The big picture
The tent and its furnishings have been made. Workers now finish the clothes for Aaron, the priest who will serve before God, and his sons. Israel, the people represented in this worship, appears in engraved names on precious stones. Moses, the leader who received God's commands, will inspect the completed work. The chapter brings the many pieces together, from woven garments to the smallest equipment, for that final review.
In this chapter
- Names Are Set on the Shoulders Exodus 39:1-7
Sacred clothing is made from coloured thread, linen, and gold.
- Twelve Stones Fill the Breastplate Exodus 39:8-21
The breastplate is made from the same rich materials as the ephod.
- Robes and the Gold Plate Exodus 39:22-31
The workers weave a blue robe with a reinforced opening so it will not tear.
- Everything Is Brought to Moses Exodus 39:32-41
All the work is finished, and the people bring it to Moses.
- Moses Inspects and Blesses the Workers Exodus 39:42-43
The people have carried out all the work according to the Lord's commands.
Central truth
The workers finish the priests' clothes and present the whole sanctuary to Moses, who finds the work faithful to God's commands.
Scripture beside the summary
Exodus · King James Version · 43Exodus 39:1-7
Names Are Set on the Shoulders
Sacred clothing is made from coloured thread, linen, and gold. Gold is beaten thin and cut into strips to weave into the ephod, a special garment worn by the priest. Its shoulder pieces and woven band hold it together. Two onyx stones are set in gold and engraved with the names of Israel's sons, whose families became the tribes. These stones rest on the shoulders as a memorial. The clothing carries the people's names into priestly service.
In everyday life
A regimental tailor sews unit names onto a ceremonial coat before handing it to the representative chosen to wear it. The wearer carries more than personal rank into the gathering. The stitched names identify those he represents. Aaron's engraved stones belong to service before God, not a military ceremony.
Notice
Exodus 39:7 The shoulder stones are called a memorial for Israel. Their engraved names mean the priest's clothes point to the people as well as to his office.
Exodus 39:1-7
King James Version1And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made cloths of service, to do service in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as the LORD commanded Moses.
2And he made the ephod of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.
3And they did beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in the blue, and in the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, with cunning work.
4They made shoulderpieces for it, to couple it together: by the two edges was it coupled together.
5And the curious girdle of his ephod, that was upon it, was of the same, according to the work thereof; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen; as the LORD commanded Moses.
6And they wrought onyx stones inclosed in ouches of gold, graven, as signets are graven, with the names of the children of Israel.
7And he put them on the shoulders of the ephod, that they should be stones for a memorial to the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses.
Exodus 39:8-21
Twelve Stones Fill the Breastplate
The breastplate is made from the same rich materials as the ephod. Folded into a square, it holds twelve precious stones arranged in four rows. Each stone bears the name of one tribe of Israel, engraved like a seal. Gold chains, rings, and blue cords secure the breastplate to the shoulder pieces and woven band. The detailed fastening keeps it in place. No tribe is left without its named stone on the garment worn before God.
In everyday life
A reunion organiser pins one labelled badge for every branch of a large family onto the display board. She checks the names against the list before securing the board for transport. Each branch has a visible place. The breastplate is a priestly garment, not a family reunion display.
Notice
Exodus 39:21 The blue cord prevents the breastplate from coming loose. The careful fastening matters because the named stones must remain attached during the priest's service.
Exodus 39:8-21
King James Version8And he made the breastplate of cunning work, like the work of the ephod; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.
9It was foursquare; they made the breastplate double: a span was the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof, being doubled.
10And they set in it four rows of stones: the first row was a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this was the first row.
11And the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.
12And the third row, a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.
13And the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper: they were inclosed in ouches of gold in their inclosings.
14And the stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, every one with his name, according to the twelve tribes.
15And they made upon the breastplate chains at the ends, of wreathen work of pure gold.
16And they made two ouches of gold, and two gold rings; and put the two rings in the two ends of the breastplate.
17And they put the two wreathen chains of gold in the two rings on the ends of the breastplate.
18And the two ends of the two wreathen chains they fastened in the two ouches, and put them on the shoulderpieces of the ephod, before it.
19And they made two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, upon the border of it, which was on the side of the ephod inward.
20And they made two other golden rings, and put them on the two sides of the ephod underneath, toward the forepart of it, over against the other coupling thereof, above the curious girdle of the ephod.
21And they did bind the breastplate by his rings unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not be loosed from the ephod; as the LORD commanded Moses.
Exodus 39:22-31
Robes and the Gold Plate
The workers weave a blue robe with a reinforced opening so it will not tear. Bells of pure gold alternate with cloth pomegranates around its hem. Linen coats, head coverings, and underclothes are made for Aaron and his sons. A woven sash completes the clothing. Finally, a gold plate is engraved with words declaring holiness to the Lord and tied to the priest's head covering with blue cord. The complete outfit marks people set apart for God's service.
In everyday life
A graduation dresser checks the hood, gown, and badge before a new doctor enters the hall. She repairs a weak seam and straightens the badge that states the qualification. The clothing publicly identifies a role. The gold plate declares dedication to God, not an earned academic award.
Notice
Exodus 39:30 The gold plate states that its wearer belongs to the Lord's service. The message is placed on the head covering, where others can see it.
Exodus 39:22-31
King James Version22And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue.
23And 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.
24And they made upon the hems of the robe pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen.
25And they made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates upon the hem of the robe, round about between the pomegranates;
26A bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, round about the hem of the robe to minister in; as the LORD commanded Moses.
27And they made coats of fine linen of woven work for Aaron, and for his sons,
28And a mitre of fine linen, and goodly bonnets of fine linen, and linen breeches of fine twined linen,
29And a girdle of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, of needlework; as the LORD commanded Moses.
30And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote upon it a writing, like to the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.
31And they tied unto it a lace of blue, to fasten it on high upon the mitre; as the LORD commanded Moses.
Exodus 39:32-41
Everything Is Brought to Moses
All the work is finished, and the people bring it to Moses. The list includes the tent's frame and coverings, the sacred chest, the table, the lamps, both altars, and the washing basin. Oil, incense, courtyard screens, ropes, pegs, and priestly clothes also appear. The equipment is presented together rather than as scattered deliveries. The people have made what the Lord commanded, and the complete collection is now ready for Moses to examine before it is put into service.
In everyday life
A mobile clinic coordinator lays out packed cases before the first trip. Beds, lights, screens, wash kits, and staff clothing sit beside the vehicle. She checks the full set, because one missing practical item can halt the work. Israel's completed collection is a sanctuary, not a travelling medical service.
Notice
Exodus 39:33 The tent is brought with its fittings, not alone. The long inventory shows that completion includes everything needed to assemble it and use it.
Exodus 39:32-41
King James Version32Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished: and the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they.
33And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses, the tent, and all his furniture, his taches, his boards, his bars, and his pillars, and his sockets,
34And the covering of rams’ skins dyed red, and the covering of badgers’ skins, and the vail of the covering,
35The ark of the testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy seat,
36The table, and all the vessels thereof, and the shewbread,
37The pure candlestick, with the lamps thereof, even with the lamps to be set in order, and all the vessels thereof, and the oil for light,
38And the golden altar, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the tabernacle door,
39The brasen altar, and his grate of brass, his staves, and all his vessels, the laver and his foot,
40The hangings of the court, his pillars, and his sockets, and the hanging for the court gate, his cords, and his pins, and all the vessels of the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of the congregation,
41The cloths of service to do service in the holy place, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and his sons’ garments, to minister in the priest’s office.
Exodus 39:42-43
Moses Inspects and Blesses the Workers
The people have carried out all the work according to the Lord's commands. Moses looks over what they have made and finds that it matches those instructions. He then blesses them. His response follows inspection of the finished work, not only their willingness to begin. The many acts of weaving, carving, casting, and assembling reach a shared conclusion. The account closes the construction stage by joining careful obedience with the leader's blessing on those who have worked.
In everyday life
A boat owner checks the repaired hull against the surveyor's list before thanking the yard crew. She runs her hand along the finished seams and sees that each required repair is complete. Her thanks follow the work she has inspected. A customer's approval cannot do what Moses' blessing does for the workers.
Notice
Exodus 39:43 Moses looks before he blesses. His blessing answers work found to match God's command, so the inspection and the thanks belong together.
Exodus 39:42-43
King James Version42According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work.
43And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Exodus 39:1 begins with “And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made cloths of service, to do service in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as the LORD…”
Where the chapter turns
Exodus 39:22 forms a natural hinge: “And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue.”
The final note
Exodus 39:43 leaves the reader with “And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words gold, ephod, Moses, linen, LORD, work help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
KJV words made clear
- ephod
- A special priestly garment with shoulder pieces and a woven band.
- ouches
- Gold settings that hold the engraved or precious stones.
Music and video connected to the passage
Related media appears when its Scripture reference overlaps this study. Music and video can illuminate a theme while the biblical text remains the foundation.
