8 And he made the breastplate of artistic work, like the work of the ephod, of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined byssus. 9 It was square; double did they make the breastplate, a span the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof, doubled. 10 And they set in it four rows of stones: [one] row, a sardoin, a topaz, and an emerald—the first row; 11 and the second row, a carbuncle, a sapphire, and a diamond; 12 and the third row, an opal, an agate, and an amethyst; 13 and the fourth row, a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper; mounted in enclosures of gold in their settings. 14 And the stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, engraved as a seal, every one according to his name, for the twelve tribes. 15 And they made on the breastplate chains of laced work of wreathen work, of pure gold. 16 And they made two settings of gold, and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate. 17 And they put the two wreathen [cords] of gold in the two rings on the ends of the breastplate; 18 and the two ends of the two wreathen [cords] they fastened to the two settings, and put them on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, on the front thereof. 19 And they made two rings of gold, and put [them] on the two ends of the breastplate, on the border thereof, which faceth the ephod inwards. 20 And they made two rings of gold, and put them upon the two shoulder-pieces of the ephod underneath, to the front thereof, just by the coupling thereof, above the girdle of the ephod. 21 And they bound the breastplate with its rings to the rings of the ephod with lace of blue, that it might be above the girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not be loosed from the ephod; as Jehovah had commanded Moses.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 39:8-21
Commentary on Exodus 39:1-31
(Read Exodus 39:1-31)
The priests' garments were rich and splendid. The church in its infancy was thus taught by shadows of good things to come; but the substance is Christ, and the grace of the gospel. Christ is our great High Priest. When he undertook the work of our redemption, he put on the clothes of service, he arrayed himself with the gifts and graces of the Spirit, girded himself with resolution to go through the undertaking, took charge of all God's spiritual Israel, laid them near his heart, engraved them on the palms of his hands, and presented them to his Father. And he crowned himself with holiness to the Lord, consecrating his whole undertaking to the honour of his Father's holiness. True believers are spiritual priests. The clean linen with which all their clothes of service must be made, is the righteousness of saints, Revelation 19:8.