(See the "The New Priests And Their Garments" section of the Chapter Comments for an introduction to this chapter.) Exodus 28:1 “And bring near to yourself Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister to me in the priest's office, even Aaron, N... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PRIESTLY GARMENTS (EXODUS 28:2) Exodus 28:2 “And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty.” The garments made for Aaron are now to be described. They are to be ‘for glory and for beauty'. They are unique and are to separate him off as holding a splendid o... [ Continue Reading ]
THE EPHOD (EXODUS 28:5). The ephod was made of costly material worked with gold, bluey-violet, purpley-red and scarlet. It consisted of front and back pieces which reached from below the shoulders to the hips and was held in place by two shoulder bands, and was tied round the waist. Attached to it... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BREASTPOUCH OF JUDGMENT (EXODUS 28:13). This Breastpouch of Judgment was so-called (Exodus 28:5; Exodus 28:29) because it had within it the Urim and the Thummim by which decisions were reached before Yahweh. It was like a 23 centimetre (nine inch) bag, was foursquare, and also contained on it t... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PRIESTLY ROBE (EXODUS 28:31). Under the ephod Aaron wore a priestly robe. From its skirts were to hang pomegranates of bluey-violet, purpley-red and scarlet all round, and in between there were to be golden bells. Their sound as he went in and out of the Holy Place in some way contributed to hi... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TURBAN AND THE GOLDEN PLATE OF HOLINESS TO YAHWEH (EXODUS 28:36). It should be noted that the turban is secondary here, only worthy of mention because of the plate of gold which had on it HOLY TO YAHWEH which was to be on Aaron's forehead. The turban is not itself described here in any way (but... [ Continue Reading ]
THE COAT, THE TURBAN AND THE GIRDLE. “And you shall weave the under-robe in patterned work of fine linen, and you shall make a turban of fine linen, and you shall make a girdle, the work of the embroiderer.” The under-robe is pure white, delicately woven and patterned. The turban too is white. Both... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CLOTHING OF AARON'S SONS (EXODUS 28:40). The other priests, the sons of Aaron, wore simpler clothing. They were seemingly all in white apart from their girdle which connected them with the colours of the Sanctuary. (The latter is assumed from Exodus 39:29, not stated). But these too were ‘holy'... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DONNING OF THE PRIESTLY GARMENTS (EXODUS 28:41). This donning is deliberately described before the description of the linen breeches. The latter were not to be seen as priestly garments, but as a necessity by what they achieved. Exodus 28:41 “And you shall put them on Aaron your brother, and... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LINEN BREECHES TO COVER THEIR NAKEDNESS (EXODUS 28:42). These are very pointedly not put on them by Moses. They are not a part of the official garb as such, although a requirement of the office. For these act to cover the private parts (like underpants). To ‘reveal a person's nakedness' was usu... [ Continue Reading ]