Exodus 28:31-39

31 "¹You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue.

32 "There shall be an opening at its top in the middle of it; around its opening there shall be a binding of woven work, as like the opening of a coat of mail, so that it will not be torn.

33 "You shall make on its hem pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet material, all around on its hem, and bells of gold between them all around:

34 a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, all around on the hem of the robe.

35 "It shall be on Aaron when he ministers; and its tinkling shall be heard when he enters and leaves the holy place before the LORD, so that he will not die.

36 "You shall also make ²a plate of pure gold and shall engrave on it, like the engravings of a seal, '³Holy to the LORD.'

37 "You shall fasten it on a blue cord, and it shall be on the turban; it shall be at the front of the turban.

38 "It shall be on Aaron's forehead, and Aaron shall ⁴take away the iniquity of the holy things which the sons of Israel consecrate, with regard to all their holy gifts; and it shall always be on his forehead, that ⁵they may be accepted before the LORD.

39 "You shall weave ⁶the tunic of checkered work of fine linen, and shall make a turban of fine linen, and you shall make a sash, the work of a weaver.

Exodus 28:31-39 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. Exodus 39:22-26
• 2. Exodus 39:30, 31; Leviticus 8:9
• 3. Zechariah 14:20
• 4. Leviticus 10:17; Leviticus 22:16; Numbers 18:1
• 5. Leviticus 1:4; Leviticus 22:27; Leviticus 23:11; Isaiah 56:7
• 6. Exodus 39:27-29

Footnotes

• [a] Or "violet"
• [b] Or "for his head"
• [c] Lit "for ministering"
• [d] Lit "its sound"
• [e] Lit "comes out" from
• [f] Lit "place"
• [g] Or "violet"
• [h] Or "bear"
• [i] Lit "variegator;" i.e. a weaver in colors