Exodus
Verse 1. Vestments. Hebrew distinguishes “the clothes of service” destined to fold up the tabernacle and vessels, from “the holy garments of Aaron.”
EXPLANATIONS
Exodus 39
Historical chapter commentary
Exodus
Verse 3. Threads. Hebrew “wires to work it in the blue … with cunning work.” The ancients had the art of beating gold into thin plates, with which they adorned the horns of their victims, and so forth Æneid iv. See Numbers 16:48. Calmet.
Exodus
Verse 19. Fastened to the girdle. This is not specified in the Hebrew The Vulgate has abridged some verses, in these chapters, to avoid repetitions.
Exodus
Verse 24. Pomegranate, alternately. Calmet. 28. Clement of Alexandria observes, that the 366 bells denote the leap year, in which Christ began to preach. Tirinus.
Exodus
Verse 27. Of fine linen, or cotton, and of common linen, as Pollux describes it. The Samaritan copy adds, “Breeches of linen, of byssus, of violet, of scarlet, of purple, of embroidery work, according to the command of the Lord.”
Exodus
Verse 29. Veneration, of which it was deserving. Hebrew “the crown of holiness.” It reminded the high priest of his consecration to the Lord, and of the sanctity with which he ought to appear before him.
Exodus
Verse 43. Finished, exactly according to God’s prescriptions.—Blessed them, the people, who had contributed so liberally; and the workmen, who had performed their task so much to his satisfaction. Calmet.—He also blessed the sacred vessels, as they were destined for the worship of God. Bible.
Exodus
A span is the length from the tip of a man’s thumb to the tip of his little finger when his hand is stretched out (about half a cubit, or 9 inches, or 22.8 cm.)
Exodus
or, lapis lazuli