And thou shalt make ouches of gold;
And thou shalt make enclosures of gold;
Fashion gold filigree settings
`And thou hast made embroidered things of gold,
Exodus — Deliverance, covenant, presence. A slave-people redeemed from Egypt, brought to Sinai, and given a tabernacle so that God might dwell among them.
Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread — the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.
The verses this one reaches2
He made the breastpiece with the same workmanship as the ephod, with gold, with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and with finely spun linen.
Engrave the names of the sons of Israel on the two stones the way a gem cutter engraves a seal. Then mount the stones in gold filigree settings.
Voices4
And thou shalt make ouches of gold. Or sockets of gold, to put the two onyx stones in, Exo 28:11 for of other ouches we read not, excepting the enclosings, in which the twelve stones of the breastplate were set, Exo 28:20 and these are again mentioned because of the chains to be fastened to them, of which in the following verse.
John Gill· Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763)reformed
Ouches of gold - משבצת mishbetsoth, strait places, sockets to insert the stones in, from שבץ shabats, to close, enclose, straiten. Socket, in this place, would be a more proper translation, as ouch cannot be traced up to any legitimate authority. It appears sometimes to signify a hook, or some mode of attaching things together.
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible, 1832evangelical
The ephod was fastened by a girdle of the same costly materials, that is, dyed, embroidered, and wrought with threads of gold. It was about a handbreadth wide and wound twice round the upper part of the waist; it fastened in front, the ends hanging down at great length (Re 1:13).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown· Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, 1871reformed
Righteousness is the girdle of his loins. He is girt with strength for the work of our salvation. And as Aaron had the names of all Israel upon his shoulders in precious stones, so He presents to himself and to his Father a glorious church, Eph. v, 27.
John Wesley· Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament, 1765evangelical
