Exodus 39:3

_AND THEY DID BEAT THE GOLD INTO THIN PLATES, AND CUT IT INTO WIRES, TO WORK IT IN THE BLUE, AND IN THE PURPLE, AND IN THE SCARLET, AND IN THE FINE LINEN, WITH CUNNING WORK._ Gold ... cut it into wires, to work it - i:e., the metal was beaten with a hammer into thin plates, cut with scissors or some other instrument into long slips, then rounded into filaments or threads. 'Cloth of golden tissue is not uncommon on the monuments, and specimens of it have been found rolled about mummies; but it is not easy to determine whether the gold thread was originally interwoven or subsequently inserted by the embroiderer' (see the note at Exodus 28:1.) (Taylor, 'Bible illustrated by Egyptian Monuments,' p. 76; Rawlinson, 'Herodotus,' b. 2:, ch. 18:, note 2; Wilkinson's 'Ancient Egypt,' vol. 3:, p. 128)....

1-31 The priests' garments were rich and splendid. The church in its infancy was thus taught by shadows of good things to come; but the substance is Christ, and the grace of the gospel. Christ is our great High Priest. When he undertook the work of our redemption, he put on the clothes of service, he arrayed himself with the gifts and graces of the Spirit, girded himself with resolution to go through the undertaking, took charge of all God's spiritual Israel, laid them near his heart, engraved them on the palms of his hands, and presented them to his Father. And he crowned himself with holiness to the Lord, consecrating his whole undertaking to the honour of his Father's holiness. True believers are spiritual priests. The clean linen with which all their clothes of service must be made, is the righteousness of saints, Revelation 19:8....

Verse Exodus 39:3. _THEY DID BEAT THE GOLD INTO THIN PLATES_] For the purpose, as it is supposed, of cutting it into _wires_ (פתילם) or _threads_; for to _twist_ or _twine_ is the common acceptation of the root פתל _pathal_. I cannot suppose that the Israelites had not then the art of making _gold thread_, as they possessed several ornamental arts much more difficult: but in the present instance, figures made in a more solid form than that which could have been effected by _gold thread_, might have been required....

EXPOSITION EXODUS 39:1 THE FURTHER PROGRESS OF THE WORK—THE MAKING OF THE PRIESTS' DRESSES. EXODUS 39:32-2 THE GENERAL APPROVAL OF THE WORK BY MOSES. The entire work for the structure of the tabernacle being completed, it only remained for Bezaleel and Aholiab to take in band the priestly vestments, which had been prescribed with the greatest elaboration in...

Exodus 39:2....

CHAPTER 39 THE PRIESTLY GARMENTS AND THE WORK FINISHED _ 1. The material used (Exodus 39:1)_ 2. The ephod (Exodus 39:2) 3. The breastplate (Exodus 39:8) 4. The robe, the bells and pomegranates (Exodus 39:22) 5. The coats (Exodus 39:27) 6. The holy crown (Exodus 39:30) 7. The work finished (Exodus 39:32) All is done “as the Lor

EXODUS 39. P S. VESTMENTS AND SUMMARY. Exodus 39:1 a and Exodus 39:1 b are doublets, and Exodus 39:1 a perhaps once began a full account of the woven fabrics, now given in another place. The explanation in Exodus 39:3 as to the way in which they worked in the gold is new here. There is abridgment in some verses, and after a sentence concluding the full account of the constructive process a fresh summary follows, the workers being generalised (Exodus 39:32; Exodus 39:42) as the chil

WIRES. threads, or cords. CUNNING. skilful....

As far as _fine linen_, an addition, not in Exodus 28:6, explaining how the gold was used; it was beaten into thin plates, and these were then cut into narrow strips, forming wires or threads, which were worked in with the variously coloured yarns (Exodus 35:25). Cf. Wilk.-B. ii. 166 f. _beat_ cf. Numbers 16:38-39. The verb is the one from which _râḳîa-_, -firmament," lit. _something beaten out_, is derived. _the cunning workman the_ DESIGNER, or PATTERN-WEAVER....

AND THEY DID BEAT THE GOLD INTO THIN PLATES, AND CUT IT INTO WIRES— Bishop Patrick observes, that, as they had not then the art which we now have, of drawing a piece of gold into threads of what length we please, they used to beat it first into thin plates, and then to cut off small wires, which they used in the business of embroidery....