Exodus 28:17-30

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

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:22

And thou shall make upon the breastplate chains at the ends ,.... One end of them to be put to the breastplate, and the other end to the ouches on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, by which the breastplate hung from thence: the Targum of Jonathan renders it, chains of a certain determined size, of length and thickness exactly alike; or terminable ones, as it may be rendered, not circular like a locket, or chain of gold worn about the neck, but that had ends to it: some interpret it chains,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:23

And thou shalt make upon the breastplate two rings of gold ,.... On the upper part of it, above, toward the two shoulder pieces of the ephod; these were to put one end of the chains into before mentioned: and shall put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate ; the two upper ends or corners of it, the right and left. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:24

And thou shalt put two wreathen chains of gold in the two rings ,.... This expresses both how many chains were to be made, which is not before said, and the use of them, or where they were to be put, as well as the use of the rings: which are on the ends of the breastplate ; the two uppermost ends or corners of it. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 28:25

And the other two ends of the two wreathen chains thou shalt fasten in the two ouches ,.... In which the two onyx stones were set on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, and were as buttons to them; probably there were rings to those ouches, into which these ends of the wreathen chains of gold, reaching from the breastplate, were put; or however, by some means or other they were fastened to these ouches or sockets: and put them in the shoulder pieces of the ephod before it ; that is, on the... read more

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