Exodus 28:37
in Exodus 28Fasten to it a blue cord to mount it on the turban; it shall be on the front of the turban.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And thou shalt put it on a lace of blue, and it shall be upon the mitre; upon the forefront of the mitre it shall be.
KJV
And thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre; upon the forefront of the mitre it shall be.
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This verse in Exodus 28
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The Scripture has not described its form, but from JOSEPHUS we may gather that it was conical in shape, as he distinguishes the mitres of the common priests by saying that they were not conical--that it was encircled with swathes of blue embroidered, and that it was covered by one piece of fine linen to hide the seams.
This site's exposition
make a plate of pure gold
on Exodus 28:36-38
A plate of pure gold on the front of the mitre carries an engraving cut like a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD. It rides on the forehead so that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which grants that even Israel's gifts need covering before they are accepted. Zechariah 14:20 puts that same inscription on the bells of the horses in the day it describes, so what was written on one man's forehead ends up on common harness.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Holiness becomes his house and household. The high priest must be sequestered from all pollution, and consecrated to God and to his service and honour, and so must all his ministrations be. All that attend in God's house must have Holiness to the Lord engraven upon their foreheads, that is, they must be holy, devoted to the Lord, and designing his glory in all they do.
And thou shalt put it on a blue lace,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
plate--literally, a petal of a flower, which seems to have been the figure of this golden plate, which was tied with a ribbon of blue on the front of the mitre, so that every one facing him could read the inscription.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
DEAR Friends, I must begin by reminding you that we are not in this place dealing with unconverted men in their sins but with God's people Israel in their holy things. I say this because we must never forget that "without shedding of blood there is no remission of sin." And when we are dealing with certain types it must be understood that the blood has done its essential work. Even a high priest, with all his "glory and beauty," could not put away sin as before God without reference to the shedding of blood. The atonement is supposed to have been offered—these people have been purified and brought near by the appointed offerings. But now, here comes the point with which this type concerns itself. They are God's people and therefore they come to Him with their gifts and thank-offerings—these alone can draw near to Him or will even care to do so. But how shall they draw near, for even after being reconciled by the blood they continue to sin? There is iniquity even in their holy things! How shall they come to God without someone to stand between them who shall continually bear for them the iniquity of the "holy things which they shall hallow in all their holy gifts"? There is need of One who is "able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever lives to make intercession for them." That sacred Person is provided by God in Christ Jesus our Lord and thus the way to present acceptable sacrifice has been made clear for all the blood-washed people of God! Aaron in his glorious attire was the type of the living Christ who presented unto God the sacrifices of His people. Their faults in worship and fellowship he is made to bear and so their gifts and prayers are accepted before a holy God.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְשַׂמְתָּ֤ | vesamta | and you will put | H7760 → | 584 times |
| אֹתוֹ֙ | ʾoto | <obj.> it | H853 → | 10935 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| פְּתִ֣יל | petil | a cord of | H6616 → | 11 times |
| תְּכֵ֔לֶת | tekhelet | violet stuff | H8504 → | 49 times |
| וְהָיָ֖ה | vehayah | and it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הַמִּצְנָ֑פֶת | hamitznafet | the turban | H4701 → | 12 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| מ֥וּל | mul | [the] front of | H4136 → | 36 times |
| פְּנֵֽי־ | penei- | [the] face of | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| הַמִּצְנֶ֖פֶת | hamitznefet | the turban | H4701 → | 12 times |
| יִהְיֶֽה׃ | yihyeh | it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
וְשַׂמְתָּ֤and you will put
vesamtaH7760 →584 times
אֹתוֹ֙<obj.> it
ʾotoH853 →10935 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
פְּתִ֣ילa cord of
petilH6616 →11 times
תְּכֵ֔לֶתviolet stuff
tekheletH8504 →49 times
וְהָיָ֖הand it will be
vehayahH1961 →3559 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הַמִּצְנָ֑פֶתthe turban
hamitznafetH4701 →12 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
מ֥וּל[the] front of
mulH4136 →36 times
פְּנֵֽי־[the] face of
penei-H6440 →2123 times
הַמִּצְנֶ֖פֶתthe turban
hamitznefetH4701 →12 times
יִהְיֶֽה׃it will be
yihyehH1961 →3559 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Zechariah 3:5Then I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So a clean turban was placed on his head, and they clothed him, as the angel of the LORD stood by.
it leads to
- Exodus 29:6
Put the turban on his head and attach the holy diadem to the turban.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Zechariah 6:11
Take silver and gold, make an ornate crown, and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua son of Jehozadak.
- Job 29:14
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; justice was my robe and my turban.
- Exodus 29:6
Through
Exodus 28:4These are the garments that they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban, and a sash. They are to make these holy garments for your brother Aaron and…
it leads to
- Ephesians 6:14
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed,
- Revelation 9:17
Now the horses and riders in my vision looked like this: The riders had breastplates the colors of fire, sapphire, and sulfur. The heads of the horses were like the heads of lions, and…
- Isaiah 59:17
He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on His head; He put on garments of vengeance and wrapped Himself in a cloak of zeal.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:8
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and the helmet of our hope of salvation.
- Ephesians 6:14
Through
Exodus 28:28The rings of the breastpiece shall be tied to the rings of the ephod with a cord of blue yarn, so that the breastpiece is above the waistband of the ephod and does not…
it leads to
- Numbers 15:38
“Speak to the Israelites and tell them that throughout the generations to come they are to make for themselves tassels for the corners of their garments, with a blue cord on each tassel.
- Numbers 15:38
Where this verse is studied
On this page
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On this verse
About Exodus

This page draws on Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2153: “The Iniquity of Our Holy Things” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
