The Making of the Priests' Garments

391 Of the blue, purple, and scarlet, they made finely worked garments, for ministering in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as Yahweh commanded Moses. 2 He made the ephod of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen. 3 They beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in the blue, in the purple, in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, the work of the skillful workman. 4 They made shoulder straps for it, joined together. At the two ends it was joined together. 5 The skillfully woven band that was on it, with which to fasten it on, was of the same piece, like its work; of gold, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen; as Yahweh commanded Moses. 6 They worked the onyx stones, enclosed in settings of gold, engraved with the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the children of Israel. 7 He put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel, as Yahweh commanded Moses. 8 He made the breastplate, the work of a skillful workman, like the work of the ephod; of gold, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen. 9 It was square. They made the breastplate double. Its length was a span, and its breadth a span, being double. 10 They set in it four rows of stones. A row of ruby, topaz, and beryl was the first row; 11 and the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire [1], and an emerald; 12 and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 13 and the fourth row, a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper. They were enclosed in gold settings. 14 The stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names; like the engravings of a signet, everyone according to his name, for the twelve tribes. 15 They made on the breastplate chains like cords, of braided work of pure gold. 16 They made two settings of gold, and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate. 17 They put the two braided chains of gold in the two rings at the ends of the breastplate. 18 The other two ends of the two braided chains they put on the two settings, and put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod, in its front. 19 They made two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, on its edge, which was toward the side of the ephod inward. 20 They made two rings of gold, and put them on the two shoulder straps of the ephod underneath, in its front, close by its coupling, above the skillfully woven band of the ephod. 21 They bound the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not come loose from the ephod, as Yahweh commanded Moses. 22 He made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue. 23 The opening of the robe in its midst was like the opening of a coat of mail, with a binding around its opening, that it should not be torn. 24 They made on the skirts of the robe pomegranates of blue, purple, scarlet, and twined linen. 25 They made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates around the skirts of the robe, between the pomegranates; 26 a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, around the skirts of the robe, to minister in, as Yahweh commanded Moses. 27 They made the coats of fine linen of woven work for Aaron, and for his sons, 28 and the turban of fine linen, and the linen headbands of fine linen, and the linen breeches of fine twined linen, 29 and the sash of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, the work of the embroiderer, as Yahweh commanded Moses. 30 They made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote on it a writing, like the engravings of a signet: “HOLY TO YAHWEH.” 31 They tied to it a lace of blue, to fasten it on the turban above, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 39:1-31

Commentary on Exodus 39:1-31

(Read Exodus 39:1-31)

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.