Six days shall work be done uses the same word for work as verse 14. But the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest brings together the words for seventh (shebaʿ) and sabbath (shabbath), which are similar in sound but different in meaning. (See the comment at 16.23a.) A sabbath of solemn rest translates a Hebrew phrase using two forms of the same word. The Hebrew is shabbath shabbathon, which Good News Translation translates as “a day of solemn rest” (similarly also New Jerusalem Bible). Holy to the LORD, literally “holy to [or, for] Yahweh,” is similar to “holy for you” in verse 14. Here it carries the meaning of “consecrated to Yahweh” (New Jerusalem Bible), or “dedicated to me” (Good News Translation; since Yahweh is the speaker). So it may also be expressed as “the Sabbath is mine” (Contemporary English Version).

Whoever does any work on the sabbath day shall be put to death is almost identical with the same categorical statement in verse 14.

Contemporary English Version combines verses 14-15 in a helpful way, and many translators will wish to follow this model:

• Keep the Sabbath holy. You have six days to do your work, but the Sabbath is mine, and it must remain a day of rest. If you work on the Sabbath, you will no longer be part of my people, and you will be put to death.

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 .