Exodus 39:23
in Exodus 39with 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and 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.
KJV
And there was an hole in the midst of the robe, as the hole of an habergeon, with a band round about the hole, that it should not rend.
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This verse in Exodus 39
Commentary
3 notes on this verseAs the hole of a habergeon - The habergeon or hauberk was a small coat of mail, something in form of a half shirt, made of small iron rings curiously united together. It covered the neck and breast, was very light, and resisted the stroke of a sword. Sometimes it went over the whole head as well as over the breast. This kind of defensive armor was used among the Asiatics, particularly the ancient Persians, among whom it is still worn. It seems to have been borrowed from the Asiatics by the Norman crusaders.
This site's exposition
They made the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth
on Exodus 39:22-26
The robe is all of blue, and gold bells hang between pomegranates on the hem. Exodus 28:35 gives the reason, that the sound is heard when he enters or exits the sanctuary, so that he will not die.
This site's exposition
an opening in the center of the robe
Adam Clarke takes the garment of comparison as a coat of mail, a light shirt of small iron rings over the neck and breast. The robe's opening was made like the neck of that shirt. Exodus 28:32 gave this order.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
[ALL OF BLUE.] Kelil tekhelet means entirely of blue. The word kelil is in the construct.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּפִֽי־ | ufi- | and [the] opening of | H6310 → | 498 times |
| הַמְּעִ֥יל | hameil | the robe | H4598 → | 28 times |
| בְּתוֹכ֖וֹ | betokho | [was] in [the] middle of it | H8432 → | 418 times |
| כְּפִ֣י | kefi | like [the] opening of | H6310 → | 498 times |
| תַחְרָ֑א | tachra' | a collar | H8473 → | |
| שָׂפָ֥ה | safah | an edge | H8193 → | 176 times |
| לְפִ֛יו | lefiv | [belonged] to opening its | H6310 → | 498 times |
| סָבִ֖יב | saviv | all around | H5439 → | 336 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יִקָּרֵֽעַ׃ | yikarea' | it was torn | H7167 → |
וּפִֽי־and [the] opening of
ufi-H6310 →498 times
הַמְּעִ֥ילthe robe
hameilH4598 →28 times
בְּתוֹכ֖וֹ[was] in [the] middle of it
betokhoH8432 →418 times
כְּפִ֣יlike [the] opening of
kefiH6310 →498 times
תַחְרָ֑אa collar
tachra'H8473 →
שָׂפָ֥הan edge
safahH8193 →176 times
לְפִ֛יו[belonged] to opening its
lefivH6310 →498 times
סָבִ֖יבall around
savivH5439 →336 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יִקָּרֵֽעַ׃it was torn
yikarea'H7167 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
About Exodus
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Alfred Edersheim, The Temple: Its Ministry and Services and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.