The LORD said to Moses is literally “And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying.” (See the comment on this formula at 25.1.) See is literally what the Hebrew says in the imperative singular form (“You look!”). It is stronger than the more common “Behold,” but it also is intended to arouse attention. New Jerusalem Bible has “Look,” and Revised English Bible and Durham have “Take note.”

I have called by name Bezalel should not be understood literally. It means, as Good News Translation puts it, “I have chosen Bezalel,” or “I have singled out Bezalel” (New Jerusalem Bible). The meaning of the name Bezalel is “in the shadow [or, protection] of God [ʾEl],” which seems appropriate for the special work he was called to do. He is further identified as the son of Uri (meaning “my light”), who was the son of Hur. In many languages this will be expressed as “son of Uri and grandson of Hur” (Good News Translation). It is possible that this was a different person from the one mentioned in 17.10 and 24.14, since he is further identified as being of the tribe of Judah, that is, as a descendant of Judah. Moffatt has “the clan of Judah,” but see the comment on “clan” in contrast with tribe at 6.14. It will be necessary in some languages to state what this man was chosen to do; for example, “I have chosen Bezalel … to make the sacred tent and its furnishings.”

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .