(Exodus 31:15) says: "Six days will work be done." But another verse (Exodus 20:9) says: "Six days shall you work, and you shall do all of your work." One verse is passive — "work will be done." The other is active — "you shall work." How are they reconciled?
The Mekhilta provides an answer rooted in the spiritual state of the nation. When Israel does God's will, their work is done by others. The passive voice — "work will be done" — becomes literal. Others perform Israel's labor for them. The proof is (Isaiah 61:8): "And strangers will arise and graze your sheep, and the sons of strangers will be your farmers and your vintners." When Israel is righteous, the nations serve them.
When Israel does not do God's will, they must do their own work — hence the active voice: "you shall work." They plow, plant, harvest, and build with their own hands, without assistance.
This interpretation transforms a grammatical inconsistency into a theological teaching. The two verses are not contradicting each other — they describe two different realities. One is the ideal state, where Israel's obedience to God results in a life of ease and divine provision. The other is the default state, where Israel labors for its own sustenance. The passive and active voices are not alternatives. They are outcomes — depending entirely on whether Israel is walking in faithfulness or falling short.