Boy Old Testament Known
Bezalel
Bezalel
בְּצַלְאֵל be.tsal.el
Bezalel (Hebrew: בְּצַלְאֵל, be.tsal.el) is a biblical name; its Hebrew etymology is not securely established. Two men in scripture bear the name; the best attested belongs to the Exodus period. In 2025 it was given to 20 children in the United States. Use is rising. Appears with Adna in Ezra 10.
Which Bezalel?
Two men in scripture bear this name. Here is each of them.
-
Bezalel
son of Uri
-
Bezalel
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
At a glance
- Verses
- 12 across 5 books
- Bearers
- 2 distinct people in scripture
- Testament
- Old
- Era
- Exodus
Using it today
Based on 2025 births across the United States.
| Measure | Value | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Given in 2025 | 20 | Rising |
| All-time total | 115 | Since records begin in 1880 |
| Peak | 20 in 2025 | Its highest year on record |
| Ten-year trend | +277% | Change in share of births |
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | Exodus 31:2 |
| Last appears | Ezra 10:30 |
| Cross-references | 179 linked passages |
Names connected to this one
- Uri co-occurrence Appears with Uri in 1 Chronicles 2.
- Hur co-occurrence Appears with Hur in 1 Chronicles 2.
- Oholiab co-occurrence Appears with Oholiab in Exodus 36.
- Maaseiah co-occurrence Appears with Maaseiah in Ezra 10.
- Binnui co-occurrence Appears with Binnui in Ezra 10.
- Chelal co-occurrence Appears with Chelal in Ezra 10.
- Adna co-occurrence Appears with Adna in Ezra 10.
- Manasseh co-occurrence Appears with Manasseh in Ezra 10.
Origin & meaning
A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.31.2;
son of: Uri (H0221)
§ Bezaleel = "in the shadow (i.e. protection) of God"
1) son of Uri and grandson of Hur; a skilled Judahite artisan in all works of metal, wood, and stone and one of the architects of the tabernacle
2) an Israelite, one of the sons of Pahath-moab, in the time of Ezra who had taken a strange wife
Bezalel, son of Uri, was a skilled craftsman filled with God's Spirit to build the tabernacle and its furnishings.
The biblical story
Bezalel, the son of Uri and grandson of Hur from the tribe of Judah, was a skilled craftsman chosen by God to oversee the construction of the tabernacle and its furnishings (Exo. 31:2; 35:30; 1 Ch. 2:20). God filled Bezalel with His Spirit, giving him wisdom, understanding, and knowledge in all kinds of craftsmanship, including working with gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood (Exo. 31:3-5). Bezalel, along with Oholiab from the tribe of Dan, led the skilled workers in creating the tabernacle, the ark of the covenant, the altar, and all the other sacred items according to the divine instructions given to Moses (Exo. 36:1-2; 37:1; 38:22). Bezalel's exceptional skills and divine empowerment underscore the importance of the tabernacle as a place where God's presence would dwell among His people. The tabernacle and its furnishings, crafted by Bezalel, were later brought to Jerusalem by King Solomon (2 Ch. 1:5).
Key verses
Bezalel appears in 8 verses. Here are some of the most notable:
-
See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:
Exodus 31:2 -
And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, the Lord hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah;
Exodus 35:30 -
Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whom the Lord put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the Lord had commanded.
Exodus 36:1 -
And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whose heart the Lord had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it:
Exodus 36:2 -
And Bezaleel made the ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half was the length of it, and a cubit and a half the breadth of it, and a cubit and a half the height of it:
Exodus 37:1
Show all 8 references
Exodus (6)
- Exodus 31:2
- Exodus 35:30
- Exodus 36:1
- Exodus 36:2
- Exodus 37:1
- Exodus 38:22
1 Chronicles (1)
- 1 Chronicles 2:20
2 Chronicles (1)
- 2 Chronicles 1:5