Exodus 28:4
in Exodus 28These 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 his sons, so that they may serve Me as priests.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And these are the garments which they shall make: a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a coat of checker work, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.
KJV
And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.
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This verse in Exodus 28
Commentary
6 notes on this verseBreastplate - חשן choshen. See Clarke on Exo 25:7 (note). Ephod - אפד. See Clarke’s note on Exo 25:7. Robe - מעיל meil, from עלה alah, to go up, go upon; hence the meil may be considered as an upper coat, a surtout. It is described by Josephus as a garment that reaches down to the feet, not made of two distinct pieces, but was one entire long garment, woven throughout. This was immediately under the ephod.
This site's exposition
You are to instruct all the skilled craftsmen
on Exodus 28:3-5
The word wisdom occurs here for the first time in Scripture, and it is given to weavers and engravers. The men who receive it are called wise hearted, a phrase that runs on through the building chapters at 31:6, 35:10 and 36:1.
The record, by era
The Reformation1 voice
Those who are conversant with my writings, are aware that I do not willingly find fault with the opinions of others; but when I reflect how dangerous are those itching ears, with which many are troubled, I am obliged to prescribe this remedy.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
That the priests themselves might be minded of the dignity of their office. That the people might thereby be possessed with a holy reverence of that God whose ministers appeared in such grandeur. That the priests might be types of Christ, and of all Christians who have the beauty of holiness put upon them.
And these are the garments which they shall make,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
holy garments--No inherent holiness belonged either to the material or the workmanship. But they are called "holy" simply because they were not worn on ordinary occasions, but assumed in the discharge of the sacred functions (Eze 44:19). for glory and for beauty--It was a grand and sumptuous attire.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאֵ֨לֶּה | veeleh | and these | H428 → | 746 times |
| הַבְּגָדִ֜ים | habegadim | [are] the garments | H899 → | 217 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יַעֲשׂ֗וּ | yaasu | they will make | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| חֹ֤שֶׁן | choshen | a breastpiece | H2833 → | 25 times |
| וְאֵפוֹד֙ | veefod | and an ephod | H646 → | 49 times |
| וּמְעִ֔יל | umeil | and a robe | H4598 → | 28 times |
| וּכְתֹ֥נֶת | ukhetonet | and a tunic of | H3801 → | 29 times |
| תַּשְׁבֵּ֖ץ | tashbetz | checkered work | H8665 → | |
| מִצְנֶ֣פֶת | mitznefet | a turban | H4701 → | 12 times |
| וְאַבְנֵ֑ט | veavnet | and a sash | H73 → | 9 times |
| וְעָשׂ֨וּ | veasu | and they will make | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| בִגְדֵי־ | vigdei- | garments of | H899 → | 217 times |
| קֹ֜דֶשׁ | kodesh | holiness | H6944 → | 469 times |
| לְאַהֲרֹ֥ן | leaharon | for Aaron | H175 → | 347 times |
| אָחִ֛יךָ | ʾachikha | brother your | H251 → | 630 times |
| וּלְבָנָ֖יו | ulevanav | and for sons his | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| לְכַהֲנוֹ־ | lekhahanov- | to serve as priest he | H3547 → | 23 times |
| לִֽי׃ | li | to <the> me |
וְאֵ֨לֶּהand these
veelehH428 →746 times
הַבְּגָדִ֜ים[are] the garments
habegadimH899 →217 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
יַעֲשׂ֗וּthey will make
yaasuH6213 →2628 times
חֹ֤שֶׁןa breastpiece
choshenH2833 →25 times
וְאֵפוֹד֙and an ephod
veefodH646 →49 times
וּמְעִ֔ילand a robe
umeilH4598 →28 times
וּכְתֹ֥נֶתand a tunic of
ukhetonetH3801 →29 times
תַּשְׁבֵּ֖ץcheckered work
tashbetzH8665 →
מִצְנֶ֣פֶתa turban
mitznefetH4701 →12 times
וְאַבְנֵ֑טand a sash
veavnetH73 →9 times
וְעָשׂ֨וּand they will make
veasuH6213 →2628 times
בִגְדֵי־garments of
vigdei-H899 →217 times
קֹ֜דֶשׁholiness
kodeshH6944 →469 times
לְאַהֲרֹ֥ןfor Aaron
leaharonH175 →347 times
אָחִ֛יךָbrother your
ʾachikhaH251 →630 times
וּלְבָנָ֖יוand for sons his
ulevanavH1121 →4930 times
לְכַהֲנוֹ־to serve as priest he
lekhahanov-H3547 →23 times
לִֽי׃to <the> me
li
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
Ephesians 6:14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed,
it leads to
- 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.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 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.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 11:5
Righteousness will be the belt around His hips, and faithfulness the sash around His waist.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Luke 12:35
Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning.
- 2 Corinthians 6:7
in truthful speech and in the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;
- Isaiah 59:17
Through
Isaiah 59:17He 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.
it leads to
- Ephesians 6:17
And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
- Ephesians 6:14
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed,
- Ephesians 6:17
Through
1 Thessalonians 5:8But 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.
it leads to
- Romans 13:12–13
The night is nearly over; the day has drawn near. So let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
- Romans 13:12–13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies11
On this verse
About Exodus
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Chuck Missler, Learn the Bible in 24 Hours; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch.