Exodus 28:6-14

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 28:6-14

Directions are here given concerning the ephod, which was the outmost garment of the high priest. Linen ephods were worn by the inferior priests, 1 Sam. 22:18. Samuel wore one when he was a child (1 Sam. 2:18), and David when he danced before the ark (2 Sam. 6:14); but this which the high priest only wore was called a golden ephod, because there was a great deal of gold woven into it. It was a short coat without sleeves, buttoned closely to him, with a curious girdle of the same stuff (Exod.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:6

And they shall make the ephod ,.... This was the outermost garment of, all, and was put over the robe; it was a short garment, reaching to the loins, as Kimchi F16 Comment. in 1 Chron. 15. 27. ; or to the buttocks, as Abarbinel F17 Comment. in loc. ; and not to the heels or feet, as Jarchi F18 Comment. in loc. , and Maimonides F19 Hilchot Cele Hamikdash, c. 9. sect. 9. ; for Josephus F20 Antiqu. l. 3. c. 7. sect. 5. says it was but a cubit long, which was little... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:7

It shall have the two shoulder pieces thereof ,.... Which were two pieces that joined to the ephod, reaching from the arm holes to the shoulders both on the right and left, coming from before and behind; and meeting on the shoulders, were buttoned with two onyx stones, and covering the shoulders are called by this name: joined at the two edges thereof ; the two edges of the ephod; not sewed thereunto with a needle, as Maimonides F23 Ut supra. (Hilchot Cele Hamikdash, c. 9. sect. 9.) ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:8

And the curious girdle of the ephod, which is upon it ,.... Which was worn along with it, and went out from it like two thongs, as Jarchi says, which girt the ephod close to the back and breast: shall be of the same ; of the same matter as the ephod, and woven in the same manner, and together with it: according to the work thereof ; wrought with the same coloured, curious, and cunning work: even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen ; and from the gold... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:9

And thou shall take two onyx stones ,.... called from the colour of a man's nail, which they to resemble: the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan call them stones of beryl, and so the Syriac version; the Septuagint, stones of emerald, and the Arabic version, crystal stones: but, according to Josephus F24 Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 3. c. 7. sect. 5.) , they were sardonyx stones, and in which Brannius F25 De Vestitu Sacerd. Heb. l. 2. c. 18. sect. 4. p. 730. thinks he was right: and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:10

Six of their names on one stone ,.... The names of the six eldest on the stone upon the right shoulder: and the other six names of the rest on the other stone : the names of the six youngest on the stone upon the left shoulder; for these stones, as afterwards said, were put on the shoulders of the priests: according to their birth ; the order of it; so that upon the first stone were engraven the names of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, and Naphtali; and on the second stone the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:11

With the work of an engraver in stone ,.... Not in common but precious stones: Moses was not to do this himself, as it could not be supposed he should, but he was to employ an engraver, whose business it was, and one that was capable of doing it in a professional manner: like the engravings of a signet shall thou engrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel : as in signets or seals, by which impressions are made on wax, the letters or figures are cut deep, that they... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:12

And thou shall put the stones upon the shoulders of the ephod ,.... That is, the shoulder pieces of it; these stones were put there, the names of the twelve sons of Israel being engraven on them, and they, set in rims or sockets of gold, and serving for buttons to the shoulder pieces: but chiefly the design of them was for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel : not to put the Israelites in mind of the merits of their ancestors, as the Targum of Jonathan; for none of their works... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:13

And thou shalt make ouches of gold. Or sockets of gold, to put the two onyx stones in, Exodus 28:11 for of other ouches we read not, excepting the enclosings, in which the twelve stones of the breastplate were set, Exodus 28:20 and these are again mentioned because of the chains to be fastened to them, of which in the following verse. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:14

And two chains of pure gold at the ends ,.... The use of which was to hang the breast plate on, after described; one end of them was fastened to rings on the ouches in the shoulder pieces, and the other end to rings on the breastplate, and thus it hung: of wreathen work shall thou make them ; these chains were not made after the manner of circles or ringlets coupled together, as chains usually are, but of golden wires twisted together as a rope is twisted and fasten the wreathen... read more

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