Exodus 28 · Verse 36

Exodus 28:36

And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.
Exodus 28:36, King James Version

Exodus 28:36 in other translations

BSBYou are to make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD.
WEB“You shall make a plate of pure gold, and engrave on it, like the engravings of a signet, ‘HOLY TO THE LORD.’
ASVAnd thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLY TO JEHOVAH.
YLT‘And thou hast made a flower of pure gold, and hast opened on it--openings of a signet--‘Holy to Jehovah;'
DARBYAnd thou shalt make a thin plate of pure gold, and engrave on it, as the engravings of a seal, Holiness to Jehovah!
BBEYou are to make a plate of the best gold, cutting on it, as on a stamp, these words: HOLY TO THE LORD.
WebsterAnd thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and engrave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.

What does Exodus 28:36 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Exodus 28:36-38
36-38. plate--literally, a petal of a flower, which seems to have been the figure of this golden plate, which was tied with a ribbon of blue on the front of the mitre, so that every one facing him could read the inscription.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 36 Thou shalt make a plate of pure gold - The word ציץ tsits, which we render plate, means a flower, or any appearance of this kind, The Septuagint translate it by πεταλον, a leaf; hence we might be led to infer that this plate resembled a wreath of flowers or leaves; and as it is called, Exo 29:6, נזר nezer, a crown, and the author of the book of The Wisdom of Solomon 18:24, who was a Jew, and may be supposed to know well what it was, calls it διαδημα, it was probably of the form, not of the ancient diadem, but rather of the radiated crown worn by the ancient Roman emperors, which was a gold band that went round the head from the vertex to the occiput; but the position of the Jewish sacerdotal crown was different, as that went round the forehead, under which there was a blue lace or fillet, Exo 28:37, which was probably attached to the mitre or turban, and formed its lowest part or border. Holiness to the Lord - This we may consider as the grand badge of the sacerdotal office. 1. The priest was to minister in holy things. 2. He was the representative of a holy God. 3. He was to offer sacrifices to make an atonement for and to put away Sin. 4. He was to teach the people the way of righteousness and true holiness. 5. As mediator, he was to obtain for them those Divine influences by which they should be made holy, and be prepared to dwell with holy spirits in the kingdom of glory. 6. In the sacerdotal office he was the type of that holy and just One who, in the fullness of time, was to come and put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. It is allowed on all hands that this inscription was, in the primitive Hebrew character, such as appears upon ancient shekels, and such as was used before the Babylonish captivity, and probably from the giving of the law on Mount Sinai. The קדש ליהוה Kodesh Laihovah, of the present Hebrew text, would in those ancient characters appear thus as this illustration, which, in the modern Samaritan character, evidently derived from that illustration. And the Samaritan word in this ancient and original character is the famous Tetragrammaton, or word of four letters, which, to the present day, the Jews will neither write nor pronounce. The Jews teach that these letters were embossed on the gold, and not engraven in it, and that the plate on which they were embossed was about two fingers broad, and that it occupied a space on the forehead between the hair and the eyebrows. But it is most likely that it was attached to the lower part of the mitre.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Exodus 28:31-39

The robe of the ephod was under the ephod, and reached down to the knees, without sleeves. Aaron must minister in the garments appointed. We must serve the Lord with holy fear, as those who know they deserve to die. A golden plate was fixed on Aaron's forehead, engraven with "Holiness to the Lord." Aaron was hereby reminded that God is holy, and that his priests must be holy, devoted to the Lord. This must appear in…

Read the full comment on Exodus 28:31-39 →

Exodus 28:36 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְעָשִׂ֥יתָve.'a.Si.taand you will makeH6213
צִּ֖יץtzitza plate ofH6731
זָהָ֣בza.HavgoldH2091
טָה֑וֹרta.HorpureH2889
וּפִתַּחְתָּ֤u.fi.tach.Taand you will engraveH6605
עָלָיו֙'a.Lavon itH5921
פִּתּוּחֵ֣יpi.tu.Chei[the] engravings ofH6603
חֹתָ֔םcho.Tama sealH2368
קֹ֖דֶשׁKo.deshholinessH6944
לַֽיהוָֽה\׃la.Yah.wehto YahwehH3068

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Exodus 28:36

  • Leviticus 8:9

    And he put the mitre upon his head; also upon the mitre, even upon his forefront, did he put the golden plate, the holy crown; as the Lord commanded Moses.

  • Zechariah 14:20

    In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the Lord’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar.

  • Exodus 39:30

    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.

  • Exodus 28:9

    And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel:

  • Exodus 28:11

    With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel: thou shalt make them to be set in ouches of gold.

  • Revelation 21:27

    And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

  • Psalms 93:5

    Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever.

  • 1 Peter 2:9

    But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

  • Leviticus 19:2

    Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy.

  • Hebrews 7:26

    For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

  • Leviticus 10:3

    Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

  • 1 Peter 1:15-16

    But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
a plate of pure gold.The word {tzitz,} which we translate a plate, properly signifies a flower. It is rendered by the LXX. [petalon,] a leaf, and is called {nezer,} a crown in ch. 29:6 and [diadema,] a diadem, by the author of the book of Wisdom, ch. 28:24. Josephus says that it was adorned with three rows of the flower which the Greeks call [kyanos.] It was two fingers broad, of a circular form, suited to the shape of the head, and so long that it reached from ear to ear, and was fastened upon a blue lace or ribband, which was tied behind the head; and as the plate reached only half round the head, the remaining part of the ribband was highly ornamented with artificial flowers.
grave upon it.
9,11
HOLINESS.
39:30; Le 8:9; 10:3; 19:2; Ps 93:5; Eze 43:12; Zec 14:20; Heb 7:26
Heb 12:14; 1Pe 1:15,16; 2:9; Re 21:27

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Exodus 28:35

    And it shall be upon Aaron to minister: and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the Lord, and when he cometh out, that he die not.

  • Exodus 28:36

    And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.

  • Exodus 28:37

    And thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre; upon the forefront of the mitre it shall be.

Read all of Exodus 28

Exodus 28:36 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Harás además una plancha de oro fino, y grabarás en ella grabadura de sello, SANTIDAD Á JEHOVÁ.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et tu feras une lame d’or pur, et tu graveras sur elle, en gravure de cachet: Sainteté à l’ Éternel;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und mache ein Blech von reinem Golde und stich darauf mit Siegelstecherei: Heiligkeit dem Jehova!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Facies et laminam de auro purissimo, in qua sculpes opere cælatoris, Sanctum Domino.