Exodus 26:4

26:4 You are to make loops of blue material along the edge of the end curtain in one set, and in the same way you are to make loops ¹  in the outer edge of the end curtain in the second set.

Exodus 26:31

26:31 “You are to make a special curtain ²  of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twisted linen; it is to be made ³  with cherubim, the work of an artistic designer.

Exodus 27:16

27:16 For the gate of the courtyard there is to be a curtain of thirty feet, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twined linen, the work of an embroiderer, with four posts and their four bases.

Exodus 28:8

28:8 The artistically woven waistband ⁴  of the ephod that is on it is to be like it, of one piece with the ephod, ⁵  of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twisted linen.

Exodus 28:15

28:15 “You are to make a breastpiece for use in making decisions, ⁶  the work of an artistic designer; you are to make it in the same fashion as the ephod; you are to make it of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twisted linen.

Exodus 28:28

28:28 They are to tie the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod by blue cord, so that it may be above the waistband of the ephod, and so that the breastpiece will not be loose from the ephod.

Exodus 28:33

28:33 You are to make pomegranates ⁷  of blue, purple, and scarlet all around its hem ⁸  and bells of gold between them all around.

Exodus 28:37

28:37 You are to attach to it a blue cord so that it will be ⁹  on the turban; it is to be ¹⁰  on the front of the turban,

Exodus 35:23

35:23 Everyone who had ¹¹  blue, purple, or ¹²  scarlet yarn, fine linen, goats’ hair, ram skins dyed red, or fine leather ¹³  brought them. ¹⁴ 

Exodus 36:11

36:11 He made loops of blue material along the edge of the end curtain in the first set; he did the same along the edge of the end curtain in the second set.

Exodus 36:35

36:35 He made the special curtain of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twisted linen; he made ¹⁵  it with cherubim, the work of an artistic designer.

Exodus 39:8

The Breastpiece of Decision

39:8 He made the breastpiece, the work of an artistic designer, in the same fashion as the ephod, of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet, and fine twisted linen.

Exodus 39:31

39:31 They attached to it a blue cord, to attach it to the turban above, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

[26:4]  ¹ tn Here “loops” has been supplied.

[26:31]  ² tn Although translated “curtain” (traditionally “veil,” so ASV, NAB, NASB) this is a different word from the one used earlier of the tent curtains, so “special curtain” is used. The word פָרֹכֶת (farokhet) seems to be connected with a verb that means “to shut off” and was used with a shrine. This curtain would form a barrier in the approach to God (see S. R. Driver, Exodus, 289).

[26:31]  ³ tn The verb is the third masculine singular form, but no subject is expressed. It could be translated “one will make” or as a passive. The verb means “to make,” but probably has the sense of embroidering both here and in v. 1.

[28:8]  ³ tn This is the rendering of the word חֵשֶׁב (kheshev), cognate to the word translated “designer” in v. 6. Since the entire ephod was of the same material, and this was of the same piece, it is unclear why this is singled out as “artistically woven.” Perhaps the word is from another root that just describes the item as a “band.” Whatever the connection, this band was to be of the same material, and the same piece, as the ephod, but perhaps a different pattern (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 301). It is this sash that attaches the ephod to the priest’s body, that is, at the upper border of the ephod and clasped together at the back.

[28:8]  ⁴ tn Heb “from it” but meaning “of one [the same] piece”; the phrase “the ephod” has been supplied.

[28:15]  ⁴ tn Heb “a breastpiece of decision” (חֹשֶׁן מִשְׁפָּט, khoshen mishpat; so NAB). The first word, rendered “breastpiece,” is of uncertain etymology. This item was made of material similar to the ephod. It had four rows of three gems on it, bearing the names of the tribes. In it were the urim and thummim. J. P. Hyatt refers to a similar object found in the Egyptian reliefs, including even the twisted gold chains used to hang it from the priest (Exodus [NCBC], 282).

[28:33]  ⁵ sn This must mean round balls of yarn that looked like pomegranates. The fruit was very common in the land, but there is no indication of the reason for its choice here. Pomegranates are found in decorative schemes in Ugarit, probably as signs of fertility. It may be that here they represent the blessing of God on Israel in the land. The bells that are between them possibly have the intent of drawing God’s attention as the priest moves and the bells jingle (anthropomorphic, to be sure), or that the people would know that the priest was still alive and moving inside. Some have suggested that the pomegranate may have recalled the forbidden fruit eaten in the garden (the gems already have referred to the garden), the reason for the priest entering for atonement, and the bells would divert the eye (of God) to remind him of the need. This is possible but far from supportable, since nothing is said of the reason, nor is the fruit in the garden identified.

[28:33]  ⁶ tn The text repeats the idea: “you will make for its hem…all around its hem.”

[28:37]  ⁶ tn The verb is the perfect tense with the vav (ו) consecutive; it follows the same at the beginning of the verse. Since the first verb is equal to the imperfect of instruction, this could be as well, but it is more likely to be subordinated to express the purpose of the former.

[28:37]  ⁷ tn Heb “it will be,” an instruction imperfect.

[35:23]  ⁷ tn The text uses a relative clause with a resumptive pronoun for this: “who was found with him,” meaning “with whom was found.”

[35:23]  ⁸ tn The conjunction in this verse is translated “or” because the sentence does not intend to say that each person had all these things. They brought what they had.

[35:23]  ⁹ tn See the note on this phrase in Exod 25:5.

[35:23]  ¹⁰ tn Here “them” has been supplied.

[36:35]  ⁸ tn The verb is simply “he made” but as in Exod 26:31 it probably means that the cherubim were worked into the curtain with the yarn, and so embroidered on the curtain.