Exodus 39

Of the blue, purple, and scarlet, they made finely worked garments for ministering in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron, as the LORD commanded Moses.

He made the ephod of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen.

They beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in with the blue, the purple, the scarlet, and the fine linen, the work of the skillful workman.

They made shoulder straps for it, joined together. It was joined together at the two ends.

The skillfully woven band that was on it, with which to fasten it on, was of the same piece, like its work: of gold, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen, as the LORD commanded Moses.

They worked the onyx stones, enclosed in settings of gold, engraved with the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the children of Israel.

He put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel, as the LORD commanded Moses.

He made the breastplate, the work of a skillful workman, like the work of the ephod: of gold, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen.

It was square. They made the breastplate double. Its length was a span, and its width a span, being double.

They set in it four rows of stones. A row of ruby, topaz, and beryl was the first row;

and the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire, and an emerald;

and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst;

and the fourth row, a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper. They were enclosed in gold settings.

The stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names; like the engravings of a signet, everyone according to his name, for the twelve tribes.

They made on the breastplate chains like cords, of braided work of pure gold.

They made two settings of gold, and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate.

They put the two braided chains of gold in the two rings at the ends of the breastplate.

The other two ends of the two braided chains they put on the two settings, and put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod, in its front.

They made two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, on its edge, which was toward the side of the ephod inward.

They made two more rings of gold, and put them on the two shoulder straps of the ephod underneath, in its front, close by its coupling, above the skillfully woven band of the ephod.

They bound the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not come loose from the ephod, as the LORD commanded Moses.

He made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue.

The opening of the robe in the middle of it was like the opening of a coat of mail, with a binding around its opening, that it should not be torn.

They made on the skirts of the robe pomegranates of blue, purple, scarlet, and twined linen.

They made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates around the skirts of the robe, between the pomegranates;

a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, around the skirts of the robe, to minister in, as the LORD commanded Moses.

They made the tunics of fine linen of woven work for Aaron and for his sons,

the turban of fine linen, the linen headbands of fine linen, the linen trousers of fine twined linen,

the sash of fine twined linen, blue, purple, and scarlet, the work of the embroiderer, as the LORD commanded Moses.

They made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote on it an inscription, like the engravings of a signet: “HOLY TO THE LORD”.

They tied to it a lace of blue, to fasten it on the turban above, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting was finished. The children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses; so they did.

They brought the tabernacle to Moses: the tent, with all its furniture, its clasps, its boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets,

the covering of rams’ skins dyed red, the covering of sea cow hides, the veil of the screen,

the ark of the covenant with its poles, the mercy seat,

the table, all its vessels, the show bread,

the pure lamp stand, its lamps, even the lamps to be set in order, all its vessels, the oil for the light,

the golden altar, the anointing oil, the sweet incense, the screen for the door of the Tent,

the bronze altar, its grating of bronze, its poles, all of its vessels, the basin and its base,

the hangings of the court, its pillars, its sockets, the screen for the gate of the court, its cords, its pins, and all the instruments of the service of the tabernacle, for the Tent of Meeting,

the finely worked garments for ministering in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest’s office.

According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did all the work.

Moses saw all the work, and behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded. They had done so; and Moses blessed them.

Chapter overviewAI-generated

Overview.
This chapter details the completion of the priestly garments and the final gathering of all the tabernacle components, culminating in the people’s faithful execution of God’s instructions. It underscores the careful adherence to divine patterns in crafting sacred items, particularly the ephod, breastplate, and other vestments for Aaron’s service, and concludes with the presentation of the finished work to Moses, who affirms its conformity to the Lord’s commands.

Flow.

The artisans craft the ephod and breastplate with gold, precious stones, and embroidered linen, carefully inscribing the names of the tribes for memorial before God (vv. 1–21).
They make the blue robe with pomegranates and golden bells, the linen tunics, turban, sash, and the golden plate inscribed “HOLY TO THE LORD” (vv. 22–31).
The narrative shifts from garments to the completed tabernacle furnishings, as the people bring everything together and present it to Moses (vv. 32–41).
Moses inspects the work, confirms it matches God’s commands, and blesses the people for their obedience (vv. 42–43).

Connections.
Following chapter 38, which described the construction of the outer court and bronze altar, this chapter completes the inventory of tabernacle elements by focusing on the high priest’s vestments and the final assemblage of all parts. It mirrors the earlier pattern of command (Exodus 28–29, 35) and execution, reinforcing continuity between divine instruction and human response. The people’s obedience here prepares the way for chapter 40, where Moses will set up the tabernacle, anoint Aaron, and see God’s glory descend—fulfilling the purpose for which these items were made.

What it teaches.
The priestly garments are not ornamental but theological: they signify holiness, representation, and mediation. The ephod and breastplate bear the names of the tribes as a memorial before the Lord (WCF 7.3), reflecting the priest’s role in bearing the people on his shoulders and heart. The inscription “HOLY TO THE LORD” (v. 30) underscores the sacred character of the service, echoing the call for worship in purity (HC LD 32). The meticulous replication of God’s design demonstrates that acceptable worship is defined by obedience to revelation, not human innovation (BC Article 7). The completed work stands as a testimony to covenant fidelity, where form and function serve divine purpose.

Apply.
The people brought what they had made, not for display but for dedication—and Moses blessed them because their work conformed to God’s pattern.

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