Exodus 31:2

called by name i.e. specially chosen: cf. Isaiah 45:3-4 (of Cyrus).

Bĕẓal"çl i.e. -In the shadow (i.e. protection, Numbers 14:9 RVm.) of God"; cf. the Ass. name Ina-ṣilli-Bel, -In the shadow of Bel" (cited by Bä.). There are no sufficient grounds for identifying the Ḥur here with the Ḥur of Exodus 17:10; Exodus 24:14. The whole series Ḥur, Uri, Bĕẓal"çl occurs again in 1 Chronicles 2:19 f., in the -family" of Caleb, one of the three leading clans of Judah; but the relation of the two series of names to each other is uncertain: 1 Samuel 30:14 appears to shew that even in David's time the Caleb-clan was not yet actually part of Judah (comp. the writer's Genesis, p. 327; and DB., EB., s.v. Caleb).

In v.6 Oholiab is associated with Bĕẓal"çl; but Bĕẓal"çl is evidently regarded as the constructor in chief: he always takes the first place (Exodus 36:1-2; cf. Exodus 38:22 f.), and is often mentioned alone (Exodus 37:1, and implicitly in vv.10, 17, 25, &c.).