The priestly garments are completed — ephod, breastpiece, robe, tunics, turban, and gold plate. The refrain 'as the LORD commanded Moses' echoes seven times. All the tabernacle work is finished and brought to Moses, who inspects it and blesses the people.
What Makes This Chapter Remarkable
The refrain ka'asher tsivvah YHWH et-Mosheh ('as the LORD commanded Moses') appears seven times in this chapter, deliberately echoing the sevenfold 'and God said' of Genesis 1. The tabernacle construction is presented as a new creation — what God spoke into existence at the cosmic level, He now speaks into existence at the liturgical level. Moses's inspection and blessing (v43) parallel God's inspection and blessing of creation in Genesis 1:31-2:3. The gold thread hammered thin and cut into wire for weaving into the ephod (v3) represents extraordinary technical skill in service of sacred art.
Translation Friction
The repetitive structure of the chapter — garment after garment, each followed by the obedience refrain — we preserved without compression, because the repetition itself carries theological meaning: faithful obedience is the point, and each repetition confirms it. The technical weaving vocabulary (hammered gold sheets cut into threads, v3) we rendered as clearly as possible while preserving the craft details. Moses 'saw all the work, and behold, they had done it' (v43) uses the same verb ra'ah ('saw') and the same assessment structure as Genesis 1:31 ('God saw everything He had made').
Connections
The sevenfold refrain parallels the seven days of creation (Genesis 1:1-2:3). Moses's inspection and blessing echo God's approval in Genesis 1:31. The presentation of completed work to Moses anticipates the presentation of the completed temple to Solomon (1 Kings 7:51). The priestly garments are finally worn in Leviticus 8 at the ordination ceremony.
From the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, they produced the woven garments for service in the sanctuary. They also made the sacred garments for Aaron, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
KJV 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 commanded Moses.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The priestly garment section begins. 'As the LORD commanded Moses' appears as a refrain throughout chapter 39, echoing the creation account's 'and God said.'
They hammered gold sheets thin and cut them into threads to be woven into the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and the fine linen — the work of a skilled designer.
KJV And 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.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Hammering gold into thin sheets, then cutting into threads for weaving — a technically demanding process that integrates gold directly into fabric.
They made shoulder pieces for the ephod, attached at its two upper corners so it could be joined together.
KJV They made shoulderpieces for it, to couple it together: by the two edges was it coupled together.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Shoulder pieces join the front and back panels of the ephod, creating the structural support for the entire garment and the breastpiece attached to it.
The skillfully woven band of the ephod was of one piece with it, made the same way — from gold, blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely twisted linen, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
KJV And 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.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The woven band (cheshev) is integral to the ephod, not a separate belt. Its unified construction mirrors the tabernacle's one-piece design philosophy.
They prepared the onyx stones, mounted in gold filigree settings, engraved like a seal with the names of Israel's sons.
KJV And they wrought onyx stones inclosed in ouches of gold, graven, as signets are graven, with the names of the children of Israel.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Onyx stones engraved with Israel's tribal names function like a signet seal — each tribe's identity is permanently inscribed and carried by the high priest.
They fastened the stones to the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
KJV And 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.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The shoulder stones are 'memorial stones' (avnei zikkaron) — the high priest physically carries Israel's names before God whenever he enters the sanctuary.
They fashioned the breastpiece with skilled design, matching the workmanship of the ephod — from gold, blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely twisted linen.
KJV And he made the breastplate of cunning work, like the work of the ephod; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The breastpiece (choshen) matches the ephod in materials and workmanship. It lies over the heart, while the shoulder stones rest on the shoulders — Israel is borne on heart and shoulders.
They mounted four rows of gemstones on it. The first row contained a carnelian, a topaz, and an emerald.
KJV And they set in it four rows of stones: the first row was a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this was the first row.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The four rows of three stones = twelve stones for twelve tribes. Stone identification varies among ancient sources, reflecting uncertainty about exact minerals.
The fourth row contained a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper — each set in a gold filigree mounting.
KJV And the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper: they were inclosed in ouches of gold in their inclosings.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The fourth row completes the twelve stones. Gold filigree settings secure each stone — precious material holding precious material, all bearing tribal names.
The stones corresponded to the names of Israel's sons — twelve in all, one for each tribe, each engraved like a seal with the name of one tribe.
KJV And 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.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Each stone is individually engraved like a seal — permanent, authoritative, personal. The high priest wears Israel's identity into God's presence.
They made two more gold rings and attached them to the two lower corners of the breastpiece, on its inner edge next to the ephod.
KJV And 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.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Additional lower rings on the breastpiece's inner edge prevent it from swinging outward during the priest's movements.
They made two additional gold rings and fastened them to the lower part of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, at the front near its seam, just above the woven band.
KJV And 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.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Matching rings on the lower ephod near the seam above the woven band complete the four-point attachment system securing the breastpiece.
They tied the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a blue cord, so that it rested on the woven band and would not come loose from the ephod — just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
KJV And 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.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
A blue cord ties the lower rings together, ensuring the breastpiece stays flush against the ephod. The refrain 'as the LORD commanded Moses' validates the execution.
along with a turban of fine linen, decorative headbands of fine linen, and undergarments of finely twisted linen,
KJV And a mitre of fine linen, and goodly bonnets of fine linen, and linen breeches of fine twined linen,
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The turban (mitznefet) for Aaron, headbands (migba'ot) for his sons, and linen undergarments complete the basic priestly wardrobe of purity and modesty.
They made the medallion — the sacred diadem — from pure gold, and inscribed on it like a seal engraving: HOLY TO THE LORD.
KJV And 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.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The gold medallion (tzitz) inscribed HOLY TO THE LORD is the crown of the priestly wardrobe — it rests on the turban at the forehead, Israel's holiness made visible.
So all the work on the tabernacle — the tent of meeting — was completed. The Israelites had done everything precisely as the LORD had commanded Moses.
KJV Thus 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.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The summary formula echoes Genesis 2:1-2 — 'all the work was completed.' The tabernacle construction parallels the creation narrative in structure and language.
They presented the tabernacle to Moses: the tent with all its furnishings — its clasps, frames, crossbars, posts, and bases;
KJV And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses, the tent, and all his furniture, his taches, his boards, his bars, and his pillars, and his sockets,
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The completed tabernacle and all its components are presented to Moses for inspection — structural elements first: clasps, frames, crossbars, posts, bases.
the curtains of the courtyard with their posts and bases, the screen for the courtyard entrance, its ropes and tent pegs, and all the equipment for the service of the tabernacle — the tent of meeting;
KJV The 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,
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Courtyard infrastructure — curtains, posts, bases, gate screen, ropes, and pegs — all the elements that define the sacred perimeter.
the woven garments for service in the sanctuary, the sacred garments for Aaron the priest, and his sons' garments for priestly service.
KJV The 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.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The priestly garments close the inventory. Both service garments (bigdei serad) and sacred garments (bigdei ha-qodesh) are presented for approval.
The Israelites carried out all the work exactly as the LORD had commanded Moses.
KJV According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The comprehensive compliance statement: Israel did everything exactly as commanded. Obedience in construction mirrors the obedience demanded in worship.
Moses inspected all the work, and indeed they had accomplished it just as the LORD had commanded. So Moses blessed them.
KJV And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they have done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Moses's inspection and blessing parallel God's review of creation (Gen 1:31). 'He saw... they had done it... and he blessed them' echoes 'God saw that it was good.'