6 and have made the ephod of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen, work of a designer; 7 it hath two shoulders joining at its two ends, and it is joined. 8 'And the girdle of his ephod which 'is' on him, according to its work, is of the same, of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen. 9 'And thou hast taken the two shoham stones, and hast opened on them the names of the sons of Israel; 10 six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the remaining six on the second stone, according to their births; 11 the work of an engraver in stone, openings of a signet, thou dost open the two stones by the names of the sons of Israel; turned round, embroidered 'with' gold, thou dost make them. 12 'And thou hast set the two stones on the shoulders of the ephod—stones of memorial to the sons of Israel—and Aaron hath borne their names before Jehovah, on his two shoulders, for a memorial. 13 'And thou hast made embroidered things of gold, 14 and two chains of pure gold, wreathed work thou dost make them, work of thick bands, and thou hast put the thick chains on the embroidered things.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 28:6-14
Commentary on Exodus 28:6-14
(Read Exodus 28:6-14)
This richly-wrought ephod was the outmost garment of the high priest; plain linen ephods were worn by the inferior priests. It was a short coat without sleeves, fastened close to the body with a girdle. The shoulder-pieces were buttoned together with precious stones set in gold, one on each shoulder, on which were engraven the names of the children of Israel. Thus Christ, our High Priest, presents his people before the Lord for a memorial. As Christ's coat had no seam, but was woven from the top throughout, so it was with the ephod. The golden bells on this ephod, by their preciousness and pleasant sound, well represent the good profession that the saints make, and the pomegranates the fruit they bring forth.