Exodus 28

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 28

Aaron and his sons are set apart for the priest's office, Exodus 28:1 . Garments to be provided for them, Exodus 28:2 , Exodus 28:3 . What these garments were, Exodus 28:4 , and of what made, Exodus 28:5 . The ephod, its shoulder-pieces, and girdle, Exodus 28:6-8 . The two onyx stones, on which the names of the twelve tribes were to be engraven, Exodus 28:9-14 . The breastplate of judgment; its twelve precious stones, engraving, rings, chains, and its use, Exodus 28:15-29 . The... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 28:1

Aaron - and his sons - The priesthood was to be restrained to this family because the public worship was to be confined to one place; and previously to this the eldest in every family officiated as priest, there being no settled place of worship. It has been very properly observed that, if Moses had not acted by the Divine appointment, he would not have passed by his own family, which continued in the condition of ordinary Levites, and established the priesthood, the only dignity in the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 28:2

For glory and for beauty - Four articles of dress were prescribed for the priests in ordinary, and four more for the high-priest. Those for the priests in general were a coat, drawers, a girdle, and a bonnet. Besides these the high-priest had a robe, an ephod, a breastplate, and a plate or diadem of gold on his forehead. The garments, says the sacred historian, were for honor and for beauty. They were emblematical of the office in which they ministered. It was honorable. They were the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 28:3

Whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom - So we find that ingenuity in arts and sciences, even those of the ornamental kind, comes from God. It is not intimated here that these persons were filled with the spirit of wisdom for this purpose only; for the direction to Moses is, to select those whom he found to be expert artists, and those who were such, God shows by these words, had derived their knowledge from himself. Every man should be permitted as far as possible to follow the bent... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 28:4

Breastplate - חשן choshen . See Clarke on Exodus 25:7 ; (note). Ephod - אפד . See Clarke's note on Exodus 25:7 . Robe - מעיל meil , from עלה alah , to go up, go upon; hence the meil may be considered as an upper coat, a surtout. It is described by Josephus as a garment that reaches down to the feet, not made of two distinct pieces, but was one entire long garment, woven throughout. This was immediately under the ephod. See Clarke on Exodus 28:31 ; (note), etc. ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 28:8

The curious girdle of the ephod - The word חשב chesheb , rendered here curious girdle, signifies merely a kind of diaper, or embroidered work; (see Clarke's note on Exodus 26:1 ;); and it is widely different from אבנט abnet , which is properly translated girdle Exodus 28:4 . The meaning therefore of the text, according to some, is this, that the two pieces, Exodus 28:7 , which connected the parts of the ephod at the shoulders where the onyx stones were set, should be of the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 28:9

Two onyx stones - See Clarke on Exodus 25:7 ; (note). read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 28:11

Like the engravings of a signet - So signets or seals were in use at this time, and engraving on precious stones was then an art, and this art, which was one of the most elegant and ornamental, was carried in ancient times to a very high pitch of perfection, and particularly among the ancient Greeks; such a pitch of perfection as has never been rivaled, and cannot now be even well imitated. And it is very likely that the Greeks themselves borrowed this art from the ancient Hebrews, as we... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 28:12

Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord - He was to consider that he was the representative of the children of Israel; and the stones on the ephod and the stones on the breastplate were for a memorial to put Aaron in remembrance that he was the priest and mediator of the twelve tribes; and, speaking after the manner of men, God was to be put in mind of the children of Israel, their wants, etc., as frequently as the high priest appeared before him with the breastplate and the ephod. See ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 28:13

Ouches of gold - משבצת mishbetsoth , strait places, sockets to insert the stones in, from שבץ shabats , to close, enclose, straiten. Socket, in this place, would be a more proper translation, as ouch cannot be traced up to any legitimate authority. It appears sometimes to signify a hook, or some mode of attaching things together. read more

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 28

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 28:1

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 28:2

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 28:3

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 28:4

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 28:8

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 28:9

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 28:11

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 28:12

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 28:13

Verse of the Day

Daily Devotional

Group of Brands