1-43

Calvin's Commentaries, Vol. 5: Harmony of the Law, Part III, tr. by John King, [1847-50], at sacred-texts.com

Exodus 39

Exodus 39:1-43

1. And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made clothes of service, to do service in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as the Lord commanded Moses.

l. Ex hyacintho autem, et purpura, et vermiculo cocci fecerunt vestes ministerii ad ministrandum in sanctuario: fecerunt item vestes sanctitatis, quae erant Aharonis, quemadmodum praeceperat Jehova ipsi Mosi.

2. And he made the ephod of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.

2. Fecit et ephod ex auro, hyacintho, et purpura, et vermiculo cocci, et bysso retorta.

3. 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.

3. Extenderuntque bracteas aureas, et inciderunt fila, ut texerent in medio hyacinthi, et in medio purpurae, et in medio vermiculi cocci, et in medio byssi, opere phrygionico.

4. They made shoulder-pieces for it, to couple it together: by the two edges was it coupled together.

4. Oras fecerunt ei copulantes sese, et in duabus extremitatibus ejus conjungebantur.

5. 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.

5. Et cingulum ephod quod erat super illud, ex ipso erat juxta opus suum, ex auro, hyacintho, et purpura, et vermiculo cocci, et bysso retorta, quemadmodum praeceperat Jehova Mosi.

6. And they wrought onyx-stones inclosed in ouches of gold, graven, as signets are graven, with the names of the children of Israel.

6. Et aptaverunt lapides onychinos circundatos palis aureis, sculptos sculpturis annuli cum nominibus filiorum Israel.

7. And he put them on the shoulders of the ephod, that they should be stones for a memorial to the children of Israel; as the Lord commanded Moses.

7. Posuitque illos in lateribus ephod, ut essent lapides memoriae filiis Israel, quemadmodum praeceperat Jehova Mosi.

8. And he made the breastplate of cunning work, like the work of the ephod; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.

8. Fecit et pectorale opere phrygionis, sicut opus ephod, ex auro, hyacintho, et purpura, et vermiculo cocci, et bysso retorta.

9. It was four-square; they made the breastplate double: a span was the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof, being doubled.

9. Quadratum erat, duplicatum fecerunt pectorale: palmus longitudo ejus, palmusque latitudo ejus: duplicatum.

10. And they set in it four rows of stones; the first row was a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this was the first row.

10. Impleverunt autem in eo quatuor ordines lapidum, ordo autem talis erat, sardius, topazius, et carbunculus, erat ordo primus.

11. And the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.

11. Ordo vero secundus, smaragdus, sapphirus, et jaspis.

12. And the third row, a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.

12. Ordo praeterea tertius, lyncurius, achates, et amethystus.

13. And the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper: they were inclosed in ouches of gold in their inclosings.

13. Postremo quartus ordo, chrysolitus, onychinus, et beryllus circundati palis aureis in plenitudinibus suis.

14. And the stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, every one with his name, according to the twelve tribes.

14. Porro lapides illi juxta nomina filiorum Israel erant, duodecim, juxta nomina eorum, sculpturae sigilli, quilibet juxta nomen suum, secundum duodecim tribus.

15. And they made upon the breastplate chains at the ends, of wreathen work of pure gold.

15. Fecerunt et super pectorale catenas terminationis opere plectili ex auro puro.

16. And they made two ouches of gold, and two gold rings, and put the two rings in the two ends of the breastplate.

16. Fecerunt etiam duas palas aureas, et duos annulos aureos: posueruntque duos illos annulos in duabus extremitatibus pectoralis.

17. And they put the two wreathen chains of gold in the two rings on the ends of the breastplate.

17. Et inseruerunt duas catenas aureas duobus illis annulis qui erant in extremitatibus pectoralis.

18. And the two ends of the two wreathen chains they fastened in the two ouches, and put them on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, before it.

18. Duas autem extremitates duarum catenarum inseruerunt duabus illis palis, posueruntque eas in oris ephod a fronte ipsius.

19. And they made two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, upon the border of it, which was on the side of the ephod inward.

19. Fecerunt item duos annulos aureos, quos posuerunt in duabus extremitatibus pectoralis, in ora ejus quae erat in latere ephod intrinsecus.

20. And they made two other golden rings, and put them on the two sides of the ephod underneath, toward the fore-part of it, over against the other coupling thereof, above the curious girdle of the ephod.

20. Fecerunt praeterea duos alios annulos aureos, quos posuerunt in duabus oris ephod inferne,a fronte ipsius, e regione conjunctionis ejus, supra balteum ephod.

21. And they did bind the breastplate by his rings unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not be loosed from the ephod; as the Lord commanded Moses.

21. Et ligaverunt pectorale ab annulis suis ad annulos ipsius ephod, filo hyacinthino, ut esset supra balteum ipsius ephod, neque separaretur pectorale ab ephod: quemadmodum praeceperat Jehova ipsi Mosi.

22. And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue.

22. Fecit insuper pallium ipsi ephod opere textoris, totum hyacinthinum.

23. And there was an hole in the midst of the robe, as the hole of habergeon, with a band round about the hole, that it should not rend.

23. Et foramen pallii in medio ejus, sicut foramen loricae labrum erat in orificio ipsius per circuitum, ne frangeretur.

24. And they made upon the hems of the robe pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen

24. Feceruntque in fimbriis pallii malogranata ex hyacintho, et purpura, et vermiculo cocci, et bysso retorta.

25. 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:

25. Fecerunt et tintinnabula exauro puro, posueruntque tintinnabula illa in medio malogranatorum, in fimbriis pallii per circuitum, in medio, inquam, malogranatorum.

26. 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.

26. Tintinnabulum et malogranatum, tintinnabulum et malogranatum in fimbriis pallii in circuitu, ad ministrandum, quemadmodum praeceperat et Jehova ipsi Mosi.

27. And they made coats of fine linen, of woven work, for Aaron, and for his sons;

27. Post haec fecerunt tunicas ex bysso opere textorio ipsi Aharon et filiis ejus:

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

28. Mitram quoque ex bysso, et decora galerorum ex bysso, et foeminalia linee ex bysso retorta:

29. And a girdle of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, of needle-work; as the Lord commanded Moses.

29. Balteum praeterea ex bysso retorta, et hyacintho, ex purpura, et vermiculo cocci, opere phrygionis, quemadmodum praeceperat Jehova ipsi Mosi.

30. And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote upon it a writing, like to the engravings of a signet, Holiness to the Lord.

30. Fecerunt postremo laminam coronae sanctificationis ex auro, scripseruntque in ea scriptura caelaturarum annuli, Sanctitas ipsi Jehovae.

31. And they tied unto it a lace of blue, to fasten it on high upon the mitre; as the Lord commanded Moses.

31. Et inseruerunt in eam filum hyacinthinum, ut poneretur super tiaram superne, quemadmodum praeceperat Jehova Mosi.

32. Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished: and the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so did they.

32. Perfectum est igitur totum opus tabernaculi conventionis: et fecerunt filii Israel juxta omnia quae praeceperat Jehova ipsi Mosi, sic fecerunt.

33. And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses, the tent, and all his furniture, his taches, his boards, his bars, and his pillars, and his sockets;

33. Attuleruntque tabernaculum illud ad Mosen, tabernaculum et omnia vasa ejus, circulos ejus, tabulas ejus, vectes ejus, et columnas ejus, et bases ejus.

34. And the covering of rams’ skins dyed red, and the covering of badgers’ skins, and the vail of the covering;

34. Opertorium quoque ex pellibus arietum rubricatis, et opertorium ex pellibus taxorum, et velum operimenti.

35. The ark of the testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy-seat;

35. Arcam testimonii, et vectes ejus, et propitiatorium,

36. The table, and all the vessels thereof, and the shew-bread;

36. Mensam, omnia vasa ejus, et panem facierum,

37. The pure candlestick, with the lamps thereof, even with the lamps to be set in order, and all the vessels thereof, and the oil for light;

37. Candelabrum purum, lucernas inquam ordinationis, et omnia vasa ejus, et oleum luminaris,

38. And the golden altar, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the tabernacle-door;

38. Et altare aureum, et oleum unctionis, et suffimentum aromaticum, et aulaeum pro ostio tabernaculi.

39. The brasen altar, and his grate of brass, his staves, and all his vessels; the laver and his foot;

39. Altare aereum, et cribrum ejus aereum, vectes ejus, et omnia vasa ejus, et concham, et basim ejus.

40. The hangings of the court, his pillars, and his sockets, and the hanging for the court-gate, his cords, and his pins, and all the vessels of the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of the congregation;

40. Cortinas atrii, et columnas ejus, et aulaeum pro porta atrii, et funes ejus, et palos ejus, et omnia vasa ministerii tabernaculi, tabernaculi conventionis.

41. The clothes of service to do service in the holy place; and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and his sons’ garments, to minister in the priest’s office.

41. Vestes ministerii ad ministrandum in sanctuario, vestes sanctas ipsi Aharon sacerdoti, et vestes filiorum ejus, ad fungendum sacerdotio.

42. According to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work.

42. Juxta omnia quae praeceperat Jehova Mosi, sic fecerunt filii Israel universum opus.

43. And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the Lord had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.

43. Videns vero Moses universum opus, quod prorsus fecissent illud quemadmodum praeceperat Jehova, benedixit illis.

1. And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet. The description of the sacerdotal garments, which is repeated in this chapter, is more accurate than it would have been had he been speaking of some unimportant matter. And assuredly, since Christ was vividly represented in the person of the high priest, this was a most important part of the legal service. We have elsewhere set forth how far it was from being an empty pomp, as when the Popish sacrificers now-a-days, in order to acquire dignity, dazzle the eyes of the simple by the splendor of their vestments, and their magnificent paraphernalia; but that rather it was for the purpose of placing before men’s eyes all that faith ought to consider in Jesus Christ. We have especially seen how great mysteries were contained in the mitre, which was Holiness to the Lord: and in the ephod, in which shone forth the light of truth and integrity of life, and in which were the symbols of the ten tribes, so that the priest bore the people itself upon his shoulders and before his breast, in such a manner that in the person of one all might be presented familiarly before God. For this reason he repeats seven times the clause, “as the Lord commanded Moses;” which certainly has the effect of awakening attention.

32. Thus was all the work of the tabernacle. A brief summary is now subjoined, whereby he indicates that in no part was there the least defect, and also declares that the children of Israel had so obeyed God’s commands, that the work itself varied in no respect from its pattern. “The children of Israel,” he says, “did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so did they;” whence we gather that no part of the building was impaired by any admixture. Afterwards it is added, that the tabernacle with its utensils and furniture was brought before Moses, and that all things were approved of by his judgment; for he is said to have “blessed them,” because they had duly and faithfully obeyed God’s command. This, however, was not a simple prayer, as of a private individual; but it was a promise of reward, such as might awaken confidence in the minds of the people, when they heard from the mouth (“D’un tel Prophete;” of such a Prophet. — Fr.) of this excellent and unimpeachable witness that their labor was pleasing to God.