All the men and women, literally “Every man and woman,” is singular, but whose heart moved them refers to them in the plural. Whose heart moved them is literally “who their heart urged them.” The verb is the same as verse 21 in reference to the “spirit.” Here again Good News Translation‘s “who wanted to” seems too weak, suggesting there were many who were not interested. The people of Israel, literally “the sons of Israel,” comes at the end of the verse in the Hebrew.

To bring anything for the work is literally “to cause to enter [or, come] for all the work.” This means “for any [or, all] of the work.” But this is specified as the work which the LORD had commanded, inserting the English word had to show the sense of the pluperfect. This refers, of course, to the instructions Yahweh had given to Moses on the mountain. By Moses is literally “by the hand of Moses,” but it really means “through Moses” (New International Version), since Moses was not to do the work himself.

Brought it as their freewill offering to the LORD is literally “the sons of Israel brought [caused to enter] a voluntary gift to Yahweh.” Freewill offering is one word in the Hebrew that comes from the verb “to urge,” and which is used in the phrase whose heart moved them earlier in this verse. Translator’s Old Testament brings out the meaning of freewill offering with “offered their gift voluntarily.” Good News Translation omits the word freewill as already understood. Contemporary English Version reorders the clauses of the verse as follows: “Moses had told the people what the LORD wanted them to do, and many of them decided to bring their gifts.”

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 .