Exodus 28:1-9

Garments of the Priests

1 "Then ¹bring near to yourself Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the sons of Israel, to minister as priest to Me-Aaron, ²Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons.

2 "You shall make ³holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty.

3 "You shall speak to all the ⁴skillful * persons * ⁵whom I have endowed with the spirit of wisdom, that they make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister as priest to Me.

4 "These are the garments which they shall make: a ⁶breastpiece and an ephod and a robe and a tunic of checkered work, a turban and a sash, and they shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons, that he may minister as priest to Me.

5 "They shall take ⁷the gold and the blue and the purple and the scarlet material and the fine linen.

6 "They shall also make ⁸the ephod of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of the skillful workman.

7 "It shall have two shoulder pieces joined to its two ends, that it may be joined.

8 "The skillfully woven band, which is on it, shall be like its workmanship, of the same material: of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen.

9 "You shall take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel,

Exodus 28:1-9 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 28

This chapter informs us of the servants God would have to minister to him in the house, or tabernacle, he had ordered to be made, even Aaron and his sons, Ex 28:1 of the garments they were to wear in their service, Ex 28:2-5 and first of the garments of the high priest, and particularly of the ephod, with the girdle, on the shoulder pieces of which were to be two onyx stones, with the names of the children of Israel engraved on them, Ex 28:6-14, and that of the breastplate of judgment, with the Urim and Thummum in it, Ex 28:15-30 and of the robe of the ephod, Ex 28:31-35, and of the mitre, Ex 28:36-39 and then of the garments of the common priests, Ex 28:40-43.

Cross References

• 1. Numbers 18:7; Psalms 99:6; Hebrews 5:1, 4
• 2. Exodus 24:1, 9
• 3. Exodus 29:5, 29; Exodus 31:10; Exodus 39:1-31; Lev 8:7-9, 30
• 4. Exodus 31:6; Exodus 35:25, 31-35; Exodus 36:1
• 5. Exodus 31:3; Isaiah 11:2; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11; Ephesians 1:17
• 6. Exodus 28:15-43
• 7. Exodus 25:3
• 8. Exodus 39:2-7; Leviticus 8:7

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "wise of heart"
• [b]. I.e. artistic skill
• [c]. Or "pouch"
• [d]. Or "violet"
• [e]. Or "violet"
• [f]. Lit "from it"
• [g]. Or "violet"