Exodus 28:2

_And beauty, that all may be filled with awe, and adore the majesty of God. (Calmet) --- Our priestly vestments, which are objects of derision to the ignorant, are made so rich and beautiful for the same purpose. They have the sanction of God, by a parity of reason; and the authority of his church.... [ Continue Reading ]

Exodus 28:3

_Heart. The Hebrews generally attributed to the heart, what we give to the head. --- Wisdom. All good, both inthe order of grace and of nature, proceeds from God. --- Consecrated, as if they imparted a sort of virtue. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]

Exodus 28:4

_Rational and ephod. See chap. xxv. 7. --- Tunic, long robe or cloak of blue wool. --- Garment, next the body, and woven very close and thick. --- Mitre, like a tiara or turban of linen, or rather of byssus, or fine cotton. This was never laid aside in the temple; as, to appear uncovered was then es... [ Continue Reading ]

Exodus 28:6

_Ephod, ( superhumerale.) That of the other priests was made of linen; and such were worn by Samuel, and by David, when he danced before the ark. (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]

Exodus 28:8

_Work. Hebrew, "all the work, and the girdle, shall be of the same" materials, and net sewed on afterwards. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]

Exodus 28:10

_Birth. On the right shoulder were engraven Ruben, Simeon, Juda, Dan, Nephtali, and Gad. On the left, Aser, Issachar, Zabulon, Ephraim, Manasses, and Benjamin. The high priest himself represented the tribe of Levi. (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]

Exodus 28:12

_Remembrance, for both, ver. 29. The sins or burdens of the people, were thus to be borne by the high priest, and he was to make intercession for them. (Tirinus)_... [ Continue Reading ]

Exodus 28:13

_Hooks. Septuagint aspidiscas, "imitating the form or biting of an asp." (Calmet) --- Gold, on the ephod, by which the rational was suspended from the shoulders. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]

Exodus 28:14

_Linked, &c. The present Hebrew has "at the ends," migbaloth. But the Vulgate seems to have read more properly k instead of g, as in chap. xxvi. 4. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]

Exodus 28:15

_The rational of judgment. This part of the high priest's attire, which he wore at his breast, was called the rational of judgment; partly because it admonished both priest and people of their duty to God; by carrying the names of all their tribes in his presence; and by the Urim and Thummim, that i... [ Continue Reading ]

Exodus 28:16

_Span, or half a cubit, (Ezechiel xliii. 13, 17,) formed like a purse, in which the Rabbins say the Urim and Thummim, were placed. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]

Exodus 28:17

_Stones. It is difficult to ascertain the true names of these stones, interpreters are so much at variance; as they are also respecting the name of the 12 patriarchs, which were engraven upon each. They probably stood according to the order of their birth, ver. 10, 21. Thus Ruben, Simeon, and Levi,... [ Continue Reading ]

Exodus 28:20

_Chrysolite, (beryl and opale,) onyx, (Septuagint, beryl; Chaldean, or emerald; Calmet) beryl, (Hebrew, jasper; Septuagint &c., onyx) were inscribed with the names of Zabulon, Joseph, and Benjamin. In Ezechiel xxviii. 13, the jasper stone comes in the sixth place, as it does in the Vulgate here. (Ca... [ Continue Reading ]

Exodus 28:30

Doctrine and truth. Hebrew Urim and Thummim: illuminations and perfections. These words, written on the rational, seem to signify the light of doctrine, and the integrity of life, with which the priests of God ought to approach to him. (Challoner) --- Aurim means things brilliant, "declarations," Se... [ Continue Reading ]

Exodus 28:33

_Bells, to denote the harmony of the universe, (Philo) and that all the actions of a priest ought to give edification. (St. Jerome)_... [ Continue Reading ]

Exodus 28:36

_Plate; reaching from ear to ear, two fingers' breadth, tied behind like a diadem, Wisdom xviii. 24. --- Holy, or "sanctity, belongeth to the Lord," and all who approach to Him, ought to be holy. (Calmet) --- Josephus represents the ornaments of the high priest's head, like the triple crown of the p... [ Continue Reading ]

Exodus 28:38

_Iniquities. This means, perhaps, that he shall wear these grand vestments and crown only on the solemn day of expiation, when he makes atonement for all the sins of the people, as a figure of Jesus Christ. Josephus tells us, that on other occasions, he wore a less costly attire. (Jewish Wars v. 6.... [ Continue Reading ]

Exodus 28:40

_Linen. In Ezechiel (xliv. 17,) woollen garments are forbidden to be worn by priests. Many of the pagans required their priests to be clothed in white linen. All these prescriptions of God, which seem to us so minute, had a more sublime and mysterious meaning. For in the priestly robe....was the who... [ Continue Reading ]

Exodus 28:41

_Consecrate. Hebrew and Septuagint, "thou shalt anoint and fill their hands" with oil, and the instruments of their office._... [ Continue Reading ]

Exodus 28:42

_Linen breeches, descending as far as the knees. (St. Jerome) In chap. xxxix. 29, they seem to have been made of byssus, or cotton. But as linen is prescribed in all other places, perhaps a word has crept in there, by mistake of the transcribers. They were intended to remind the priests of superior... [ Continue Reading ]

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