Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
Work can be done for six days, but the seventh day is the Sabbath—a day of rest that is holy to the LORD. Anyone who does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death.
God is establishing that the Sabbath day must be completely set apart for rest and worship, with severe consequences for breaking this command.
📚 Historical Context
This command was given to Moses on Mount Sinai as part of the detailed laws for the newly formed nation of Israel. The Sabbath was meant to distinguish Israel from other nations and remind them weekly of their covenant relationship with God. In ancient Israel, breaking certain covenant laws was considered a rejection of God's authority over the entire community, which is why the penalty was so severe.
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