Exodus 28:1-4 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 28:1-5

We have here, I. The priests nominated: Aaron and his sons, Exod. 28:1. Hitherto every master of a family was priest to his own family, and offered, as he saw cause, upon altars of earth; but now that the families of Israel began to be incorporated into a nation, and a tabernacle of the congregation was to be erected, as a visible centre of their unity, it was requisite there should be a public priesthood instituted. Moses, who had hitherto officiated, and is therefore reckoned among the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:1

And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him ,.... Moses is bid to fetch or send for Aaron and his sons to him: or "cause" them to "draw near" F14 הקרב "appropinquare fac", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus. to him, and stand before him, that he might in the name of the Lord, and by his authority, distinguish and separate them from among the children of Israel : and before them all invest them with the office of priesthood, as it follows: that they may minister... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:2

And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother ,.... Called so, because in these he was to minister in the holy place, and perform holy service; and because typical of the holy human nature of Christ our great High Priest, and of his spotless righteousness, and of the garments of sanctification, both outward and inward, that all believers in him, who are made priests unto God, are arrayed with: Aaron and his sons being appointed priests, their garments are first described before... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:3

And thou shall speak unto all that are wise hearted ,.... That have knowledge and understanding in mechanic arts, particularly in making garments; and it required men of more than ordinary skill to be employed in making these, because they were uncommon ones, and required a good deal of thought and judgment, and care and application, to make them exactly as they should be: whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom ; for besides a common understanding of things, these required a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:4

And these are the garments which they shall make ,.... Some for Aaron and some for his sons, some peculiar to the high priest, and others in common to him and other priests: a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle ; of each of which, with others, there is a more particular account in this chapter, and will be observed in their order: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons : as those before mentioned, with... 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

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 28:1

Verse 1 1.And take thou unto thee Aaron. The calling of God is here alleged to prove the importance and dignity of the priesthood, and this too the Apostle has well weighed in the words: "And no man taketh the honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.” (Hebrews 5:4.) Among heathen nations the priests were appointed by popular election, so that ambition alone governed their appointment; but God would only have those accounted lawful priests whom He had selected at His own... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 28:1-5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:1

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:2

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:3

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:4

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

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 28:1

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