Friday, April 14, 2023

Exodus 39, Garments for Aaron

The ark and altar and inner working of the tabernacle has been constructed.  The courtyard has been built.  Now it is time to make sure that the priests are properly adorned.  Much of this chapter echoes the instructions given in Exodus 28.

Exodus 39: 1-6, Garments for the priests
From the blue, purple and scarlet yarn they made woven garments for ministering in the sanctuary. They also made sacred garments for Aaron, as the LORD commanded Moses.
    
They made the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. They hammered out thin sheets of gold and cut strands to be worked into the blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen--the work of a skilled craftsman. They made shoulder pieces for the ephod, which were attached to two of its corners, so it could be fastened. Its skillfully woven waistband was like it--of one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen, as the LORD commanded Moses. They mounted the onyx stones in gold filigree settings and engraved them like a seal with the names of the sons of Israel.
 
The garments for Aaron are elegant and beautiful. The ephod the priest wears will play an important part in the history of the nation to come.

Exodus 39: 7-14, Stones on Aaron's shoulder
Then they fastened them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel, as the LORD commanded Moses. They fashioned the breastpiece--the work of a skilled craftsman. They made it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. It was square--a span long and a span wide--and folded double.
    
Then they mounted four rows of precious stones on it. In the first row there was a ruby, a topaz and a beryl; in the second row a turquoise, a sapphire and an emerald; in the third row a jacinth, an agate and an amethyst; in the fourth row a chrysolite, an onyx and a jasper. They were mounted in gold filigree settings.

There were twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.  

The stones that Aaron wears represent the twelve tribes of Israel, the people for whom he advocates when he enters the temple.

In verses 11 and 13, the identification of some Hebrew words for jewels are uncertain.

Exodus 39: 15-26, Elegant breastpieces
For the breastpiece they made braided chains of pure gold, like a rope.
    
They made two gold filigree settings and two gold rings, and fastened the rings to two of the corners of the breastpiece. They fastened the two gold chains to the rings at the corners of the breastpiece, and the other ends of the chains to the two settings, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front.
    
They made two gold rings and attached them to the other two corners of the breastpiece on the inside edge next to the ephod. Then they made two more gold rings and attached them to the bottom of the shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod, close to the seam just above the waistband of the ephod. They tied the rings of the breastpiece to the rings of the ephod with blue cord, connecting it to the waistband so that the breastpiece would not swing out from the ephod--as the LORD commanded Moses.
    
They made the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth--the work of a weaver-- with an opening in the center of the robe like the opening of a collar, and a band around this opening, so that it would not tear.
     
They made pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen around the hem of the robe. And they made bells of pure gold and attached them around the hem between the pomegranates. The bells and pomegranates alternated around the hem of the robe to be worn for ministering, as the LORD commanded Moses.
 
In addition to the precious metals, such as gold and various gems, one should not the colorfully dyed fabrics which would also be rare, elegant and expensive.

(NIV footnote on verse 23: The meaning of the Hebrew word translated "collar" is uncertain.)

Exodus 39: 27-31, Tunics of the priests
For Aaron and his sons, they made tunics of fine linen--the work of a weaver-- and the turban of fine linen, the linen headbands and the undergarments of finely twisted linen. The sash was of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn--the work of an embroiderer--as the LORD commanded Moses. 
    
They made the plate, the sacred diadem, out of pure gold and engraved on it, like an inscription on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD.  Then they fastened a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban, as the LORD commanded Moses.
 
Aaron and his sons wear garments with reminders of Whom they serve.

Exodus 39: 32-41, The work is shown to Moses
So all the work on the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, was completed. The Israelites did everything just as the LORD commanded Moses. 

Then they brought the tabernacle to Moses: the tent and all its furnishings, its clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; the covering of ram skins dyed red, the covering of hides of sea cows and the shielding curtain; the ark of the Testimony with its poles and the atonement cover; the table with all its articles and the bread of the Presence; the pure gold lampstand with its row of lamps and all its accessories, and the oil for the light; the gold altar, the anointing oil, the fragrant incense, and the curtain for the entrance to the tent; the bronze altar with its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils; the basin with its stand; the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard; the ropes and tent pegs for the courtyard; all the furnishings for the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting; and the woven garments worn for ministering in the sanctuary, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when serving as priests.

The construction,  all the work on furniture and tapesty, all the work is brought to Moses

Exodus 39: 42-43, Work completed!
The Israelites had done all the work just as the LORD had commanded Moses. Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the LORD had commanded. So Moses blessed them.

Moses approves of all the work.  It is good!

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