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 

Yesaya 56:4

56:4 For this is what the Lord says:

“For the eunuchs who observe my Sabbaths

and choose what pleases me

and are faithful to ³  my covenant,

Yehezkiel 20:12

20:12 I also gave them my Sabbaths ⁴  as a reminder of our relationship, ⁵  so that they would know that I, the Lord, sanctify them. ⁶ 

Yehezkiel 20:20

20:20 Treat my Sabbaths as holy ⁷  and they will be a reminder of our relationship, ⁸  and then you will know that I am the Lord your God.”

[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.

[56:4]  ³ tn Heb “and take hold of” (so KJV); NASB “hold fast.”

[20:12]  ⁴ sn Ezekiel’s contemporary, Jeremiah, also stressed the importance of obedience to the Sabbath law (Jer 17).

[20:12]  ⁵ tn Heb “to become a sign between me and them.”

[20:12]  ⁶ tn Or “set them apart.” The last phrase of verse 12 appears to be a citation of Exod 31:13.

[20:20]  ⁷ tn Or “set apart my Sabbaths.”

[20:20]  ⁸ tn Heb “and they will become a sign between me and you.”