Keluaran 31:17

31:17 It is a sign between me and the Israelites forever; for in six days ¹  the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’” ² 

Keluaran 16:26

16:26 Six days you will gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any.”

Keluaran 20:9

20:9 For six days ³  you may labor ⁴  and do all your work, ⁵ 

Keluaran 34:21

34:21 “On six days ⁶  you may labor, but on the seventh day you must rest; ⁷  even at the time of plowing and of harvest ⁸  you are to rest. ⁹ 

[31:17]  ¹ tn The expression again forms an adverbial accusative of time.

[31:17]  ² sn The word “rest” essentially means “to cease, stop.” So describing God as “resting” on the seventh day does not indicate that he was tired – he simply finished creation and then ceased or stopped. But in this verse is a very bold anthropomorphism in the form of the verb וַיִּנָּפַשׁ (vayyinnafash), a Niphal preterite from the root נָפַשׁ (nafash), the word that is related to “life, soul” or more specifically “breath, throat.” The verb is usually translated here as “he was refreshed,” offering a very human picture. It could also be rendered “he took breath” (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 345). Elsewhere the verb is used of people and animals. The anthropomorphism is clearly intended to teach people to stop and refresh themselves physically, spiritually, and emotionally on this day of rest.

[20:9]  ³ tn The text has simply “six days,” but this is an adverbial accusative of time, answering how long they were to work (GKC 374 §118.k).

[20:9]  ⁴ tn The imperfect tense has traditionally been rendered as a commandment, “you will labor.” But the point of this commandment is the prohibition of work on the seventh day. The permission nuance of the imperfect works well here.

[20:9]  ⁵ tn This is the occupation, or business of the work week.

[34:21]  ⁶ tn This is an adverbial accusative of time.

[34:21]  ⁷ tn Or “cease” (i.e., from the labors).

[34:21]  ⁸ sn See M. Dahood, “Vocative lamed in Exodus 2,4 and Merismus in 34,21,” Bib 62 (1981): 413-15.

[34:21]  ⁹ tn The imperfect tense expresses injunction or instruction.