The Meaning of Exodus 31:17 Explained

Exodus 31:17

KJV: 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.

YLT: between Me and the sons of Israel it is a sign -- to the age; for six days Jehovah made the heavens and the earth, and in the seventh day He hath ceased, and is refreshed.'

Darby: It shall be a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever; for in six days Jehovah made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.

ASV: It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Exodus 31:17 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 31:17 mean?

Between Me and the sons of Israel a sign it [is] forever for [in] six days made Yahweh - the heavens and the earth and on the day seventh He rested and was refreshed -
בֵּינִ֗י וּבֵין֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל א֥וֹת הִ֖וא לְעֹלָ֑ם כִּי־ שֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֗ים עָשָׂ֤ה יְהוָה֙ אֶת־ הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־ הָאָ֔רֶץ וּבַיּוֹם֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י שָׁבַ֖ת וַיִּנָּפַֽשׁ ס

בֵּינִ֗י  Between  Me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
בְּנֵ֣י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  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.
א֥וֹת  a  sign 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: אֹות  
Sense: sign, signal.
הִ֖וא  it  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
לְעֹלָ֑ם  forever 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.
כִּי־  for  [in] 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
שֵׁ֣שֶׁת  six 
Parse: Number, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁשׁ  
Sense: six.
יָמִ֗ים  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
עָשָׂ֤ה  made 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
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.
הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם  the  heavens 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
הָאָ֔רֶץ  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וּבַיּוֹם֙  and  on  the  day 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י  seventh 
Parse: Article, Number, ordinal masculine singular
Root: שְׁבִיעִי  
Sense: seventh.
שָׁבַ֖ת  He  rested 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁבַת 
Sense: to cease, desist, rest.
וַיִּנָּפַֽשׁ  and  was  refreshed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָפַשׁ  
Sense: (Niphal) to take breath, refresh oneself.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation