Exodus 28:15-43

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 28:15-30

The most considerable of the ornaments of the high priest was this breast-plate, a rich piece of cloth, curiously wrought with gold and purple, etc., two spans long and a span broad, so that, being doubled, it was a span square, Exod. 28:16. This was fastened to the ephod with wreathen chains of gold (Exod. 28:13, 14, 22) both at top and bottom, so that the breast-plate might not be loosed from the ephod, Exod. 28:28. The ephod was the garment of service; the breast-plate of judgment was an... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 28:31-39

Here is, 1. Direction given concerning the robe of the ephod, Exod. 28:31-35. This was next under the ephod, and reached down to the knees, was without sleeves, and was put on over their head, having holes on the sides to put the arms through, or, as Maimonides describes it, was not sewed together on the sides at all. The hole on the top, through which the head was put, was carefully bound about, that it might not tear in the putting on. In religious worship, care must be taken to prevent... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 28:40-43

We have here, 1. Particular orders about the vestments of the inferior priests. They were to have coats, and girdles, and bonnets, of the same materials with those of the high priest; but there was a difference in shape between their bonnets and his mitre. Theirs, as his, were to be for glory and beauty (Exod. 28:40), that they might look great in their ministration: yet all this glory was nothing compared with the glory of grace, this beauty nothing to the beauty of holiness, of which these... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:15

And thou shall make the breastplate of judgment ,.... Called a "breastplate", because worn upon the breast of the high priest; and a breastplate "of judgment", because it was to put him in mind that he should do justice and judgment in the execution of his office, and that he should have at heart the judgment of the people of Israel; and in difficult cases should ask it of God, and faithfully declare it to them: it was, with the twelve stones in it, an emblem of the church and people of God,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:16

Four square it shall be, being doubled ,.... That is, when it was doubled; for the length of it, according to Maimonides F3 Cele Hamikdash, c. 9. sect. 6. , was a cubit, which is two spans, and so, when it was doubled, was but one, and its length and breadth being alike, as follows: a span shall be the length thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof; a square, which is the measure, the form of the new Jerusalem, the church of Christ, Revelation 21:16 and may denote... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:17

And thou shalt set in it settings of stones ,.... Or "fill in it fillings of stones" F4 ומלאת בו מלאת אבן "et implebis in eo plenitudinem lapidis", Montanus; "vel eum impletione lapidis", Pagninus; "implebis in eo impletione lapidis", Drusius. ; which shows that there were in it ouches, or sockets of gold, the hollows of which were to be filled up with precious stones: even four rows of stones ; making a four square, and so filling up the measure of the breastplate: the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:18

And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. The first of these stones is by both the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan rendered an "emerald", as by us; and which is described by Pliny F11 Ut supra, (Nat. Hist. l. 37.) c. 5. as of a green colour, exceeding delightful and pleasant, and to which he gives the third place among precious stones; though by many the stone here called Nophec is thought to be the carbuncle, and is so rendered by the Septuagint; the carbuncle... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:19

And the third row, a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst. The first of these stones, the ligure or lyncurius, is said to be so called from the congealed urine of the lynx F14 Vid. Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 37. c. 3. , but rather from the spots of that creature; for, according to Danaeus F15 Apud De Dieu in loc. , it is the same stone with that called "stellina", from having many specks like stars spread about in it. Braunius F16 Ut supra, (De Vestitu Sacerd. Heb. l. 2.) c. 14. sect.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:20

And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper ,.... Whatever stone is meant by the first in this row, it must be of a sea green colour; for "tarshish", the word used, signifies the sea; and so the beryl, as Pliny F18 Nat. Hist. l. 37. c. 5. says, imitates the greenness of the pure sea. Braunius F19 Ut supra, (De Vestitu Sacerd Heb. l. 2.) c. 17. sect. 7. p. 720. takes it to be the chrysolite that is meant; and so does Ainsworth; and it is so rendered by the Septuagint;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:21

And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names ,.... And just so many are reckoned up in the preceding verses, each of which had one or other of the names of the children of Israel engraved on them, according to the order of their names in their birth. Some have thought that Levi's name was omitted, but their reason for it seems not sufficient; for why might not he bear the name of his own tribe, and represent that as well as the rest,... read more

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