8 Breastpiece. They made a Breastpiece designed like the Ephod from gold, blue, purple, and scarlet material and fine twisted linen. 9 Doubled, the Breastpiece was nine inches square. 10 They mounted four rows of precious gemstones on it. First row: carnelian, topaz, emerald. 11 Second row: ruby, sapphire, crystal. 12 Third row: jacinth, agate, amethyst. 13 Fourth row: beryl, onyx, jasper. 14 The twelve stones corresponded to the names of the sons of Israel, twelve names engraved as on a seal, one for each of the twelve tribes. 15 They made braided chains of pure gold for the Breastpiece, like cords. 16 They made two settings of gold filigree and two rings of gold, put the two rings at the two ends of the Breastpiece, 17 and fastened the two ends of the cords to the two rings at the end of the Breastpiece. 18 Then they fastened the cords to the settings of filigree, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the Ephod in front. 19 Then they made two rings of gold and fastened them to the two ends of the Breastpiece on its inside edge facing the Ephod. 20 They made two more rings of gold and fastened them in the front of the Ephod to the lower part of the two shoulder pieces, near the seam above the decorated band of the Ephod. 21 The Breastpiece was fastened by running a cord of blue through its rings to the rings of the Ephod so that it rested secure on the decorated band of the Ephod and wouldn't come loose, just as God 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.