Exodus 39

1 From the blue, purple and scarlet yarn they made the garments for officiating, for serving in the Holy Place; and they made the holy garments for Aharon, as ADONAI had ordered Moshe.
2 He made the ritual vest of gold, of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely woven linen.
3 They hammered the gold into thin plates and cut them into threads in order to work it into the blue, purple and scarlet yarn and the fine linen crafted by the skilled artisan.
4 They made shoulder-pieces for it, joined together; they were joined together at the two ends.
5 The decorated belt on the vest, used to fasten it, was of the same workmanship and materials -gold; blue, purple and scarlet yarn; and finely twined linen -as ADONAI had ordered Moshe.
6 They worked the onyx stones, mounted in gold settings, engraving them with the names of the sons of Isra'el as they would be engraved on a seal.
7 Then he put them on the shoulder-pieces of the vest to be stones calling to mind the sons of Isra'el, as ADONAI had ordered Moshe.
8 He made the breastplate; it was crafted by a skilled artisan and made like the work of the ritual vest -of gold; blue, purple and scarlet yarn; and finely woven linen.
9 When folded double, the breastplate was square -doubled, it was a hand-span by a hand-span.
10 They put on it four rows of stones: the first row was a carnelian, a topaz and an emerald;
11 the second row a green feldspar, a sapphire and a diamond;
12 the third row an orange zircon, an agate and an amethyst;
13 and the fourth row a beryl, an onyx and a jasper. They were mounted in settings of gold.
14 The stones corresponded to the names of the twelve sons of Isra'el; they were engraved with their names as a seal would be engraved, each name representing one of the twelve tribes.
15 On the breastplate they made two pure gold chains, twisted like cords.
16 Also for the breastplate they made two settings of gold and two gold rings, and they put the two rings at the two ends of the breastplate.
17 They put the two twisted gold chains in the two rings at the ends of the breastplate
18 and attached the other two ends of the twisted chains to the front of the shoulder-pieces of the ritual vest.
19 They also made two gold rings and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, at its edge, on the side facing in toward the vest.
20 Also they made two gold rings and attached them low on the front part of the vest's shoulder-pieces, near the join, above the vest's decorated belt.
21 Then they bound the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the vest with a blue cord, so that it could be on the vest's decorated belt, and so that the breastplate would not swing loose from the vest -as ADONAI had ordered Moshe.
22 He made the robe for the ritual vest; it was woven entirely of blue,
23 with its opening in the middle, like that of a coat of mail, and with a border around the opening, so that it wouldn't tear.
24 On the bottom hem they made pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet, and woven linen;
25 and they made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates all the way around the hem of the robe - between the pomegranates,
26 that is, bell, pomegranate, bell, pomegranate, all the way around the hem of the robe for service - as ADONAI had ordered Moshe.
27 They made the tunics of finely woven linen for Aharon and his sons,
28 the turban of fine linen, the splendid headgear of fine linen, the linen shorts,
29 and the sash of finely woven linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, the work of a weaver in colors - as ADONAI had ordered Moshe.
30 They made the ornament for the holy turban of pure gold; wrote on it the words, "Set apart for ADONAI," like the engraving on a seal;
31 and tied a blue cord on it to fasten it to the front of the turban - as ADONAI had ordered Moshe.
32 Thus all the work for the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, was finished, with the people of Isra'el doing everything exactly as ADONAI had ordered Moshe.
33 Then they brought the tabernacle to Moshe -the tent and all its furnishings, clasps, planks, crossbars, posts and sockets;
34 the covering of tanned ram skins, the covering of fine leather and the curtain for the screen;
35 the ark for the testimony, its poles and the ark-cover;
36 the table, all its utensils and the showbread;
37 the pure menorah, its lamps and their arrangement for display, its accessories and the oil for the light;
38 the gold altar; the anointing oil; the fragrant incense; the screen for the entrance to the tent;
39 the bronze altar with its bronze grate, poles and all its utensils; the basin with its base;
40 the tapestries for the courtyard, with their posts and sockets; the screen for the entrance to the courtyard, with its ropes and tent pegs; all the utensils for the service in the tabernacle, the tent of meeting;
41 the garments for officiating, for serving in the Holy Place; the holy garments for Aharon the cohen; and the garments for his sons to serve in the office of cohen.
42 The people of Isra'el did all the work just as ADONAI had ordered Moshe.
43 Moshe saw all the work, and-there it was! - they had done it! Exactly as ADONAI had ordered, they had done it. And Moshe blessed them.

Exodus 39 Commentary

Chapter 39

The priests' garments. (1-31) The tabernacle completed. (32-43)

Verses 1-31 The priests' garments were rich and splendid. The church in its infancy was thus taught by shadows of good things to come; but the substance is Christ, and the grace of the gospel. Christ is our great High Priest. When he undertook the work of our redemption, he put on the clothes of service, he arrayed himself with the gifts and graces of the Spirit, girded himself with resolution to go through the undertaking, took charge of all God's spiritual Israel, laid them near his heart, engraved them on the palms of his hands, and presented them to his Father. And he crowned himself with holiness to the Lord, consecrating his whole undertaking to the honour of his Father's holiness. True believers are spiritual priests. The clean linen with which all their clothes of service must be made, is the righteousness of saints, ( Revelation 19:8 ) .

Verses 32-43 The tabernacle was a type or emblem of Jesus Christ. As the Most High dwelt visibly within the sanctuary, even on the ark, so did he reside in the human nature and tabernacle of his dear Son; in Christ dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, ( Colossians 2:9 ) . The tabernacle was a symbol of every real Christian. In the soul of every true follower of the Saviour the Father dwells, the object of his worship, and the author of his blessings. The tabernacle also typified the church of the Redeemer. The meanest and the mightiest are alike dear to the Father's love, freely exercised through faith in Christ. The tabernacle was a type and emblem of the heavenly temple, Re. 21:3 . What, then, will be the splendour of His appearance, when the cloud shall be withdrawn, and his faithful worshippers shall see him as he is!

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 39

In this chapter is continued the account of making the several things belonging to the sanctuary, particularly the clothes for the service of the tabernacle, and the garments of the priests, as the ephod and its curious girdle, Ex 39:1-7 the breastplate and the putting of the stones in it, and the fastening of it to the ephod, Ex 39:8-21 the robe of the ephod, with the bells and pomegranates to it, Ex 39:21-26 and the coats, mitre, bonnets, breeches, and girdle of fine linen, for Aaron and his sons, Ex 39:27-29 and the golden plate, Ex 39:30,31 and all being finished, the tabernacle and everything belonging to it were brought to Moses, and viewed by him; who seeing that all was done exactly according to the commandment of the Lord, blessed the people, and particularly the artificers, Ex 39:38-43.

Exodus 39 Commentaries

Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.