The Ephod on the Priests’ Garments
Exodus 28:1-14
“Then bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the people of Israel, to serve me as priests—Aaron and Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty.
You shall speak to all the skillful, whom I have filled with a spirit of skill, that they make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him for my priesthood.
These are the garments that they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a coat of checker work, a turban, and a sash. They shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons to serve me as priests.
They shall receive gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen.
“And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and of fine twined linen, skillfully worked.
It shall have two shoulder pieces attached to its two edges, so that it may be joined together.
And the skillfully woven band on it shall be made like it and be of one piece with it, of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen.
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 other stone, in the order of their birth.
As a jeweler engraves signets, so shall you engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel. You shall enclose them in settings of gold filigree.
And you shall set 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 the Lord on his two shoulders for remembrance.
You shall make settings of gold filigree and two chains of pure gold, twisted like cords; and you shall attach the corded chains to the settings.
Granted, these passages can be a dry read but it’s quite fascinating when broken down.
Looking at the bigger picture of Exodus 28 (the Priests’ Garments), did you realize that in this chapter there are 31 major instructions from God for 30 robes?
Within these major instructions are many more minute detailed charges that need to be added into the ephod, breastpiece, robe, coat (Remember: God wanted a coat of checker work), a turban, and a sash.
Moses needed to know it all so he could tell ‘the skillful, whom I have filled with a spirit of skill’” on how to create the garments.
And these are only the priests’ garments!
The passages written above (Exodus 28:1-14) focuses purely and entirely on one of the five pieces the ephod.
The instructions for the ephod contain 317 words….317 words of instruction for one piece of the garment!
Yikes!
This is what amazes me: God teaching Moses (and Moses learning) all other laws and procedures in Exodus and Leviticus so he (Moses) can instruct and teach the Chosen ones…correctly!
Moses better understand ALL the instructions the first time he receives them, keeping in mind that his boss is the All Mighty Powerful God.
Not bad considering Moses once told the LORD of hosts:
“Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent…but I am slow of speech and of tongue” (Exodus 4:10)
And you thought remembering the correct order of the Ten Commandments was difficult.
All for the Lord God Almighty.