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 34:18

34:18 “You must keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. For seven days ³  you must eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you; do this ⁴  at the appointed time of the month Abib, for in the month Abib you came out of Egypt.

[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.

[34:18]  ³ tn This is an adverbial accusative of time.

[34:18]  ⁴ tn The words “do this” have been supplied.