Êxodo 39

BLIVRE · Chapter 39/40

1E do material azul, e púrpura, e carmesim, fizeram as vestimentas do ministério para ministrar no santuário, e também fizeram as vestiduras sagradas para Arão; como o SENHOR o havia mandado a Moisés.

2Fez também o éfode de ouro, de azul e púrpura e carmesim, e linho torcido.

3E estenderam as placas de ouro, e cortaram cachos para tecê-los entre o azul, e entre a púrpura, e entre o carmesim, e entre o linho, com delicada obra.

4Fizeram-lhe as ombreiras que se juntassem; e uniam-se em seus dois lados.

5E o cinto do éfode que estava sobre ele, era do mesmo, conforme sua obra; de ouro, material azul, e púrpura, e carmesim, e linho torcido; como o SENHOR o havia mandado a Moisés.

6E lavraram as pedras de ônix cercadas de engastes de ouro, gravada de gravura de selo com os nomes dos filhos de Israel:

7E as pôs sobre as ombreiras do éfode, por pedras de memória aos filhos de Israel; como o SENHOR o havia a Moisés mandado.

8Fez também o peitoral de primorosa obra, como a obra do éfode, de ouro, azul, e púrpura, e carmesim, e linho torcido.

9Era quadrado; dobrado fizeram o peitoral: sua comprimento era de um palmo, e de um palmo sua largura, dobrado.

10E engastaram nele quatro ordens de pedras. A primeira ordem era um sárdio, um topázio, e um carbúnculo: este a primeira ordem.

11A segunda ordem, uma esmeralda, uma safira, e um diamante.

12A terceira ordem, um jacinto, uma ágata, e uma ametista.

13E a quarta ordem, um berilo, um ônix, e um jaspe: cercadas e encaixadas em seus engastes de ouro.

14As quais pedras eram conforme os nomes dos filhos de Israel, doze segundo os nomes deles; como gravuras de selo, cada uma com seu nome segundo as doze tribos.

15Fizeram também sobre o peitoral as correntes pequenas de feitura de trança, de ouro puro.

16Fizeram também os dois engastes e os dois anéis, de ouro; os quais dois anéis de ouro puseram nas duas extremidades do peitoral.

17E puseram as duas tranças de ouro naqueles dois anéis aos extremos do peitoral.

18E fixaram as duas extremidades das duas tranças nos dois engastes, que puseram sobre as ombreiras do éfode, na parte dianteira dele.

19E fizeram dois anéis de ouro, que puseram nas duas extremidades do peitoral, em sua orla, à parte baixa do éfode.

20Fizeram também dois anéis de ouro, os quais puseram nas duas ombreiras do éfode, abaixo na parte dianteira, diante de sua juntura, sobre o cinto do éfode.

21E ataram o peitoral de seus anéis aos anéis do éfode com um cordão de material azul, para que estivesse sobre o cinto do mesmo éfode, e não se separasse o peitoral do éfode; como o SENHOR o havia mandado a Moisés.

22Fez também o manto do éfode de obra de tecelão, todo de azul.

23Com sua abertura em meio dele, como a abertura de um colarinho, com uma borda em derredor da abertura, para que não se rompesse.

24E fizeram nas orlas do manto as romãs de azul, e púrpura, e carmesim, e linho torcido.

25Fizeram também os sinos de ouro puro, os quais sinos puseram entre as romãs pelas orlas do manto ao redor entre as romãs:

26Um sino e uma romã, um sino e uma romã ao redor, nas orlas do manto, para ministrar; como o SENHOR o mandou a Moisés.

27Igualmente fizeram as túnicas de linho fino de obra de tecelão, para Arão e para seus filhos;

28Também a mitra de linho fino, e os adornos das tiaras de linho fino, e os calções de linho, de linho torcido;

29Também o cinto de linho torcido, e de material azul, e púrpura, e carmesim, de obra de bordador; como o SENHOR o mandou a Moisés.

30Fizeram também a prancha da coroa santa de ouro puro, e escreveram nela de gravura de selo, o rótulo, SANTIDADE AO SENHOR.

31E puseram nela um cordão de azul, para colocá-la em alto sobre a mitra; como o SENHOR o havia mandado a Moisés.

32E foi acabada toda a obra do tabernáculo, do tabernáculo do testemunho: e fizeram os filhos de Israel como o SENHOR o havia mandado a Moisés: assim o fizeram.

33E trouxeram o tabernáculo a Moisés, o tabernáculo e todos os seus utensílios; seus colchetes, suas tábuas, suas barras, e suas colunas, e suas bases;

34E a coberta de peles vermelhas de carneiros, e a coberta de peles finas, e o véu da cortina;

35A arca do testemunho, e suas varas, e o propiciatório;

36A mesa, todos os seus utensílios, e o pão da proposição;

37O candelabro limpo, suas lâmpadas, as lâmpadas que deviam manter-se em ordem, e todos os seus utensílios, e o azeite para a luminária;

38E o altar de ouro, e o azeite da unção, e o incenso aromático, e a cortina para a porta do tabernáculo;

39O altar de bronze, com sua grelha de bronze, suas varas, e todos os seus utensílios; e a pia, e sua base;

40As cortinas do átrio, e suas colunas, e suas bases, e a cortina para a porta do átrio, e suas cordas, e suas estacas, e todos os vasos do serviço do tabernáculo, do tabernáculo do testemunho;

41As vestimentas do serviço para ministrar no santuário, as sagradas vestiduras para Arão o sacerdote, e as vestiduras de seus filhos, para ministrar no sacerdócio.

42Em conformidade a todas as coisas que o SENHOR havia mandado a Moisés, assim fizeram os filhos de Israel toda a obra.

43E viu Moisés toda a obra, e eis que a fizeram como o SENHOR havia mandado; e abençoou-os.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

Aaron's sacred garments are made, including the ephod, the breastplate with its twelve precious stones, and the golden plate; the entire work of the tabernacle is finally completed and presented to Moses, who inspects it and blesses the people.

Explanation

This chapter completes the long section devoted to building the tabernacle, now focusing on the elaborate priestly garments that had been specified back in chapter 28. The detailed repetition of each element — from the golden ephod to the plate inscribed 'Holiness to the Lord' — once again reinforces the people's exact faithfulness in following every divine instruction. The emotional climax of the chapter comes at its end, when Moses personally inspects the entire finished work and, finding it made 'as the Lord had commanded,' blesses the people — a moment of satisfaction and approval after months of careful, collective labor. This scene of successful completion stands in powerful contrast to the failure of the golden calf episode, showing a trajectory of restoration: from a people who quickly turned to idolatry to a people who, with patience and generosity, faithfully completed a complex sacred work exactly as God had planned.

Fun facts

  • The phrase repeated throughout the chapter, 'as the Lord commanded Moses' (used at least seven times), deliberately emphasizes the complete faithfulness of the execution, a rhetorical pattern that biblical scholars associate with the idea of 'perfect,' complete obedience in contrast to the people's earlier failures.
  • Moses' blessing upon seeing the finished work (v. 43) echoes the narrative structure of Genesis 1, where God 'saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good' — suggesting an intentional literary connection between the completion of the creation of the world and the completion of the place where God would dwell among his people.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Êxodo 39:1This chapter is the practical execution of the instructions about the priestly garments given earlier in chapter 28: the ephod, the breastplate, the robe, and the other pieces. The refrain “as the Lord commanded Moses”—exactly the KJV’s wording—appears several times throughout the chapter, reinforcing that every detail was followed to the letter.
  2. Êxodo 39:2The ephod is made exactly as specified, combining gold threads with the colored fabrics and fine linen.
  3. Êxodo 39:3Sheets of gold are hammered out into very fine threads, woven by hand into the other fabrics using a painstaking embroidery technique.
  4. Êxodo 39:4The shoulder straps are made and attached to the two ends of the ephod, following exactly the design specified before.
  5. Êxodo 39:5The ephod’s belt is made with the same materials and the same technique as the main piece, carrying out to the letter the order given to Moses.
  6. Êxodo 39:6The two precious stones are prepared and engraved with the names of the tribes of Israel, using the same seal-engraving technique from the ancient world.
  7. Êxodo 39:7The engraved stones are fastened onto the shoulders of the ephod, becoming a permanent visual reminder of the whole people of Israel.
  8. Êxodo 39:8The breastplate is made with the same careful technique and the same colored materials used on the ephod.
  9. Êxodo 39:9The breastplate is made folded in half, forming a kind of square pouch, a little over eight inches on each side.
  10. Êxodo 39:10The first row of precious stones is set with sardius, topaz, and carbuncle, following exactly the order specified before.
  11. Êxodo 39:11The second row holds emerald, sapphire, and diamond, continuing the sequence of twelve stones.
  12. Êxodo 39:12The third row brings ligure, agate, and amethyst, keeping the pattern of three stones per row.
  13. Êxodo 39:13The fourth row completes the set with beryl, onyx, and jasper, all set in gold mountings.
  14. Êxodo 39:14Each of the twelve stones bears the engraved name of a tribe of Israel, reproducing the same symbolic function as the shoulder stones.
  15. Êxodo 39:15Chains of pure braided gold are made for the breastplate, using the same technique as the shoulder chains of the ephod.
  16. Êxodo 39:16Two gold settings and two gold rings are made and fixed to the upper edges of the breastplate.
  17. Êxodo 39:17The braided chains are fastened into these rings, preparing the connection between the breastplate and the ephod.
  18. Êxodo 39:18The other ends of the chains are fastened to the shoulder settings, permanently joining the two pieces at the front.
  19. Êxodo 39:19Two more gold rings are fixed to the lower part of the breastplate, on the inner side facing the ephod.
  20. Êxodo 39:20Two more rings are positioned on the lower part of the shoulder straps, near the ephod’s belt, completing the attachment system.
  21. Êxodo 39:21A blue cord ties the rings of the breastplate to the rings of the ephod, ensuring the piece would never come loose, exactly as God had commanded.
  22. Êxodo 39:22The robe worn under the ephod is woven entirely in blue, with no other colors mixed in, as specified before.
  23. Êxodo 39:23The opening for the head receives a reinforced, woven edge, similar to the collar of a coat of mail, to keep the fabric from tearing.
  24. Êxodo 39:24Pomegranates embroidered in blue, purple, and scarlet are sewn all around the hem of the robe.
  25. Êxodo 39:25Bells of pure gold are made and set between the embroidered pomegranates, following the specified decorative pattern.
  26. Êxodo 39:26The pattern repeats continuously all around the hem: a bell, a pomegranate, alternating without interruption, exactly as God had ordered.
  27. Êxodo 39:27The inner tunics of fine linen are woven for both Aaron and his sons, following the same plain-material pattern.
  28. Êxodo 39:28The turban, the headbands, and the breeches are also made of fine linen, completing the basic pieces of the priestly attire.
  29. Êxodo 39:29The sash receives a more elaborate embroidered finish, combining fine linen with the colored fabrics used on other pieces.
  30. Êxodo 39:30This small gold plate, fastened to the front of the high priest’s turban, bore the engraved phrase “HOLINESS TO THE LORD”—the exact KJV wording—a kind of permanent identification of that office’s unique role. It was the final and most visible piece of the whole priestly attire.
  31. Êxodo 39:31The gold plate with the sacred inscription is tied with a blue cord to the front of the turban, exactly as specified.
  32. Êxodo 39:32It marks the completion of the entire work of the tabernacle, confirming that the Israelites carried out every instruction exactly as God had commanded.
  33. Êxodo 39:33The people bring Moses the complete structure of the tabernacle: the tent, its clasps, boards, bars, pillars, and sockets, all ready for inspection.
  34. Êxodo 39:34Along with it come the layers of outer covering, the red-dyed hides, and the sturdy hides used on top, plus the inner veil.
  35. Êxodo 39:35The ark of the covenant, already complete with its poles and the mercy seat, is also presented to Moses for a final check.
  36. Êxodo 39:36The table of the bread, with all its utensils and the showbread itself, completes the list of pieces delivered.
  37. Êxodo 39:37The lampstand of pure gold, with its lamps already arranged and the necessary oil, is also presented ready for use.
  38. Êxodo 39:38The gold incense altar, the anointing oil, the fragrant incense, and the entrance curtain of the tent complete this part of the inventory.
  39. Êxodo 39:39The copper altar, its grate, poles, and utensils, together with the washing basin, are also delivered ready to Moses.
  40. Êxodo 39:40All the pieces of the outer courtyard—curtains, pillars, sockets, cords, and pegs—complete the long list of items checked off by Moses.
  41. Êxodo 39:41Finally, the complete priestly garments, both the everyday ones and the special ones for Aaron and his sons, close out the inventory delivered.
  42. Êxodo 39:42It repeats, for the last time, the formula of obedience: every detail of the work was carried out exactly as God had commanded Moses.
  43. Êxodo 39:43After months of collective work, Moses carries out a kind of final inspection of everything that was built, checking each piece against what had been commanded. His closing blessing marks the successful end of this stage, setting the stage for the tabernacle’s assembly in the following chapter.

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