Exodus — Chapter 39
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1From the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn they made specially woven garments for ministry in the sanctuary, as well as the holy garments for Aaron, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
2Bezalel made the ephod of finely spun linen embroidered with gold, and with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn.
3They hammered out thin sheets of gold and cut threads from them to interweave with the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and fine linen—the work of a skilled craftsman.
4They made shoulder pieces for the ephod, which were attached at two of its corners, so it could be fastened.
5And the skillfully woven waistband of the ephod was of one piece with the ephod, of the same workmanship—with gold, with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and with finely spun linen, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
6They mounted the onyx stones in gold filigree settings, engraved like a seal with the names of the sons of Israel.
7Then they fastened them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel, as the LORD had commanded Moses.
8He made the breastpiece with the same workmanship as the ephod, with gold, with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and with finely spun linen.
9It was square when folded over double, a span long and a span wide.
10And they mounted on it four rows of gemstones: The first row had a ruby, a topaz, and an emerald;
11the second row had a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond;
12the third row had a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst;
13and the fourth row had a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. These stones were mounted in gold filigree settings.
14The twelve stones corresponded to the names of the sons of Israel. Each stone was engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.
15For the breastpiece they made braided chains like cords of pure gold.
16They also made two gold filigree settings and two gold rings, and fastened the two rings to the two corners of the breastpiece.
17Then they fastened the two gold chains to the two gold rings at the corners of the breastpiece,
18and they fastened the other ends of the two chains to the two filigree settings, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front.
19They made two more gold rings and attached them to the other two corners of the breastpiece, on the inside edge next to the ephod.
20They made two additional gold rings and attached them to the bottom of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, on its front, near the seam just above its woven waistband.
21Then they tied the rings of the breastpiece to the rings of the ephod with a cord of blue yarn, so that the breastpiece was above the waistband of the ephod and would not swing out from the ephod, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
22They made the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth, the work of a weaver,
23with an opening in the center of the robe like that of a garment, with a collar around the opening so that it would not tear.
24They made pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and finely spun linen on the lower hem of the robe.
25They also made bells of pure gold and attached them around the hem between the pomegranates,
26alternating the bells and pomegranates around the lower hem of the robe to be worn for ministry, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
27For Aaron and his sons they made tunics of fine linen, the work of a weaver,
28as well as the turban of fine linen, the ornate headbands and undergarments of finely spun linen,
29and the sash of finely spun linen, embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
30They also made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and they engraved on it, like an inscription on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD.
31Then they fastened to it a blue cord to mount it on the turban, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
32So all the work for the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, was completed. The Israelites did everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
33Then they brought the tabernacle to Moses: the tent with all its furnishings, its clasps, its frames, its crossbars, and its posts and bases;
34the covering of ram skins dyed red, the covering of fine leather, and the veil of the covering;
35the ark of the Testimony with its poles and the mercy seat;
36the table with all its utensils and the Bread of the Presence;
37the pure gold lampstand with its row of lamps and all its utensils, as well as the oil for the light;
38the gold altar, the anointing oil, the fragrant incense, and the curtain for the entrance to the tent;
39the bronze altar with its bronze grating, its poles, and all its utensils; the basin with its stand;
40the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases; the curtain for the gate of the courtyard, its ropes and tent pegs, and all the equipment for the service of the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting;
41and the woven garments for ministering in the sanctuary, both the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons to serve as priests.
42The Israelites had done all the work just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
43And Moses inspected all the work and saw that they had accomplished it just as the LORD had commanded. So Moses blessed them.
1And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made cloths of service, to do service in the holy
2And he made the ephod
3And they did beat the gold into thin plates, and cut
4They made shoulderpieces for it, to couple
5And the curious girdle of his ephod, that
6And they wrought onyx stones inclosed in ouches of gold, graven, as signets are graven, with the names of the children of Israel.
7And he put them on the shoulders of the ephod,
8And he made the breastplate
9It was foursquare; they made the breastplate double: a span
10And they set in it four rows of stones:
11And the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.
12And the third row, a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.
13And the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper:
14And the stones
15And they made upon the breastplate chains at the ends,
16And they made two ouches
17And they put the two wreathen chains of gold in the two rings on the ends of the breastplate.
18And the two ends of the two wreathen chains they fastened in the two ouches, and put them on the shoulderpieces of the ephod, before it.
19And they made two rings of gold, and put
20And they made two
21And they did bind the breastplate by his rings unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not be loosed from the ephod; as the LORD commanded Moses.
22And he made the robe of the ephod
23And
24And they made upon the hems of the robe pomegranates
25And they made bells
26A bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, round about the hem of the robe to minister
27And they made coats
28And a mitre
29And a girdle
30And they made the plate of the holy crown
31And they tied unto it a lace of blue, to fasten
32Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished: and the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they.
33And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses, the tent, and all his furniture, his taches, his boards, his bars, and his pillars, and his sockets,
34And the covering of rams’ skins dyed red, and the covering of badgers’ skins, and the vail of the covering,
35The ark of the testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy seat,
36The table,
37The pure candlestick,
38And the golden altar, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the tabernacle door,
39The brasen altar, and his grate of brass, his staves, and all his vessels, the laver and his foot,
40The hangings of the court, his pillars, and his sockets, and the hanging for the court gate, his cords, and his pins, and all the vessels of the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of the congregation,
41The cloths of service to do service in the holy
42According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work.
43And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they have done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.
1And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made finely wrought garments, for ministering in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
2And he made the ephod of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.
3And 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, the work of the skilful workman.
4They made shoulder-pieces for it, joined together; at the two ends was it joined together.
5And the skilfully woven band, that was upon it, wherewith to gird it on, was of the same piece [and] like the work thereof; of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
6And they wrought the onyx stones, inclosed in settings of gold, graven with the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the children of Israel.
7And he put them on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
8And he made the breastplate, the work of the skilful workman, like the work of the ephod; of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.
9It was foursquare; they made the breastplate double: a span was the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof, being double.
10And they set in it four rows of stones. A row of sardius, topaz, and carbuncle was the first row;
11and the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond;
12and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst;
13and the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jaspar: they were inclosed in inclosings of gold in their settings.
14And the stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names; like the engravings of a signet, every one according to his name, for the twelve tribes.
15And they made upon the breastplate chains like cords, of wreathen work of pure gold.
16And they made two settings of gold, and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate.
17And they put the two wreathen chains of gold in the two rings at the ends of the breastplate.
18And the [other] two ends of the two wreathen chains they put on the two settings, and put them on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, in the forepart thereof.
19And they made two rings of gold, and put them upon the two ends of the breastplate, upon the edge thereof, which was toward the side of the ephod inward.
20And they made two rings of gold, and put them on the two shoulder-pieces of the ephod underneath, in the forepart thereof, close by the coupling thereof, above the skilfully woven band of the ephod.
21And they did bind the breastplate by the rings thereof unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be upon the skilfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not be loosed from the ephod; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
22And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue.
23And the hole of the robe in the midst thereof, as the hole of a coat of mail, with a binding round about the hole of it, that it should not be rent.
24And they made upon the skirts of the robe pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet, [and] twined [linen].
25And they made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates upon the skirts of the robe round about, between the pomegranates;
26a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, upon the skirts of the robe round about, to minister in; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
27And they made the coats of fine linen of woven work for Aaron, and for his sons,
28and the mitre of fine linen, and the goodly head-tires of fine linen, and the linen breeches of fine twined linen,
29and the girdle of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, the work of the embroiderer; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
30And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote upon it a writing, like the engravings of a signet, HOLY TO JEHOVAH.
31And they tied unto it a lace of blue, to fasten it upon the mitre above; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
32Thus was finished all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting: and the children of Israel did according to all that Jehovah commanded Moses; so did they.
33And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses, the Tent, and all its furniture, its clasps, its boards, it bars, and its pillars, and it sockets;
34and the covering of rams` skins dyed red, and the covering of sealskins, and the veil of the screen;
35the ark of the testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy-seat;
36the table, all the vessels thereof, and the showbread;
37the pure candlestick, the lamps thereof, even the lamps to be set in order, and all the vessels thereof, and the oil for the light;
38and the golden altar, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the screen for the door of the Tent;
39the brazen altar, and its grating of brass, its staves, and all its vessels, the laver and its base;
40the hangings of the court, its pillars, and its sockets, and the screen for the gate of the court, the cords thereof, and the pins thereof, and all the instruments of the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of meeting;
41the finely wrought garments for ministering in the holy place, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest`s office.
42According to all that Jehovah commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did all the work.
43And Moses saw all the work, and, behold, they had done it; as Jehovah had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.
1From the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn they made woven garments for serving in the sanctuary; they made holy garments that were for Aaron, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
2He made the ephod of gold, blue, purple, scarlet yarn, and fine twisted linen.
3They hammered the gold into thin sheets and cut it into narrow strips to weave them into the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and into the fine linen, the work of an artistic designer.
4They made shoulder pieces for it, attached to two of its corners, so it could be joined together.
5The artistically woven waistband of the ephod that was on it was like it, of one piece with it, of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twisted linen, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
6They set the onyx stones in gold filigree settings, engraved as with the engravings of a seal with the names of the sons of Israel.
7He put them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as stones of memorial for the Israelites, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
8He made the breastpiece, the work of an artistic designer, in the same fashion as the ephod, of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and fine twisted linen.
9It was square—they made the breastpiece doubled, nine inches long and nine inches wide when doubled.
10They set on it four rows of stones: a row with a ruby, a topaz, and a beryl—the first row;
11and the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire, and an emerald;
12and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst;
13and the fourth row, a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper. They were enclosed in gold filigree settings.
14The stones were for the names of the sons of Israel, twelve, corresponding to the number of their names. Each name corresponding to one of the twelve tribes was like the engravings of a seal.
15They made for the breastpiece braided chains like cords of pure gold,
16and they made two gold filigree settings and two gold rings, and they attached the two rings to the upper two ends of the breastpiece.
17They attached the two gold chains to the two rings at the ends of the breastpiece;
18the other two ends of the two chains they attached to the two settings, and they attached them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front of it.
19They made two rings of gold and put them on the other two ends of the breastpiece on its edge, which is on the inner side of the ephod.
20They made two more gold rings and attached them to the bottom of the two shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod, close to the juncture above the waistband of the ephod.
21They tied the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod by blue cord, so that it was above the waistband of the ephod, so that the breastpiece would not be loose from the ephod, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
22He made the robe of the ephod completely blue, the work of a weaver.
23There was an opening in the center of the robe, like the opening of a collar, with an edge all around the opening so that it could not be torn.
24They made pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and twisted linen around the hem of the robe.
25They made bells of pure gold and attached the bells between the pomegranates around the hem of the robe between the pomegranates.
26There was a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, all around the hem of the robe, to be used in ministering, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
27They made tunics of fine linen—the work of a weaver, for Aaron and for his sons—
28and the turban of fine linen, the headbands of fine linen, and the undergarments of fine twisted linen.
29The sash was of fine twisted linen and blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, the work of an embroiderer, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
30They made a plate, the holy diadem, of pure gold and wrote on it an inscription, as on the engravings of a seal, “Holiness to the Lord.”
31They attached to it a blue cord to attach it to the turban above, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
32So all the work of the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, was completed, and the Israelites did according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses—they did it exactly so.
33They brought the tabernacle to Moses, the tent and all its furnishings, clasps, frames, bars, posts, and bases;
34and the coverings of ram skins dyed red, the covering of fine leather, and the protecting curtain;
35the ark of the testimony and its poles, and the atonement lid;
36the table, all its utensils, and the Bread of the Presence;
37the pure lampstand, its lamps, with the lamps set in order, and all its accessories, and oil for the light;
38and the gold altar, and the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense; and the curtain for the entrance to the tent;
39the bronze altar and its bronze grating, its poles, and all its utensils; the large basin with its pedestal;
40the hangings of the courtyard, its posts and its bases, and the curtain for the gateway of the courtyard, its ropes and its tent pegs, and all the furnishings for the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of meeting;
41the woven garments for serving in the sanctuary, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments for his sons to minister as priests.
42The Israelites did all the work according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses.
43Moses inspected all the work, and they had done it just as the Lord had commanded—they had done it exactly—and Moses blessed them.
1Of the blue, purple, and scarlet, they made finely worked garments, for ministering in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as Yahweh commanded Moses.
2He made the ephod of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen.
3They beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in with the blue, the purple, the scarlet, and the fine linen, the work of the skillful workman.
4They made shoulder straps for it, joined together. At the two ends it was joined together.
5The skillfully woven band that was on it, with which to fasten it on, was of the same piece, like its work; of gold, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen; as Yahweh commanded Moses.
6They worked the onyx stones, enclosed in settings of gold, engraved with the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the children of Israel.
7He put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
8He made the breastplate, the work of a skillful workman, like the work of the ephod; of gold, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen.
9It was square. They made the breastplate double. Its length was a span, and its width a span, being double.
10They set in it four rows of stones. A row of ruby, topaz, and beryl was the first row;
11and the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire, and an emerald;
12and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst;
13and the fourth row, a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper. They were enclosed in gold settings.
14The stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names; like the engravings of a signet, everyone according to his name, for the twelve tribes.
15They made on the breastplate chains like cords, of braided work of pure gold.
16They made two settings of gold, and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate.
17They put the two braided chains of gold in the two rings at the ends of the breastplate.
18The other two ends of the two braided chains they put on the two settings, and put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod, in its front.
19They made two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, on its edge, which was toward the side of the ephod inward.
20They made two more rings of gold, and put them on the two shoulder straps of the ephod underneath, in its front, close by its coupling, above the skillfully woven band of the ephod.
21They bound the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not come loose from the ephod, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
22He made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue.
23The opening of the robe in the middle of it was like the opening of a coat of mail, with a binding around its opening, that it should not be torn.
24They made on the skirts of the robe pomegranates of blue, purple, scarlet, and twined linen.
25They made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates around the skirts of the robe, between the pomegranates;
26a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, around the skirts of the robe, to minister in, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
27They made the coats of fine linen of woven work for Aaron, and for his sons,
28and the turban of fine linen, and the linen headbands of fine linen, and the linen breeches of fine twined linen,
29and the sash of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, the work of the embroiderer, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
30They made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote on it a writing, like the engravings of a signet: “HOLY TO YAHWEH”.
31They tied to it a lace of blue, to fasten it on the turban above, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
32Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting was finished. The children of Israel did according to all that Yahweh commanded Moses; so they did.
33They brought the tabernacle to Moses, the tent, with all its furniture, its clasps, its boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets,
34the covering of rams’ skins dyed red, the covering of sea cow hides, the veil of the screen,
35the ark of the testimony with its poles, the mercy seat,
36the table, all its vessels, the show bread,
37the pure lamp stand, its lamps, even the lamps to be set in order, all its vessels, the oil for the light,
38the golden altar, the anointing oil, the sweet incense, the screen for the door of the Tent,
39the bronze altar, its grating of brass, its poles, all of its vessels, the basin and its base,
40the hangings of the court, its pillars, its sockets, the screen for the gate of the court, its cords, its pins, all the instruments of the service of the tabernacle, for the Tent of Meeting,
41the finely worked garments for ministering in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest’s office.
42According to all that Yahweh commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did all the work.
43Moses saw all the work, and behold, they had done it as Yahweh had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.
Summary
The skilled workers complete the priestly garments — the ephod, breastpiece with its twelve stones, robe, tunics, turban, and the gold plate inscribed as holy to the LORD — each made exactly as God had commanded (vv. 1-31). All the finished components of the Tabernacle are then brought to Moses, who inspects the work, finds it done precisely as instructed, and blesses the people (vv. 32-43).
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
- Israel remains encamped at Mount Sinai. The priestly garments are completed and all work is brought to Moses for inspection.
Places on this map
- Mount SinaiJebel Musa, Sinai Peninsula, EgyptTraditionally Jebel Musa in the granite mountains of the southern Sinai peninsula, about 7,500 feet high. The identification dates from Christian monastic tradition rather than from the text, and other candidates have been proposed, but this has been the pilgrimage site since the fourth century. Wikipedia
Towns sit on their excavated or traditional site. Regions, rivers and seas are ringed rather than dotted, because for those a single point is only an anchor. Coastlines from Natural Earth.
Commentary
- Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik draws the creation parallel: seven repetitions of "as the LORD commanded" echo the seven days of creation. Moses' inspection and blessing mirror God's "very good." The tabernacle is a new creation.
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871): blueletterbible.org A critical and explanatory commentary on the whole Bible, more concise than Matthew Henry and closer to the Hebrew and Greek, with attention to historical and geographical detail. Public domain.
- Matthew Henry's Exposition (1710): blueletterbible.org A devotional verse-by-verse commentary in the Puritan tradition, still among the most widely read three centuries on. Public domain.
Videos
Articles
- BibleProject: bibleproject.com On the whole book: the shape of the rescue from Egypt and where the story is going.
- GotQuestions.org: gotquestions.org On the whole book: an overview of the book of Exodus -- who wrote it, when, why, and how it fits the rest of Scripture.
Links open on the publisher's own site. Nothing here is reproduced on this page.
Reflection
- Carried on the Shoulders (vv.6-7) — The high priest wore Israel's twelve tribes engraved on stones set at his shoulders, symbolically bearing the whole nation's weight before God. How does it affect you to know Christ carries you in that same way?
- Carried Over the Heart (vv.8-21) — The breastplate placed the same twelve tribes directly over the priest's heart, not just on his shoulders. Beyond bearing your burdens, how does knowing Christ holds you close to His heart shape your sense of being loved?
- Holiness to the Lord, Inscribed for All to See (v.30) — A gold plate on the priest's turban openly declared that he was set apart entirely for God. If there were a similar inscription visible over your own life, what would it currently read, and what would you want it to read?
- Obedience Over Innovation (v.31) — The phrase "as the LORD commanded" repeats throughout this chapter, underscoring that faithful obedience — not creative improvement — is what God blesses. Where is God calling you to simply obey what He has already clearly said rather than look for a better way?
- Work Finished and Blessed (v.43) — Moses inspected everything the people had built and pronounced a blessing once it matched exactly what God had commanded. What has God given you to complete, and are you persevering toward that kind of finished, faithful work?