Commentary - Exodus 28:6-14

Bird's-eye view

In this passage, we move from the general command to make holy garments for Aaron into the intricate details of the most significant of these garments: the ephod. This is not a mere uniform or a ceremonial costume. This is a divinely designed piece of liturgical technology, freighted with profound theological meaning. The ephod is the foundational garment upon which the breastpiece of judgment will later be attached, and it is the garment that most clearly identifies Aaron as the representative of the people before God. The materials are of the highest quality, reflecting the glory of God's presence. The structure itself, particularly the shoulder pieces with the engraved onyx stones, establishes the high priest as the one who literally carries the nation of Israel on his shoulders into the presence of Yahweh. This is a picture of intercession, of representation, and of remembrance. God is teaching His people, through fabric, gold, and stone, what it means to be brought near to Him through a mediator.

Every detail here is intentional and points forward to the ultimate High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ. The glory of the materials points to His divine glory. The skillful design points to the wisdom of God in our salvation. And most centrally, the bearing of the names of the tribes on the priest's shoulders is a powerful type of how Christ bears His people before the Father. He does not just know our names; He carries us. He represents us in the heavenly sanctuary, and His intercession is a perpetual "remembrance" before the throne of grace. This passage is a lesson in Christology, woven in blue, purple, scarlet, and gold.

Outline

Context In Exodus

This section of Exodus (chapters 25-31) contains the detailed instructions for the construction of the Tabernacle and the establishment of its priesthood. Having delivered Israel from Egypt and given them the Law at Sinai, God is now making provision for His holy presence to dwell in their midst. This is an act of incredible grace. But for a holy God to dwell among a sinful people requires a mediator and a place of mediation. The Tabernacle is that place, and the Aaronic priesthood is that mediatorial office. Chapter 28 focuses entirely on the priestly garments, which are not for personal adornment but are holy vestments for ministering in the presence of God. They visually distinguish the priests, sanctify them for their work, and teach Israel about the nature of their office. The ephod, described here, is the outer garment that forms the basis for the rest of the high priest's unique attire, setting the stage for the description of the breastpiece, the robe, and the other items that follow.

Key Issues

Glory on His Shoulders

When God sets up a system of worship, He does not leave the details to human imagination. He is intensely interested in the particulars, because the particulars are where the meaning is. The modern mind, particularly the evangelical mind, can be impatient with this kind of detail. We want the "big idea," the principle, the take-away. But God gave His people fabric swatches and engraving instructions. Why? Because the worship of God is not an abstract affair. It is embodied. And the visible, tangible elements of Old Covenant worship were designed to be a catechism for the senses, teaching the people about realities they could not yet see.

The ephod is a case in point. It is a garment of glory and beauty, yes, but its central function is to bear the names of the people. The high priest does not go into God's presence as a private individual. He goes as a public person, representing the twelve tribes. He carries them with him. And where does he carry them? On his shoulders. The shoulder is the place of strength, of bearing burdens, of carrying responsibility. This is a physical enactment of the spiritual reality of mediation. The salvation of Israel rests on the shoulders of their appointed representative. This points us directly to the one of whom Isaiah would later prophesy, "the government shall be upon his shoulder" (Isa. 9:6). The government of God's people, their welfare, their access to the Father, rests entirely on the strong shoulders of our great High Priest, Jesus.

Verse by Verse Commentary

6 “They shall also make the ephod of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of the skillful designer.

The instructions for the ephod begin with its materials, and they are the most precious and significant materials available. Gold, beaten into thin sheets and then cut into threads, is woven into the fabric itself. This speaks of divinity, purity, and royalty. The colors are also deeply symbolic. Blue speaks of the heavens, the transcendent realm of God. Purple was the color of royalty and great wealth. Scarlet, or crimson, speaks of blood, sacrifice, and life. And the fine twisted linen speaks of righteousness and purity. These are the same materials used for the inner curtains of the Tabernacle, linking the priest's garments directly to the dwelling place of God. He is clothed in the stuff of heaven. This is not to be a clumsy piece of work; it is to be the product of a skillful designer, a craftsman filled with the Spirit of God (Ex. 31:3). The worship of God demands our very best, in both materials and skill.

7 It shall have two shoulder pieces joined to its two ends, that it may be joined.

The basic structure of the ephod is described. It was likely a sort of waistcoat or apron-like garment that covered the front and back of the torso, held together at the top by two shoulder pieces. This design is functional, but the focus on the shoulder pieces is theologically significant, as the following verses will make plain. The joining at the shoulders is what makes the garment a single, cohesive unit. It is what allows it to be worn and to bear the weight of what will be attached to it.

8 The skillfully woven band, which is on it, shall be like its workmanship, of the same material: of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen.

A band, or girdle, was woven as an integral part of the ephod. It was not a separate belt but was of "the same material" and "like its workmanship." This band would have secured the ephod around the priest's waist, ensuring it was fitted for service. In Scripture, girding the loins is a picture of readiness for action and service. This priest is not dressed for lounging; he is dressed for work. The fact that the band is of one piece with the ephod emphasizes the integrity and unity of his office and his preparation for ministry.

9-10 You shall take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel, six of their names on the one stone and the names of the remaining six on the second stone, according to their birth.

Here we come to the central feature of the ephod. Two onyx stones, precious and durable, are to be prepared. Upon these stones, the names of the twelve tribes, the sons of Israel, are to be permanently engraved. This is not a temporary marking; it is a lasting inscription. The division is six names on each stone, arranged "according to their birth," that is, in chronological order from Reuben to Benjamin. This signifies the whole covenant community, in its God-ordained historical order. Every tribe is included; none is forgotten. They are identified not as a random collection of people, but as the family of God, descended from the patriarchs.

11 As a jeweler engraves a signet, you shall engrave the two stones according to the names of the sons of Israel; you shall set them all around in filigree settings of gold.

The manner of the engraving is specified. It is to be like the work of a signet, which was used to make an official, authoritative impression. This is a deep, clear, and permanent engraving. These names are not written in chalk; they are carved in stone. Then, these engraved stones are to be mounted in beautiful, ornate settings of pure gold filigree. The preciousness of the people to God is highlighted by the preciousness of the materials used to represent them. They are literally "set in gold."

12 You shall put the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, as stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel, and Aaron shall bear their names before Yahweh on his two shoulders for remembrance.

This verse gives the purpose for the entire construction. The stones are placed on the shoulder pieces. Why? So that Aaron, the high priest, "shall bear their names before Yahweh." He carries the people, represented by their names, into the presence of God on his shoulders, the place of strength. This is an act of representative intercession. The stones are designated as stones of remembrance. This does not mean that God is forgetful and needs a reminder. Rather, in biblical language, for God to "remember" His people is for Him to act on their behalf according to His covenant promises. When the priest stands before God with the names on his shoulders, it is a perpetual appeal to the covenant, a reminder of God's promises to His people, prompting His gracious action. He bears them for remembrance, so that God will remember them in grace.

13-14 You shall make filigree settings of gold, and two chains of pure gold; you shall make them a twisted work of cords, and you shall put the chains of cords on the filigree settings.

These verses seem to anticipate the attachment of the breastpiece, which will be described next. The golden settings are mentioned again, and now two beautifully crafted chains of pure gold are to be made. These are not simple links but are like twisted cords or ropes, indicating both beauty and strength. These chains will connect the breastpiece to the shoulder pieces of the ephod. Everything is being prepared to unite the representation of the people on the priest's shoulders (his strength) with the representation of the people on the priest's heart (his affections), which will be detailed in the passage that follows.

Application

It is easy to get lost in the details of the ephod and miss the overwhelming pastoral comfort that is woven into its very fabric. We are a people who often feel forgotten. We feel that our struggles are unnoticed, that our names are lost in the crowd, that our access to God is tenuous at best. This passage demolishes that feeling.

The lesson of the ephod is that God's people are carried into His presence on the strong shoulders of their Mediator. Our names are not written in the sand, to be washed away by the next wave of trouble. They are engraved in stone and set in gold. This was true for Israel in a typological way through Aaron, and it is true for the Church in a final and perfect way through Jesus Christ. Hebrews tells us that Christ has entered "into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us" (Heb. 9:24). He is our Aaron. He carries us. His shoulders bore the weight of the cross for us, and those same shoulders now bear our names before the Father. He is our remembrance. God does not remember us because of our goodness, but because He sees us on the shoulders of His beloved Son.

Therefore, we should never approach God with uncertainty. We should never feel like we are crashing a party to which we were not invited. Our representative has carried us in. Our names are on His shoulders. When the Father looks at His Son, He remembers us. He remembers His covenant, and He acts on our behalf. This is the foundation of our confidence in prayer and the source of our assurance. We are borne up by a strength that is not our own, presented to the Father by a priest who can never fail.