8 And he maketh the breastplate, work of a designer, like the work of the ephod, of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen; 9 it hath been square; double they have made the breastplate, a span its length, and a span its breadth, doubled. 10 And they fill in it four rows of stones; a row of a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle 'is' the one row; 11 and the second row an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond; 12 and the third row an opal, an agate, and an amethyst; 13 and the fourth row a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper—set, embroidered 'with' gold, in their settings. 14 And the stones, according to the names of the sons of Israel, are twelve, according to their names, openings of a signet, each according to his name, for the twelve tribes. 15 And they make on the breastplate wreathed chains, work of thick bands, of pure gold; 16 and they make two embroidered things of gold, and two rings of gold, and put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate, 17 and they put the two thick bands of gold on the two rings on the ends of the breastplate; 18 and the two ends of the two thick bands they have put on the two embroidered things, and they put them on the shoulders of the ephod, over-against its front. 19 And they make two rings of gold, and set 'them' on the two ends of the breastplate, on its border, which 'is' on the side of the ephod within; 20 and they make two rings of gold, and put them on the two shoulders of the ephod below, over-against its front, over-against its joining, above the girdle of the ephod; 21 and they bind the breastplate by its rings unto the rings of the ephod, with a ribbon of blue, to be above the girdle of the ephod, and the breastplate is not loosed from off the ephod, as Jehovah hath 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.