Exodus 39-Manufacture Of Priestly Garments And Everything Connected To Tabernacle Project Passes Moses' Inspection
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Sunday December 9, 2012
Journey Through The Bible Series: Exodus 39-Manufacture Of Priestly Garments And Everything Connected To Tabernacle Project Passes Moses’ Inspection
Lesson # 64
Please turn in your Bibles to Exodus 39:1.
Exodus 39:1 Moreover, from the blue and purple and scarlet material, they made finely woven garments for ministering in the holy place as well as the holy garments which were for Aaron, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. (NASB95)
Exodus 39:1 records the overview of the manufacture of the priestly garments which is a fulfillment of the Lord’s instructions recorded in Exodus 28:2-5, which present a sort of overview for chapter 28.
Interestingly, throughout the Exodus narrative we see quite often the phrase “blue and purple and scarlet material” (25:4; 26:1, 31, 36; 27;16; 28:5-6, 8, 15, 33; cf. 35:6, 35; 36:8, 35, 37; 38;18, 23).
It is appropriate that these colors are used in the tabernacle since they are associated with royalty and expressed sovereignty and greatness in the ancient world, thus, these colors convey God’s greatness and sovereignty.
Exodus 39:2 He made the ephod of gold, and of blue and purple and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen. 3 Then they hammered out gold sheets and cut them into threads to be woven in with the blue and the purple and the scarlet material, and the fine linen, the work of a skillful workman. 4 They made attaching shoulder pieces for the ephod; it was attached at its two upper ends. 5 The skillfully woven band which was on it was like its workmanship, of the same material: of gold and of blue and purple and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 6 They made the onyx stones, set in gold filigree settings; they were engraved like the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the sons of Israel. 7 And he placed them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, as memorial stones for the sons of Israel, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. (NASB95)
Exodus 39:2-7 records the Israelites manufacturing the ephod, which is in fulfillment of the Lord’s command to do as recorded in Exodus 28:6-14.
Exodus 39:2 reiterates 28:6 and 39:3 explains 28:6-8 was carried out.
Exodus 39:4 reiterates 28:7 whereas 39:5 reiterates 28:8.
Exodus 39:6 summarizes 28:9-11 and 39:7 summarizes 28:12-14.
“Ephod” is the noun ʾē∙p̄ōḏ (אֵפֹד) (ay-fode´), which refers to a garment like that of a vest or a coat over one’s robe, which the high priest was to wear in the tabernacle when serving and was the distinguishing mark of the high priest Aaron.
Exodus 39:8 He made the breastpiece, the work of a skillful workman, like the workmanship of the ephod: of gold and of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen. 9 It was square; they made the breastpiece folded double, a span long and a span wide when folded double. 10 And they mounted four rows of stones on it. The first row was a row of ruby, topaz, and emerald; 11 and the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire and a diamond; 12 and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 13 and the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They were set in gold filigree settings when they were mounted. 14 The stones were corresponding to the names of the sons of Israel; they were twelve, corresponding to their names, engraved with the engravings of a signet, each with its name for the twelve tribes. 15 They made on the breastpiece chains like cords, of twisted cordage work in pure gold. 16 They made two gold filigree settings and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two ends of the breastpiece. 17 Then they put the two gold cords in the two rings at the ends of the breastpiece. 18 They put the other two ends of the two cords on the two filigree settings, and put them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front of it. 19 They made two gold rings and placed them on the two ends of the breastpiece, on its inner edge which was next to the ephod. 20 Furthermore, they made two gold rings and placed them on the bottom of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, on the front of it, close to the place where it joined, above the woven band of the ephod. 21 They bound the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a blue cord, so that it would be on the woven band of the ephod, and that the breastpiece would not come loose from the ephod, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. (NASB95)
Exodus 39:8-21 records the Israelites manufacturing the breastpiece, which fulfills the Lord’s commands to do so as recorded in Exodus 28:15-28.
The breastpiece was a square pouch, which was used for divination.
It was eighteen inches square and was basically a fancy pocket worn over the high priest’s chest as part of the ephod that held the stones used for discerning the will of God.
“Breastpiece” is of the masculine singular construct form of the noun ḥō∙šěn (חֹשֶׁן) (kho´-shen), which means “breast-plate” which is an ornamental chest covering worn by the high priest in Israel, which held the Urim and Thummim.
Exodus 39:22 Then he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue; 23 and the opening of the robe was at the top in the center, as the opening of a coat of mail, with a binding all around its opening, so that it would not be torn. 24 They made pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet material and twisted linen on the hem of the robe. 25 They also made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates all around on the hem of the robe, 26 alternating a bell and a pomegranate all around on the hem of the robe for the service, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. (NASB95)
Exodus 39:22-26 presents to the reader the Israelites manufacturing the robe which was in fulfillment of the Lord’s instructions which are recorded in Exodus 28:31-35.
The robe of the ephod was completely blue, which stands in contrast to the multicolored ephod with its multicolored breastpiece.
This blue colored robe was to be worn underneath the ephod, which also contained a blue color.
Exodus 39:27 They made the tunics of finely woven linen for Aaron and his sons, 28 and the turban of fine linen, and the decorated caps of fine linen, and the linen breeches of fine twisted linen, 29 and the sash of fine twisted linen, and blue and purple and scarlet material, the work of the weaver, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 30 They made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and inscribed it like the engravings of a signet, “Holy to the Lord.” 31 They fastened a blue cord to it, to fasten it on the turban above, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. (NASB95)
In Exodus 39:27-31, we have the record of the Israelites manufacturing the tunics and turban in fulfillment of the Lord’s commands to do so as recorded in Exodus 28:36-43.
The turban was worn by the high priest while serving in the tabernacle.
On the front of the turban was a special gold forehead plate, which was to bear the inscription “Holy to the Lord.”
This plate symbolized Aaron’s role as the representative of the Israelites in relation to the atonement.
Without the forehead piece on the turban he wore while serving in the tabernacle, Aaron’s role as representative on behalf of the Israelites in seeking forgiveness for sins through the various offerings would be nullified.
The tunic was a long white coat worn beneath the robe of the ephod and was more complete than a loincloth and reached to the knees.
The standard garment worn by both men and women in the biblical period was a linen tunic.
The tunics, sashes and caps for Aarons’ sons were for dignity and honor in the sense that these articles would provide them with high status in the Israelite community so that they are respected.
Exodus 39:32 Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was completed; and the sons of Israel did according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses; so they did. 33 They brought the tabernacle to Moses, the tent and all its furnishings: its clasps, its boards, its bars, and its pillars and its sockets; 34 and the covering of rams’ skins dyed red, and the covering of porpoise skins, and the screening veil; 35 the ark of the testimony and its poles and the mercy seat; 36 the table, all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; 37 the pure gold lampstand, with its arrangement of lamps and all its utensils, and the oil for the light; 38 and the gold altar, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the veil for the doorway of the tent; 39 the bronze altar and its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils, the laver and its stand; 40 the hangings for the court, its pillars and its sockets, and the screen for the gate of the court, its cords and its pegs and all the equipment for the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of meeting; 41 the woven garments for ministering in the holy place and the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, to minister as priests. 42 So the sons of Israel did all the work according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses. 43 And Moses examined all the work and behold, they had done it; just as the Lord had commanded, this they had done. So Moses blessed them. (NASB95)
Exodus 39:32-43 presents to the reader the account of Moses inspecting the completion of the tabernacle project by the Israelites and finding that everything was according to the Lord’s instructions.
This construction was in fulfillment of the Lord’s commands which are recorded in Exodus 35:10-19.
Exodus 39:33-41 covers much of the same material which appears in Exodus 35:11-19.
It reveals that every individual part of the tabernacle and its furnishings was manufactured with attention to detail and brought to Moses for him to inspect.
He examined meticulously the work of the Israelites in order to see if they executed perfectly all that the Lord commanded.
Then, he blessed the Israelites in the sense that he praised them for a job well done.