Exodus, Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Verses 1-43: Making the Priestly Garments and Completion of the Work

1. From the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn they made finely woven garments for ministering in the Holy Place. They made the holy garments for Aaron, as the LORD had commanded Moses.
2. He made the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen.
3. They hammered out thin sheets of gold and cut them into threads to be worked in with the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and with the fine linen, in skilled design.
4. They made shoulder pieces for the ephod, which were attached to two of its corners, so it could be fastened.
5. 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 had commanded Moses.
6. They mounted the onyx stones in gold filigree settings. They were engraved, as a signet is engraved, with the names of the sons of Israel.
7. He placed them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel, as the LORD had commanded Moses.
8. He made the breastpiece, in skilled design, like the work of the ephod: of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen.
9. It was square. They made the breastpiece double, a span long and a span wide when doubled.
10. They mounted four rows of precious stones on it. The first row was a ruby, a topaz, and a beryl;
11. the second row a turquoise, a sapphire, and an emerald;
12. the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst;
13. the fourth row a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper. They were mounted in gold filigree settings.
14. The stones were according to the names of the sons of Israel, twelve, according to their names. They were like the engravings of a signet, each with its name, for the twelve tribes.
15. They made braided chains of pure gold, like a rope, for the breastpiece.
16. They made two gold filigree settings and two gold rings, and attached the rings to two of the corners of the breastpiece.
17. They attached the two gold ropes to the rings at the corners of the breastpiece,
18. and the other two ends of the two ropes they attached to the two settings, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front.
19. They made two gold rings and attached them to the other two corners of the breastpiece, on the inside edge next to the ephod.
20. 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.
21. The breastpiece was attached to the ephod by blue cords to its rings, to the rings of the ephod, so that the breastpiece would not swing out from the ephod—as the LORD had commanded Moses.
22. They made the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth—the work of a weaver—
23. with an opening in the center of the robe like the opening of a collar, with a band around the opening, so that it would not tear.
24. On the hem of the robe they made pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen.
25. They also made bells of pure gold and placed them between the pomegranates around the hem of the robe,
26. with bells and pomegranates alternating around the hem of the robe for ministering, as the LORD had commanded Moses.
27. They made tunics of finely woven linen for Aaron and his sons,
28. a turban of fine linen, the linen headbands, and the undergarments of finely twisted linen,
29. the sash of finely twisted linen, and blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, the work of an embroiderer—as the LORD had commanded Moses.
30. They made the plate, the sacred diadem, out of pure gold and wrote on it a writing, like the engravings of a signet: “HOLY TO THE LORD.”
31. They tied to it a blue cord, to attach it to the turban, as the LORD had commanded Moses.
32. So all the work on the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, was completed. The Israelites did everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
33. Then they brought the tabernacle to Moses: the tent and all its furnishings, its clasps, frames, crossbars, posts, and bases;
34. the covering of ram skins dyed red, the covering of another material, and the shielding curtain;
35. the ark of the testimony and its poles, and the atonement cover;
36. the table with all its articles and the bread of the Presence;
37. the pure gold lampstand with its array of lamps and all its accessories, and the oil for the light;
38. the gold altar, the anointing oil, the fragrant incense, and the curtain for the entrance to the tent;
39. the bronze altar and its bronze grating, its poles, and all its utensils; the basin with its stand;
40. 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;
41. and the woven garments for ministering in the sanctuary, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons to serve as priests.
42. The Israelites had done all the work just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
43. Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the LORD had commanded. So Moses blessed them.

Interpretation: Exodus 39 details the completion of the priestly garments and the final assembly of the Tabernacle, marking the fulfillment of God’s instructions for creating a holy space and the means for the priests to serve within it. The chapter meticulously recounts the creation of the ephod, breastpiece, robe, and other garments, emphasizing the skilled craftsmanship and the use of precious materials that signify the sanctity of the priests’ roles. The blessing by Moses upon the completion of all the work underscores the successful execution of God’s commands, reflecting the Israelites’ dedication to their covenant with God and His dwelling among them. This culmination of efforts illustrates the community’s unity in worship and the establishment of a system of worship and sacrifice that will define their relationship with God.