12 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying, 13 '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; 14 and ye have kept the sabbath, for it 'is' holy to you, he who is polluting it is certainly put to death—for any who doeth work in it—that person hath even been cut off from the midst of his people. 15 'Six days is work done, and in the seventh day 'is' a sabbath of holy rest to Jehovah; any who doeth work in the sabbath-day is certainly put to death, 16 and the sons of Israel have observed the sabbath; to keep the sabbath to their generations 'is' a covenant age-during, 17 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.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 31:12-17
Commentary on Exodus 31:12-17
(Read Exodus 31:12-17)
Orders were now given that a tabernacle should be set up for the service of God. But they must not think that the nature of the work, and the haste that was required, would justify them in working at it on sabbath days. The Hebrew word /shabath/ signifies rest, or ceasing from labour. The thing signified by the sabbath is that rest in glory which remains for the people of God; therefore the moral obligation of the sabbath must continue, till time is swallowed up in eternity.