Ibn Ezra on Ki Sisa 31:1

English: AND THE LORD SPOKE. Rabbi Saadiah Gaon asked, “Why were Bezalel and Oholiab chosen?” 1 To construct the tabernacle. He answered that Bezalel was chosen because he was descended from Judah, whom Jacob compared to a lion’s whelp (Gen. 49:9). Oholiab was chosen because he was descended from Dan, whom Moshe also compared to a lion’s whelp (Deut. 33:22). The lion is narrow at the end. The temple was similarly narrow at the end. 2 See Mishnah Middot 4:7, “The sanctuary was narrow behind and wide in front, and it was like a lion, as it is written, Ah, Ariel (literally, lion of God), Ariel, the city where David encamped (Is. 29:1); as a lion is narrow behind and wide in front so the sanctuary was na