Exodus 39:1-43 - L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

Bible Comments

THE EPHOD

(vs.2-7)

Various hangings for the tabernacle and the court were made of blue, purple and scarlet and fine twined linen, and these same materials were employed in making the priest's garments.

However, the ephod also included gold, which was beaten into thin sheets and cut into threads, to be woven into the blue, purple, scarlet and fine linen in an artistic design. Thus, in this most important article of clothing, the Lord Jesus is typified in His divine glory first, as God over all, then His heavenly character (the blue), his royal character (purple), His universally attractive glory (the scarlet) and His spotless humanity (the fine linen). Shoulder straps coupled the ephod together.

The encircling band of the ephod was made of the same materials, impressing us with the various aspects of the glory of the Lord Jesus, our Great High Priest. Then an onyx stone in a setting of gold was placed on each shoulder of the ephod. These stones were engraved with the names of the sons of Israel, six names on each stone (Exodus 28:10). This speaks of the Lord's sustaining all His saints on the shoulders of His strength. They are "memorial stones," for Israel is always in His memory.

THE BREASTPLATE

(vs.8-21)

The breastplate was of the same material as the ephod, but doubled to make a more solid background for the precious stones set in it. It would be about 12 inches square. The stones were set in four rows of three stones each, the first row a sardius, a topaz and an emerald; the second row a turquoise, a sapphire and a diamond; the third row a jacinth, an agate and an amethyst; the fourth row a beryl, an onyx and a jasper. These were all placed in settings of gold. Each of these stones was engraved with one of the names of the sons of Israel. Thus, the high priest wore their names on his breast, typical of the Lord Jesus holding His saints constantly in His affections.

Golden rings were placed on the two ends of the breastplate, to be connected by two chains of gold to the settings of the onyx stones on the shoulders of the ephod. Two more gold rings were placed on the lower corners of the breastplate and two rings also in the corresponding places on the ephod, so that these could be bound together by a blue cord. The ephod was vital in the high priest's inquiring of God on behalf of the people, for it denotes the unity of all the tribes of Israel, and none of these was to be ignored when God was asked for His directing will.

OTHER GARMENTS FOR THE PRIESTS

(vs.22-31)

The robe of the ephod was all of blue. It was worn beneath the ephod, forming a heavenly background for the beauty of the ephod. The opening of it that circled the neck was strengthened by a woven binding so that it would not tear. On the lower hem of the robe were pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet and fine twined linen, interspersed with bells of pure gold, thus one bell, one pomegranate in order. This reminds us that God expects true worship when entering His presence, the golden bells indicating what is vocal, "the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name" (Hebrews 13:15), and the pomegranates speaking of the fruitfulness of a godly life: "But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased" (Hebrews 13:15).

The tunics both for Aaron and his sons were made of fine linen, and similarly their turbans and their short trousers, all emphasizing moral purity. Their girdles (or sashes) were made of fine linen, blue, purple and scarlet, however. For the high priest a golden plate was made to be set in his headdress, with the inscription. "Holiness to the Lord." This was fastened by blue cords to the turban.

COMPLETED, INSPECTED AND APPROVED

(vs.32-43)

Thus all the work was done in accordance with the Lord's instructions. It must be so if God was to dwell in the tabernacle, just as is true today if the Church is be a suitable dwelling place for Him. All of these components of the tabernacle were then brought to Moses, the list of which is given in verses 33 to 41. The fact that these things are spoken of so often indicates how deeply important they are to our God and Father, so that they call for our attention and meditation.

Moses inspected the work, and found it had been done precisely as the Lord had commanded him. Therefore he blessed the people. Ten times in this chapter (39) the expression is found, "as the Lord commanded Moses." In Chapter 40 the same expression is found eight times.

Exodus 39:1-43

1 And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made cloths of service, to do service in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as the LORD commanded Moses.

2 And he made the ephod of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.

3 And they did beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in the blue, and in the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, with cunning work.

4 They made shoulderpieces for it, to couple it together: by the two edges was it coupled together.

5 And the curious girdle of his ephod, that was upon it, was of the same, according to the work thereof; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen; as the LORD commanded Moses.

6 And they wrought onyx stones inclosed in ouches of gold, graven, as signets are graven, with the names of the children of Israel.

7 And he put them on the shoulders of the ephod, that they should be stones for a memorial to the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses.

8 And he made the breastplate of cunning work, like the work of the ephod; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.

9 It was foursquare; they made the breastplate double: a span was the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof, being doubled.

10 And they set in it four rows of stones: the first row was a sardius,a a topaz, and a carbuncle: this was the first row.

11 And the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.

12 And the third row, a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.

13 And the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper: they were inclosed in ouches of gold in their inclosings.

14 And the stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, every one with his name, according to the twelve tribes.

15 And they made upon the breastplate chains at the ends, of wreathen work of pure gold.

16 And they made two ouches of gold, and two gold rings; and put the two rings in the two ends of the breastplate.

17 And they put the two wreathen chains of gold in the two rings on the ends of the breastplate.

18 And the two ends of the two wreathen chains they fastened in the two ouches, and put them on the shoulderpieces of the ephod, before it.

19 And they made two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, upon the border of it, which was on the side of the ephod inward.

20 And they made two other golden rings, and put them on the two sides of the ephod underneath, toward the forepart of it, over against the other coupling thereof, above the curious girdle of the ephod.

21 And they did bind the breastplate by his rings unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not be loosed from the ephod; as the LORD commanded Moses.

22 And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue.

23 And there was an hole in the midst of the robe, as the hole of an habergeon, with a band round about the hole, that it should not rend.

24 And they made upon the hems of the robe pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen.

25 And they made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates upon the hem of the robe, round about between the pomegranates;

26 A bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, round about the hem of the robe to minister in; as the LORD commanded Moses.

27 And they made coats of fine linen of woven work for Aaron, and for his sons,

28 And a mitre of fine linen, and goodly bonnets of fine linen, and linen breeches of fine twined linen,

29 And a girdle of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, of needlework; as the LORD commanded Moses.

30 And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote upon it a writing, like to the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.

31 And they tied unto it a lace of blue, to fasten it on high upon the mitre; as the LORD commanded Moses.

32 Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished: and the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they.

33 And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses, the tent, and all his furniture, his taches, his boards, his bars, and his pillars, and his sockets,

34 And the covering of rams' skins dyed red, and the covering of badgers' skins, and the vail of the covering,

35 The ark of the testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy seat,

36 The table, and all the vessels thereof, and the shewbread,

37 The pure candlestick, with the lamps thereof, even with the lamps to be set in order, and all the vessels thereof, and the oil for light,

38 And the golden altar, and the anointing oil, and the sweetb incense, and the hanging for the tabernacle door,

39 The brasen altar, and his grate of brass, his staves, and all his vessels, the laver and his foot,

40 The hangings of the court, his pillars, and his sockets, and the hanging for the court gate, his cords, and his pins, and all the vessels of the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of the congregation,

41 The cloths of service to do service in the holy place, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and his sons' garments, to minister in the priest's office.

42 According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work.

43 And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.