BESELEEL (Hebr. Beşal'el, “in the shadow of God”). — Son of Uri, of the tribe of Judah, he was the chief craftsman (Ex. 31:1–2; 35:30–35; 37:1–38) of the Tabernacle of the Covenant and of all the sacred furnishings intended for worship, from the anointing oil and incense to the Ark of the Covenant. He was chosen for this work by God, who had “filled him with His spirit,” endowing him with intelligence and skill in every kind of artistic work involving gold, silver, bronze, precious stones, and wood (Ex. 31:3–5). B. had learned the secrets of his craft in Egypt. For the working of metals, he found resources in the Sinai peninsula, where the Egyptians were then exploiting the mines of Sarabit el-Hadim. God associated with him in directing the works Oholiab ('Oḥāli'ābi).
Ezra 10:30, 44 mentions another B. among the nine sons of Pahath-moab, one of the 83 members of the Jewish people whom Ezra induced to send away their foreign wives taken during the exile.