Exodus 39:2

2 Ephod. They made the Ephod using gold and blue, purple, and scarlet fabrics and finely twisted linen.

Exodus 39:2 Meaning and Commentary

Ver. 2-31. And he made the ephod of gold
From hence to the end of verse thirty one we have a very particular account of the making of the priest's garments exactly according to the directions given to Moses, (See Gill on Exodus 28:1) &c. to end of chapter twenty eight; only it may be observed, that here in ( Exodus 39:3 ) an account is given of the manner in which they made the gold fit to be worked along with the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn; they beat the gold into thin plates, and then cut them into wires, and then twisted them together with the yarn: the gold that was used in the weaving of the ephod and the breastplate, spoken of in the law, was wrought after this manner; the workman took one thread of pure gold, and put it with six threads of blue, and twisted the seven threads as one, and so he wrought a thread of gold with six of purple, and another thread with six of scarlet, and another with six of linen or flax, so that there were four threads of gold, and all the threads were twenty eight, as it is said; "they did beat" or spread out "the gold" "to work in the midst of blue" from whence is learnt that the thread of gold was twisted in the midst of them ^F25: and it may be further observed, that after the enumeration of the stones in the breastplate, ( Exodus 39:10-13 ) no mention is made of the Urim and Thummim, which seems to confirm the opinion of many, and which is my own, that they are the same with the stones: moreover, in ( Exodus 39:28 ) , it may be observed, that what the coats for the common priests were made of is expressed, which is not before, which was linen; expressive of their purity and holiness, and in which they ought always to appear before God and man, and in which apparel they have been imitated among the Heathens: the priests of Hercules are said to be clothed with linen ^F26, and the Egyptian priests wore only a linen garment ^F1; hence the priests of Isis, with whom she is represented as surrounded by Juvenal ^F2, are called by him "grex liniger", and by Martial, "linigeri" ^F3.

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 Maimon. Cele Hamikdash, c. 9. sect. 5.
F26 Silius Ital. de Bell. Punic. l. 3.
F1 Herodot. Euterpe sive, l. 2. c. 38.
F2 Satyr. 6.
F3 L. 12. Epigram. 26.

Exodus 39:2 In-Context

1 Vestments. Using the blue, purple, and scarlet fabrics, they made the woven vestments for ministering in the Sanctuary. Also they made the sacred vestments for Aaron, as God had commanded Moses.

2 Ephod. They made the Ephod using gold and blue, purple, and scarlet fabrics and finely twisted linen.

3 They hammered out gold leaf and sliced it into threads that were then worked into designs in the blue, purple, and scarlet fabric and fine linen.

4 They made shoulder pieces fastened at the two ends.

5 The decorated band was made of the same material - gold, blue, purple, and scarlet material, and of fine twisted linen - and of one piece with it, just as God had commanded Moses.