Exodus 28:42

And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach:

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(42) Thou shalt make them linen breeches.—Rather, linen drawers. Drawers reaching from the waist to a little above the knee were the sole garment of many in Egypt, a necessary garment of all. Their object was as here stated.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

28:40-43 The priest's garments typify the righteousness of Christ. If we appear not before God in that, we shall bear our iniquity, and die. Blessed is he, therefore, that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, Re 16:15. And blessed be God that we have a High Priest, appointed of God, and set apart for his work; furnished for his high office by the glory of his Divine majesty, and the beauty of perfect holiness. Happy are we, if by the law spiritually understood, we see that such a High Priest became us; that we cannot draw near to a holy God, or be accepted, but by him. There is no light, no wisdom, no perfection, but from him; no glory, no beauty, but in being like unto him. Let us take encouragement from the power, love, and compassion of our High Priest, to draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The dress of white linen was the strictly sacerdotal dress common to the whole body of priests Ezekiel 44:17-18. "These were for glory and for beauty" not less than "the golden garments" (as they were called by the Jews) which formed the high priest's dress of state Exodus 28:2. The linen suit which the high priest put on when he went into the most holy place on the day of atonement, appears to have been regarded with unique respect (Compare Exodus 31:10; Leviticus 16:4, Leviticus 16:23), though it is nowhere stated that it was distinguished in its make or texture, except in having a girdle Exodus 28:39 wholly of white linen, instead of a variegated one. The ancient Egyptian priests, like the Hebrew priests, wore nothing but white linen garments in the performance of their duties.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

42. linen breeches—drawers, which encompassed the loins and reached half way down the thighs. They are seen very frequently represented in Egyptian figures.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Including both. Compare Exodus 20:26.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness,.... Or "the flesh of nakedness" (q), that part of the body which ought not to be naked and exposed to view, and which, when it is, causes shame and ridicule; what part is designed is easily gathered from the next clause; great care was taken, in the service of God's house, to preserve decency, prevent immodesty, and to guard against laughter and levity, and the like care should be always taken; see Gill on Exodus 28:2,

from the loins even unto the thigh they shall reach; they were to reach above the navel near the heart, and to the end of the thigh, which is the knee, as Maimonides says (r); who also observes, that they had strings, but had no opening before or behind, but were drawn up round like a purse; they were a sort of drawers, and somewhat like our sailors' trousers.

(q) "carnem nuditatis", Montanus, Vatablus, Drusius; "carnem nudam", Junius & Tremellius; "carnem verendorum", Tigurine version; "carnem pudendorum", Piscator. (r) Cele Hamikdash, c. 8. sect. 18.

Geneva Study Bible

And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach:

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

42, 43. The linen drawers, to be worn by the priests during their ministrations in the Tent of meeting or at the altar. A dictate of reverence and modesty. The layman was forbidden to go up by steps to the altar, lest he should expose his person upon it (Exodus 20:26): for the priests, who did go up upon the altar (see on Exodus 27:5), and were otherwise frequently engaged in or near the Tent of meeting, special garments were provided, in order to prevent the same unseemliness. Among the Romans the Flamen Dialis similarly (Gell. x. 15), ‘tunicam intimam nisi in locis tectis non exuit, ne sub caelo tanquam sub oculis Jovis nudus sit’ (cited by Kn.).

breeches] Only in this connexion (Exodus 39:28, Leviticus 6:10; Leviticus 16:4; and in Ezek.’s regulations for the priesthood, Ezekiel 44:18†): from the description, evidently what we should call either loincloths or drawers. LXX. περισκελῆ; Jos. (Ant. iii. 7. 1) διάζωμα περὶ τὰ αἰδοῖα.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 42. - Linen breeches. Rather, "linen drawers" (Kalisch), such as we see worn by the Egyptians generally, reaching from the waist to a little above the knee. (See Wilkinson in Rawlinson's Herodotus, vol. 2. p. 113, 2nd ed.) This also was of linen (Herod. 2:83). Unto the thighs - i.e., to the bottom of the thighs where they adjoin on the knee. Exodus 28:42

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The covering of their nakedness was an indispensable prerequisite. Aaron and his sons were therefore to receive מכנסים (from כּנס to cover or conceal, lit., concealers), short drawers, reaching from the hips to the thighs, and serving "to cover the flesh of the nakedness." For this reason the directions concerning them are separated from those concerning the different portions of the dress, which were for glory and beauty. The material of which these drawers were to be made is called בּד. The meaning of this word is uncertain. According to Exodus 39:28, it was made of twined byssus or cotton yarn; and the rendering of the lxx, λίνα or λίνεος (Leviticus 6:3), is not at variance with this, as the ancients not only apply the term λίνον, linum, to flax, but frequently use it for fine white cotton as well. In all probability bad was a kind of white cloth, from בּדד to be white or clean, primarily to separate.