Bezalel and Oholiab

Biblical Account

Bezalel was of the tribe of Judah, the son of Uri and the grandson of Hur (Exodus 31:2; 1 Chronicles 2:20). Oholiab was the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan (Exodus 31:6). The two men appear in the latter part of Exodus as the craftsmen who made the tabernacle, the portable place of worship that Israel used as it moved through the wilderness, together with its furnishings.

• Calling: After giving Moses instructions at Mount Sinai for building the tabernacle, God says that He has "called by name" Bezalel and has "filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship." Oholiab was appointed to work alongside Bezalel (Exodus 31:1-6).
• Construction: After the golden calf incident (Exodus 32), Moses announces these appointments to the people. The text records that the two men were also given the ability to teach others (Exodus 35:30-35). When the people's offerings exceeded what was needed for the work, Moses commanded them to bring no more (Exodus 36:2-7). Bezalel made furnishings such as the Ark of the Covenant, the table of showbread, the lampstand, and the altars (Exodus 37-38). Oholiab is described as an engraver, a skilled craftsman, and an embroiderer in blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen (Exodus 38:22-23).
• Later references: 2 Chronicles 1:5-6 records that the bronze altar Bezalel had made stood before the tabernacle of the congregation at Gibeon, and that Solomon offered burnt offerings there.

The Bezalel mentioned in Ezra 10:30 is a different man who bears the same name.

Significance Within Scripture

Bezalel is often cited as one of the earliest Old Testament examples of a person explicitly said to be "filled" with the Spirit of God. In this passage, the Spirit's work is expressed not in prophecy or leadership but in skill and craftsmanship. The New Testament does not mention the two men by name. However, Hebrews 8:5 states that the tabernacle, made according to "the pattern shewed to thee in the mount" (Exodus 25:40), was an "example and shadow of heavenly things." For this reason, the tabernacle they built is read in connection with the work of Christ.

Interpretations and Debates

• In the Institutes of the Christian Religion, John Calvin cited Bezalel and Oholiab as examples in explaining that gifts in learning and the arts also come from the Spirit of God. The Reformed tradition frequently cites this passage in discussions of common grace (grace extended to believers and unbelievers alike) and of vocational calling.
• In Pentecostal and charismatic traditions, this passage is sometimes read as an instance of the filling of the Holy Spirit expressed in practical ability, and it is cited in support of a broad understanding of the gifts of the Spirit.
• The name Bezalel is commonly interpreted as meaning "in the shadow (protection) of God," and Oholiab as "father's tent."
• Many interpreters identify Bezalel's grandfather Hur with the Hur who, together with Aaron, held up Moses' hands in Exodus 17:10-12. The text, however, does not state that they are the same person. Josephus reports that this Hur was the husband of Miriam, but this is a tradition from outside the Bible.
• The Talmud preserves a tradition that Bezalel knew how to combine the letters by which heaven and earth were created. This, too, is a Jewish tradition not found in the biblical text.