Exodus 39

The Priestly Garments

1 Moreover, from the ¹blue and purple and scarlet material, they made finely ²woven garments for ministering in the holy place as well as the holy garments which were for Aaron, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

2 ³He made the ephod of gold, and of blue and purple and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen.

3 Then they hammered out gold sheets and cut them into threads to be woven in with the blue and the purple and the scarlet material, and the fine linen, the work of a skillful workman.

4 They made attaching shoulder pieces for the ephod; it was attached at its two upper ends.

5 The skillfully woven band which was on it was like its workmanship, of the same material: of gold and of blue and purple and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

6 ⁴They made the onyx stones, set in gold filigree settings; they were engraved like the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the sons of Israel.

7 And ⁵he placed them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, as memorial stones for the sons of Israel, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

8 ⁶He made the breastpiece, the work of a skillful workman, like the workmanship of the ephod: of gold and of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen.

9 It was square; they made the breastpiece folded double, a span long and a span wide when folded double.

10 And they mounted four rows of stones on it. The first row was a row of ruby, topaz, and emerald;

11 and the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire and a diamond;

12 and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst;

13 and the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They were set in gold filigree settings when they were mounted.

14 The stones were corresponding to the names of the sons of Israel; they were twelve *, corresponding to their names, engraved with the engravings of a signet, each with its name for the twelve * tribes.

15 They made on the breastpiece chains like cords, of twisted cordage work in pure gold.

16 They made two gold filigree settings and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two ends of the breastpiece.

17 Then they put the two gold cords in the two rings at the ends of the breastpiece.

18 They put the other two ends of the two cords on the two filigree settings, and put them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front of it.

19 They made two gold rings and placed them on the two ends of the breastpiece, on its inner edge which was next * to the ephod.

20 Furthermore, they made two gold rings and placed them on the bottom of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, on the front of it, close to the place where it joined, above * the woven band of the ephod.

21 They bound the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a blue cord, so that it would be on the woven band of the ephod, and that the breastpiece would not come loose from the ephod, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

22 ⁷Then he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue;

23 ⁸and the opening of the robe was at the top in the center, as the opening of a coat of mail, with a binding all around its opening, so that it would not be torn.

24 They made pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet material and twisted linen on the hem of the robe.

25 They also made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates all around on the hem of the robe,

26 alternating a bell and a pomegranate all around on the hem of the robe for the service, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

27 ⁹They made the tunics of finely woven linen for Aaron and his sons,

28 and the turban of fine linen, and the decorated caps of fine linen, and the linen breeches of fine twisted linen,

29 and the sash of fine twisted linen, and blue and purple and scarlet material, the work of the weaver, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

30 ¹⁰They made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and inscribed it like the engravings of a signet, "Holy to the LORD."

31 They fastened a blue cord to it, to fasten it on the turban above *, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

32 Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was completed; and the sons of Israel did according to all that the LORD had commanded Moses; so they did.

33 They brought the tabernacle to Moses, the tent and all its furnishings: its clasps, its boards, its bars, and its pillars and its sockets;

34 and the covering of rams' skins dyed red, and the covering of porpoise skins, and the screening veil;

35 the ark of the testimony and its poles and the mercy seat;

36 the table, all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence;

37 the pure gold lampstand, with its arrangement of lamps and all its utensils, and the oil for the light;

38 and the gold altar, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the veil for the doorway of the tent;

39 the bronze altar and its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils, the laver and its stand;

40 the hangings for the court, its pillars and its sockets, and the screen for the gate of the court, its cords and its pegs and all the equipment for the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of meeting;

41 the woven garments for ministering in the holy place and the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, to minister as priests.

42 So the sons of Israel did all the work according to all that the LORD had commanded Moses.

43 And Moses examined all the work and behold, they had done it; just as the LORD had commanded, this they had done. So Moses ¹¹blessed 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!

Cross References

• 1. Exodus 35:23
• 2. Exodus 31:10; Exodus 35:19
• 3. Exodus 28:6-12
• 4. Exodus 28:9-11
• 5. Exodus 28:12
• 6. Exodus 28:15-28
• 7. Exodus 28:31, 34
• 8. Exodus 28:32
• 9. Ex 28:39, 40, 42
• 10. Exodus 28:36, 37
• 11. Leviticus 9:22, 23; Numbers 6:23-26

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "violet"
• [b]. Lit "and they made"
• [c]. Or "violet"
• [d]. Lit "to work"
• [e]. Or "violet"
• [f]. Lit "it"
• [g]. Lit "from it"
• [h]. Or "violet"
• [i]. Or "violet"
• [j]. Lit "its length"
• [k]. Lit "its width"
• [l]. Lit "filled"
• [m]. Lit "filled"
• [n]. Or "violet"
• [o]. Or "violet"
• [p]. Or "violet"
• [q]. Lit "robe, between the pomegranates"
• [r]. Lit "a bell and a pomegranate, a bell..."
• [s]. Lit "headgear"
• [t]. Or "violet"
• [u]. Lit "variegator;" i.e. a weaver in colors
• [v]. Lit "wrote on it a writing"
• [w]. Lit "put"
• [x]. Or "violet"
• [y]. Lit "put"
• [z]. Lit "dwelling place"
• [aa]. Or "utensils"
• [ab]. Or "bases"
• [ac]. Or "tanned"
• [ad]. Lit "propitiatory"
• [ae]. Lit "Face"
• [af]. Lit "its lamps, the lamps set in order"
• [ag]. Or "copper"
• [ah]. Or "copper"
• [ai]. Or "bases"
• [aj]. Or "utensils"
• [ak]. Lit "saw"

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.