‏ Exodus 28

Exodus 28:1-5: The Priests' Attire

In these verses, God chooses Aaron and his sons to serve as priests for Israel. Before this, each family leader acted as a priest for his household, but now God sets apart Aaron’s family to be the public priests for the whole nation. God also commands that special garments be made for the priests. These clothes are to show glory and beauty, reminding everyone of the importance of serving God. The best materials and most skilled workers are chosen to make them, showing that all gifts and talents should be used to honor God. These garments teach both the priests and the people about God’s holiness, and they point forward to Jesus Christ, the perfect High Priest (Exodus 28:1-5 ^a).

v. 1: God tells Moses to bring Aaron and his sons—Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar—forward to serve as priests. Up to this time, Moses had acted as a priest, but now he gladly lets Aaron and his sons take this special role. This shows Moses’ humility and desire for God’s glory, not his own family’s honor (Psalm 99:6; Hebrews 5:4 ^b; Exodus 19:6 ^c).

v. 2: God commands that holy garments must be made for Aaron. These clothes are for glory and beauty, so that the priest’s important work is respected by all .

v. 3: God chooses wise and skilled people, filled with His spirit, to make the special garments for Aaron. This shows that all skills and knowledge are gifts from God and should be used for His service .

v. 4: The special garments to be made for Aaron and his sons are listed: a breastplate, an ephod, a robe, a skillfully woven coat, a turban (mitre), and a sash (girdle). These clothes set the priests apart for God’s service .

v. 5: The materials for the garments include gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen. These were the richest and best materials, showing the honor and respect due to God and His priests .

Exodus 28:6-14: The Ephod for the High Priest

These verses give instructions for making the ephod, the special outer garment worn only by the high priest. Unlike the simple linen ephods worn by ordinary priests, the high priest’s ephod was beautiful and expensive, with gold woven into it. It was made to remind everyone of the importance and dignity of the high priest’s work. The ephod also pointed to Jesus Christ, our perfect High Priest, who represents His people before God (Exodus 28:6-14 ^d).

v. 6: God commands that the ephod be made of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen, skillfully woven. This garment was the most special of all the priestly clothes because of its materials and design .

v. 7: The ephod had two shoulder pieces joined at the edges, so it would fit neatly on the priest’s shoulders. This helped hold the rest of the garments together .

v. 8: The ephod had a special waistband, called a “curious girdle,” made from the same materials as the ephod itself. This belt kept the ephod secure and close to the body . In the New Testament, it says that Jesus, our High Priest, wore a golden sash too (Revelation 1:13 ^e).

v. 9: Moses was told to take two onyx stones and have the names of the twelve tribes of Israel engraved on them. This showed that the high priest represented all the people .

v. 10: Six names were to go on one stone and the other six on the second stone, in the order of their birth. This made sure every tribe was remembered .

v. 11: The names were to be engraved with skill, like a jeweler engraves a seal. The stones would then be set in gold settings, showing their value .

v. 12: These two onyx stones were to be placed on the shoulders of the ephod. The high priest would carry the names of Israel on his shoulders as a memorial before the Lord. This symbolized how Christ, our High Priest, carries and supports His people before God (Exodus 28:12; Isaiah 9:6 ^f).

v. 13: Gold settings, or “ouches,” were to be made for the stones, securing them carefully to the ephod .

v. 14: Two chains of pure gold, made like braided cords, were to be attached to the gold settings. These chains helped fasten everything together and added to the beauty and strength of the ephod .

Exodus 28:15-30: The Breastplate of Judgment

These verses explain how to make the high priest's special breastplate, called the “breastplate of judgment.” It was a beautiful, square piece of cloth decorated with twelve precious stones. Each stone had the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. The breastplate was attached tightly to the ephod so it would not move. This garment showed honor for the priest’s work and symbolized God’s people being close to His heart. The breastplate also included the Urim and Thummim, special means God used to guide Israel in important decisions. All these details pointed forward to Jesus Christ, who always remembers and represents His people before God (Exodus 28:15-30 ^g).

v. 15: God commands that the breastplate be made with skill, out of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen. It had to match the beautiful work of the ephod .

v. 16: The breastplate was to be square when folded, measuring a span both in length and width. This made it the right size to hold the stones and fit over the priest’s chest .

v. 17: Four rows of precious stones were set in the breastplate. The first row had a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle .

v. 18: The second row had an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond .

v. 19: The third row held a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst .

v. 20: The fourth row contained a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. All the stones were set in gold settings, making the breastplate very beautiful and valuable .

v. 21: Each stone was engraved with the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. This showed that every tribe was precious to God, no matter how small or weak (Exodus 28:21; Isaiah 43:4 ^h; Malachi 3:17; Lamentations 4:2 ⁱ).

v. 22: The breastplate was fastened with two braided chains of pure gold, making it secure and adding to its beauty .

v. 23: Two gold rings were made for the ends of the breastplate to attach the chains .

v. 24: The two gold chains were put through the rings at the ends of the breastplate .

v. 25: The other ends of these chains were fastened to gold settings on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, so the breastplate hung in front .

v. 26: Two more gold rings were made for the lower inside corners of the breastplate, next to the ephod .

v. 27: Two more rings were made on the lower front part of the ephod, above its special belt, to help tie the breastplate close to the ephod .

v. 28: The breastplate was tied to the ephod with a blue cord, so it stayed in place and was never loose. This showed that the priest’s work and honor must always go together .

v. 29: When Aaron went into the holy place, he would carry the names of the tribes of Israel on his heart as a memorial before the Lord. This was a sign of how Jesus, our High Priest, always remembers and loves His people when He stands before God (Exodus 28:29; Isaiah 40:11 ^j; Ephesians 2:6 ^k).

v. 30: God told Moses to put the Urim and Thummim in the breastplate. These were special objects used to learn God’s will in difficult situations. The high priest would carry them on his heart, showing that he represented the people when seeking God’s guidance. This pointed to Christ, who fully reveals God’s will to us and speaks for us before God (Exodus 28:30; Hebrews 1:2 ^l; John 1:18 ^m).

Exodus 28:31-39: The Robe, Plate, and Other Garments for the High Priest

In these verses, God gives instructions for the robe of the ephod, the golden plate for the forehead, and the other garments for Aaron. The robe was to be blue and decorated with pomegranates and golden bells at the hem. The golden plate, engraved with “Holiness to the Lord,” was worn on the high priest’s forehead. These clothes showed the high priest’s special role and reminded everyone of the need for holiness and care in worship. The details also pointed forward to Jesus Christ, our true High Priest, who brings us close to God and makes our worship acceptable (Exodus 28:31-39 ⁿ).

v. 31: God commands that the robe for the ephod should be made entirely of blue cloth. This robe was worn under the ephod and reached to the knees .

v. 32: The robe had an opening at the top for the head, with strong stitching around the hole so it would not tear. This design helped the priest put it on easily and made sure it lasted a long time .

v. 33: Around the hem of the robe, there were to be pomegranates made from blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, with golden bells placed between them .

v. 34: The pattern was one golden bell, then a pomegranate, all the way around the bottom of the robe. This added beauty and meaning to the garment .

v. 35: Aaron was to wear this robe when he served in the holy place. The sound of the bells would let the people know when he entered and left the holy place, so they could pray at the same time (Luke 1:10 ^o). The bells also reminded everyone that the priest must serve God with respect and according to God’s instructions, or he could face death (Exodus 28:35; Psalm 89:15 ^p).

v. 36: God told Moses to make a gold plate to go on Aaron’s forehead. The plate was to be engraved with the words “Holiness to the LORD.” This showed that the high priest and his work must be holy .

v. 37: The gold plate was to be fastened to the front of the turban (mitre) with a blue cord .

v. 38: The plate was to be worn on Aaron’s forehead so he could “bear the iniquity of the holy things” offered by the Israelites. This meant that even the best offerings needed God’s forgiveness, and Aaron, as high priest, stood between the people and God to make their gifts acceptable. This pointed to Christ, who makes our worship and prayers pleasing to God (Exodus 28:38; 1 Peter 2:5 ^q; John 17:19; Hebrews 4:14-16 ^r).

v. 39: The rest of the garments included an embroidered linen coat, a linen turban, and a sash made with needlework. These garments were beautiful but simpler than the main priestly clothes. The turban also symbolized honor and showed that the high priest was a leader, like a kingly priest (Exodus 28:39; Zechariah 6:13 ^s).

Exodus 28:40-43: The Attire and Consecration of Aaron’s Sons

These verses describe the garments for Aaron’s sons, who served as priests alongside him. They were to wear coats, girdles, and bonnets made for glory and beauty, similar to Aaron’s but different in shape. Linen breeches were also made to cover their nakedness, teaching modesty in worship. The priests were to wear these garments only when ministering in the tabernacle, and they were consecrated by anointing to serve God. If they disobeyed or wore the garments improperly, they would bear guilt and face death. This shows how serious serving God is and points to the need for righteousness and spiritual protection through Christ (Exodus 28:40-43 ^t).

v. 40: God commands that Aaron’s sons have coats, girdles, and bonnets for glory and beauty. Their bonnets were different from Aaron’s mitre, but their garments still showed honor and importance in their worship .

v. 41: Aaron and his sons were to be dressed in these garments, anointed, consecrated, and sanctified to serve as priests. This marked their special calling and set them apart for God’s service .

v. 42: Linen breeches were made to cover their nakedness from the waist to the thighs. This taught modesty and respect, especially when serving in worship (Exodus 28:42; 1 Corinthians 11:5-6,10 ^u).

v. 43: The priests were to wear these garments only when entering the tabernacle or approaching the altar to minister. If they disobeyed, they would bear guilt and die. This was a permanent rule for Aaron and his descendants. It shows how important it is to serve God properly and with reverence. The garments also symbolized the righteousness of Christ and the spiritual armor we need to serve God safely (Exodus 28:43; Matthew 22:12-13 ^v; Ephesians 6:13; Revelation 16:15 ^w).