Lives of Scripture

Bezalel, son of Uri, of the tribe of Judah, is the first person in Scripture explicitly said to be filled with the Spirit of God for a task -- not prophecy or leadership, but skilled craftsmanship. The LORD told Moses, "I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship, to make artistic designs... in gold, silver, and bronze, and in the cutting of stones... and in the carving of wood, that he may work in all kinds of craftsmanship" (Exodus 31:2-5). Paired with Oholiab of the tribe of Dan, Bezalel was given both the ability and the wisdom to teach others (35:30-35). Under his direction, the skilled workers of Israel built the tabernacle and all its furnishings -- the ark of the covenant, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the priestly garments, and the anointing oil -- exactly according to the pattern the LORD had shown Moses on the mountain (36:1-38:22), using materials the people had freely given, more than enough for the work (36:5-7). Later genealogies remember him simply as "Bezalel the son of Uri" (1 Chronicles 2:20), and Solomon's own temple craftsman generations later is compared to him (2 Chronicles 1:5; 2:14). Bezalel's story establishes that excellent, Spirit-empowered craftsmanship devoted to worship is itself a calling from God, not a lesser one.