Exodus 28:1-14

The Priestly Garments

1 “Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so they may serve me as priests.
2 Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor.
3 Tell all the skilled workers to whom I have given wisdom in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his consecration, so he may serve me as priest.
4 These are the garments they are to make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban and a sash. They are to make these sacred garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so they may serve me as priests.
5 Have them use gold, and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and fine linen.

The Ephod

6 “Make the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen—the work of skilled hands.
7 It is to have two shoulder pieces attached to two of its corners, so it can be fastened.
8 Its skillfully woven waistband is to be like it—of one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen.
9 “Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel
10 in the order of their birth—six names on one stone and the remaining six on the other.
11 Engrave the names of the sons of Israel on the two stones the way a gem cutter engraves a seal. Then mount the stones in gold filigree settings
12 and fasten them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. Aaron is to bear the names on his shoulders as a memorial before the LORD.
13 Make gold filigree settings
14 and two braided chains of pure gold, like a rope, and attach the chains to the settings.

Exodus 28:1-14 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 19

  • 1. Leviticus 8:30; Psalms 99:6; Hebrews 5:4
  • 2. S Exodus 6:23; Exodus 24:9
  • 3. S Exodus 6:23
  • 4. Leviticus 8:2; Leviticus 21:1; Numbers 18:1-7; Deuteronomy 18:5; 1 Samuel 2:28; Hebrews 5:1
  • 5. Exodus 29:5,29; Exodus 31:10; Exodus 35:19; Exodus 39:1; Lev 8:7-9,30; Leviticus 16:32; Numbers 20:26-28
  • 6. ver 40
  • 7. Exodus 31:6; Exodus 35:10,25,35; Exodus 36:1
  • 8. Exodus 31:3; Deuteronomy 34:9; Isaiah 11:2; 1 Corinthians 12:8; S Ephesians 1:17
  • 9. ver 15-30
  • 10. S Exodus 25:7
  • 11. ver 31-35
  • 12. ver 39; Leviticus 10:5
  • 13. ver 37
  • 14. Exodus 25:4
  • 15. S Exodus 25:7
  • 16. Exodus 29:5
  • 17. Song of Songs 8:6; Isaiah 49:16; Haggai 2:23
  • 18. Deuteronomy 33:12; Job 31:36
  • 19. ver 29; Exodus 30:16; Numbers 10:10; Numbers 31:54; Joshua 4:7; Zechariah 6:14
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