THE PRIESTLY GARMENTS 1. All Israel is a 'kingdom of priests' (see on Exodus 19:6), but for the special service of the sanetuary Aaron and his descendants are selected and solemnly consecrated: see Leviticus 8:9. Nadab and Abihu died (Leviticus 10) and the priesthood was continued in the descendant... [ Continue Reading ]
HOLY GARMENTS] The garments are holy because they are specially set apart and consecrated for use in the sanctuary.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOM I HAVE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM] God is the source not only of all spiritual grace, but of every intellectual faculty and artistic gift: cp. Isaiah 28:23; James 1:17, and see on Exodus 31:4 6-12. The Ephod. This is a kind of waistcoat, made of variegated material, supported by straps... [ Continue Reading ]
The gold was in the form of threads worked into the pattern; see on Exodus 39:3. Cunning work is again embroidery as in Exodus 26:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
CUNOUS GIRDLE] RV 'cunningly woven band': i.e. embroidered. 9-12. The engraving of gems was an art well known to the Egyptians. The names were those of the twelve tribes. In Exodus 28:12 the stones are called stones of memorial unto the children of Israel. The high priest wore these stones when he... [ Continue Reading ]
OUCHES] The word, which is properly 'nouche,' means a rosette or button of gold filigree in which the stone is set.... [ Continue Reading ]
The chains are for attaching the breastplate to the ephod: see Exodus 28:22.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BREASTPLATE] This is really a pouch, one span, or half a cubit, square, made of the same material as the ephod, and ornamented on the outside with twelve jewels set in four rows, each stone being engraved with the name of a tribe. The pouch is intended to hold the Urim and Thummim, by means of w... [ Continue Reading ]
DOUBLED] so as to form a pouch. 17-21. It is not easy to identify the stones mentioned in this and the following vv., the meaning of the Hebrew words being doubtful. The stones in the first row are probably a red jasper, a yellowish green serpentine, and an emerald. In the second row a red garnet,... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAINS AT THE ENDS _of_ WREATHEN WORK] RV 'chains like cords, of wreathen work.'... [ Continue Reading ]
THE URIM AND THE THUMMIM] The literal meaning of these words is given in RM, 'the Lights and the Perfections.' The Urim and Thummim are nowhere described, but there can be no doubt that they were material objects, as they are said to be put in the breastplate, which was a pocket: cp. also Leviticus... [ Continue Reading ]
The robe of the ephod] This is a frock or cassock, woven entirely of blue, without sleeves, drawn over the head, and worn under the ephod. Its chief characteristic is a row of golden bells attached to the skirt which sounded when the high priest moved, and enabled the people to follow him with their... [ Continue Reading ]
HABERGEON] A sleeveless jacket.... [ Continue Reading ]
HEM] RV 'skirts.' The pomegranate is a tree with a fruit like an apple, with a juicy pulp and full of seeds (hence the name, which means grained or seeded apple), extensively cultivated and highly prized in the East. The Heb. name is _rimmon_, which enters into many place-names. The pomegranates her... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS SOUND] i.e. its sound: see on Leviticus 25:5. THAT HE DIE NOT] To enter God's presence carelessly is profanation and punishable with death.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MITRE] This is made of fine linen, and is in the form of a turban. Fastened in front of it is a plate of pure gold with the inscription HOLINESS TO THE LORD (RV 'Holy to the Lord').... [ Continue Reading ]
THE INIQUITY OF THE HOLY THINGS] The 'holy things' are the offerings of the people. As no offerings are ever worthy of God, their acceptance by Him is an act of grace. The high priest, when he enters the divine presence in the manner prescribed by God Himself, 'bears the iniquity of the holy things,... [ Continue Reading ]
The coat is different from the robe (see Exodus 29:5). It is an undergarment or shirt of fine linen fastened with an embroidered girdle.... [ Continue Reading ]
BONNETS] RV 'headtires': close fitting caps, probably of a different shape from the turban of the high priest.... [ Continue Reading ]
ANOINT THEM] see on Exodus 29:7. CONSECRATE] lit. 'fill the hand.' The expression probably refers to some symbolic action indicating the giving of authority at a ceremony of installation to a sacred office: cp. Exodus 29:24.... [ Continue Reading ]