generations that [you] may know that I [am] Yahweh who sanctifies you
וְאַתָּ֞ה דַּבֵּ֨ר אֶל־ בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אַ֥ךְ אֶת־ שַׁבְּתֹתַ֖י תִּשְׁמֹ֑רוּ כִּי֩ א֨וֹת הִ֜וא בֵּינִ֤י וּבֵֽינֵיכֶם֙ לְדֹרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם לָדַ֕עַת כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶֽם

וְאַתָּ֞ה  and  You 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
דַּבֵּ֨ר  speak 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
בְּנֵ֤י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
לֵאמֹ֔ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אַ֥ךְ  truly 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַךְ  
Sense: indeed, surely (emphatic).
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
שַׁבְּתֹתַ֖י  My  Sabbaths 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, first person common singular
Root: שַׁבָּת  
Sense: Sabbath.
תִּשְׁמֹ֑רוּ  you  shall  keep 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
א֨וֹת  a  sign 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: אֹות  
Sense: sign, signal.
הִ֜וא  it  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
בֵּינִ֤י  between  Me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
וּבֵֽינֵיכֶם֙  and  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
לְדֹרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם  throughout  your  generations 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: דֹּור 
Sense: period, generation, habitation, dwelling.
לָדַ֕עַת  that  [you]  may  know 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
כִּ֛י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
אֲנִ֥י  I  [am] 
Parse: Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אֲנִי  
Sense: I (first pers.
יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מְקַדִּשְׁכֶֽם  who  sanctifies  you 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: קָדַשׁ  
Sense: to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate.