Exodus 28 · Verse 4

Exodus 28:4

And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.
Exodus 28:4, King James Version

Exodus 28:4 in other translations

BSBThese are the garments that they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban, and a sash. They are to make these holy garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so that they may serve Me as priests.
WEBThese are the garments which they shall make: a breastplate, an ephod, a robe, a fitted tunic, a turban, and a sash. They shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons, that he may minister to me in the priest’s office.
ASVAnd these are the garments which they shall make: a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a coat of checker work, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.
YLT‘And these are the garments which they make: a breastplate, and an ephod, and an upper robe, and an embroidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle; yea, they have made holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and for his sons, for his being priest to Me.
DARBYAnd these are the garments which they shall make: a breastplate, and an ephod, and a cloak, and a checkered vest, a turban, and a girdle; and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may serve me as priest.
BBEThis is what they are to make: a priest's bag, an ephod, and a robe, and a coat of coloured needlework, a head-dress, and a linen band; they are to make holy robes for Aaron your brother and for his sons, so that they may do the work of priests for me.
WebsterAnd these are the garments which they shall make; a breast-plate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a miter, and a girdle; and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister to me in the priest's office.

What does Exodus 28:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Exodus 28:2-5

2-5. holy garments--No inherent holiness belonged either to the material or the workmanship. But they are called "holy" simply because they were not worn on ordinary occasions, but assumed in the discharge of the sacred functions (Eze 44:19). for glory and for beauty--It was a grand and sumptuous attire. In material, elaborate embroidery, and color, it had an imposing splendor. The tabernacle being adapted to the…

Read the full comment on Exodus 28:2-5 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 Breastplate - חשן choshen. See Clarke on Exo 25:7 (note). Ephod - אפד. See Clarke's note on Exo 25:7. Robe - מעיל meil, from עלה alah, to go up, go upon; hence the meil may be considered as an upper coat, a surtout. It is described by Josephus as a garment that reaches down to the feet, not made of two distinct pieces, but was one entire long garment, woven throughout. This was immediately under the ephod. See Clarke on Exo 28:31 (note), etc. Broidered coat - כתנת תשבץ kethoneth, tashbets, what Parkhurst translates a close, strait coat or garment; according to Josephus, "a tunic circumscribing or closely encompassing the body, and having tight sleeves for the arms." This was immediately under the meil or robe, and answered the same purpose to the priests that our shirts do to us. See Clarke on Exo 28:13 (note). Mitre - מצנפת mitsnepheth. As this word comes from the root צנף tsanaph, to roll or wrap round, it evidently means that covering of the head so universal in the eastern countries which we call turban or turband, corrupted from the Persian doolbend, which signifies what encompasses and binds the head or body; and hence is applied, not only to this covering of the head, but to a sash in general. As the Persian word is compounded of dool, or dawal, a revolution, vicissitude, wheel, etc., and binden, to bind; it is very likely that the Hebrew words דור dur, to go round, and בנט benet, a band, may have been the original of doolbend and turband. It is sometimes called serbend, from ser, the head, and binden, to bind. The turban consists generally of two parts: the cap, which goes on the head; and the long sash of muslin, linen, or silk, that is wrapped round the head. These sashes are generally several yards in length. A girdle - אבנט abnet, a belt or girdle; see before. This seems to have been the same kind of sash or girdle, so common in the eastern countries, that confined the loose garments about the waist; and in which their long skirts were tucked up when they were employed in work, or on a journey. After being tied round the waist, the two ends of it fell down before, to the skirts of their robes.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Exodus 28:1-5

Hitherto the heads of families were the priests, and offered sacrifices; but now this office was confined to the family of Aaron only; and so continued till the gospel dispensation. The holy garments not only distinguished the priests from the people, but were emblems of that holy conduct which should ever be the glory and beauty, the mark of the ministers of religion, without which their persons and ministrations…

Read the full comment on Exodus 28:1-5 →

Exodus 28:4 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.

וְאֵ֨לֶּהve.'E.lehand theseH428
הַבְּגָדִ֜יםha.be.ga.Dim[are] the garmentsH899
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherwhichH834
יַעֲשׂ֗וּya.'a.Suthey will makeH6213
חֹ֤שֶׁןCho.shena breastpieceH2833
וְאֵפוֹד֙ve.'e.fOdand an ephodH646
וּמְעִ֔ילu.me.'Iland a robeH4598
וּכְתֹ֥נֶתu.khe.To.netand a tunic ofH3801
תַּשְׁבֵּ֖ץtash.Betzcheckered workH8665
מִצְנֶ֣פֶתmitz.Ne.feta turbanH4701
וְאַבְנֵ֑טve.'av.Netand a sashH73
וְעָשׂ֨וּve.'a.Suand they will makeH6213
בִגְדֵי\־vig.dei-garments ofH899
קֹ֜דֶשׁKo.deshholinessH6944
לְאַהֲרֹ֥ןle.'a.ha.Ronfor AaronH175
אָחִ֛יךָ'a.Chi.khabrother yourH251
וּלְבָנָ֖יוu.le.va.Navand for sons hisH1121
לְכַהֲנוֹ\־le.kha.ha.nov-to serve as priest heH3547
לִֽי\׃Lito <the> me

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

Cross references for Exodus 28:4

  • Revelation 9:17

    And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.

  • Ephesians 6:14

    Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:8

    But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

  • Exodus 28:39-40

    And thou shalt embroider the coat of fine linen, and thou shalt make the mitre of fine linen, and thou shalt make the girdle of needlework. And for Aaron’s sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and for beauty.

  • Isaiah 59:17

    For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.

  • Exodus 39:2-5

    And he made the ephod of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen. 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. They made shoulderpieces for it, to couple it together: by the two edges was it coupled together. 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.

  • Exodus 39:25-26

    And they made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates upon the hem of the robe, round about between the pomegranates; A bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, round about the hem of the robe to minister in; as the Lord commanded Moses.

  • 1 Samuel 30:7

    And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.

  • Exodus 28:6-35

    And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work. It shall have the two shoulderpieces thereof joined at the two edges thereof; and so it shall be joined together. And the curious girdle of the ephod, which is upon it, shall be of the same, according to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen. And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel: …

  • 1 Samuel 2:18

    But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.

  • Exodus 39:28

    And a mitre of fine linen, and goodly bonnets of fine linen, and linen breeches of fine twined linen,

  • 1 Samuel 22:18

    And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
a breastplate.{Choshen,} in Hebrew is used for the square breast-plate of the high priest, in which were set twelve precious stones, each being engraved with the name of one of the sons of Jacob.
15; 39:8-21; Isa 59:17; Eph 6:14; 1Th 5:8; Re 9:17
ephod.The ephod seems to have been a short cloak, without sleeves.
6-14; 39:2-5,21,22; Le 8:7,8; 1Sa 2:18; 22:18; 23:6; 30:7; 2Sa 6:14
a robe.The word {meil,} from {âlah,} to ascend, go up on, may be considered as an upper garment that goes up or over the rest, a surtout.
31-34; 39:25,26
broidered.
29,40; Le 8:7
a mitre.
39:28; Le 8:9
a girdle.
Isa 11:5

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

Context

  • Exodus 28:3

    And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.

  • Exodus 28:4

    And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.

  • Exodus 28:5

    And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen.

Read all of Exodus 28

Exodus 28:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Los vestidos que harán son estos: el racional, y el ephod, y el manto, y la túnica labrada, la mitra, y el cinturón. Hagan, pues, los sagrados vestidos á Aarón tu hermano, y á sus hijos, para que sean mis sacerdotes.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et ce sont ici les vêtements qu’ils feront: un pectoral, et un éphod, et une robe, et une tunique brodée, une tiare, et une ceinture; et ils feront les saints vêtements pour Aaron, ton frère, et pour ses fils, afin qu’ils exercent la sacrificature devant moi.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und dies sind die Kleider, die sie machen sollen: ein Brustschild und ein Ephod und ein Oberkleid, und einen Leibrock von zellenförmigem Gewebe, einen Kopfbund und einen Gürtel; und sie sollen heilige Kleider machen für deinen Bruder Aaron und für seine Söhne, um mir den Priesterdienst auszuüben.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Hæc autem erunt vestimenta quæ faciet: rationale et superhumerale, tunicam et lineam strictam, cidarim et balteum. Facient vestimenta sancta fratri tuo Aaron et filiis ejus, ut sacerdotio fungantur mihi.