Exodus 28:2
New International Version
Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor.

New Living Translation
Make sacred garments for Aaron that are glorious and beautiful.

English Standard Version
And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty.

Berean Standard Bible
Make holy garments for your brother Aaron, to give him glory and splendor.

King James Bible
And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty.

New King James Version
And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty.

New American Standard Bible
And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty.

NASB 1995
“You shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty.

NASB 1977
“And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty.

Legacy Standard Bible
You shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty.

Amplified Bible
You are to make sacred garments [official clothing reserved for holy services] for Aaron your brother, for honor and for beauty (ornamentation).

Christian Standard Bible
Make holy garments for your brother Aaron, for glory and beauty.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Make holy garments for your brother Aaron, for glory and beauty.

American Standard Version
And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, for glory and for beauty.

Contemporary English Version
Make Aaron some beautiful clothes that are worthy of a high priest.

English Revised Version
And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, for glory and for beauty.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Make holy clothes for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor.

Good News Translation
Make priestly garments for your brother Aaron, to provide him with dignity and beauty.

International Standard Version
You are to make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for dignity and beauty.

Majority Standard Bible
Make holy garments for your brother Aaron, to give him glory and splendor.

NET Bible
You must make holy garments for your brother Aaron, for glory and for beauty.

New Heart English Bible
You shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty.

Webster's Bible Translation
And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, for glory and for beauty.

World English Bible
You shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and you have made holy garments for your brother Aaron, for glory and for beauty;

Young's Literal Translation
and thou hast made holy garments for Aaron thy brother, for honour and for beauty;

Smith's Literal Translation
And make a holy covering for Aaron thy brother, for glory and for beauty.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And thou shalt make a holy vesture for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And you shall make a holy vestment for Aaron, your brother, with glory and elegance.

New American Bible
For the glorious adornment of your brother Aaron you shall have sacred vestments made.

New Revised Standard Version
You shall make sacred vestments for the glorious adornment of your brother Aaron.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And you shall make holy vestments for Aaron your brother for glory and for beauty.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And make holy garments for Ahron your brother for honor and for glory.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, for splendour and for beauty.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And thou shalt make holy apparel for Aaron thy brother, for honour and glory.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Garments for the Priests
1“Next, have your brother Aaron brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, to serve Me as priests. 2Make holy garments for your brother Aaron, to give him glory and splendor. 3You are to instruct all the skilled craftsmen, whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom, to make garments for Aaron’s consecration, so that he may serve Me as priest.…

Cross References
Leviticus 8:7-9
He put the tunic on Aaron, tied the sash around him, clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod on him. He tied the woven band of the ephod around him and fastened it to him. / Then he put the breastpiece on him and placed the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece. / Moses also put the turban on Aaron’s head and set the gold plate, the holy diadem, on the front of the turban, as the LORD had commanded him.

Hebrews 5:4
No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was.

Exodus 39:1-31
From the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn they made specially woven garments for ministry in the sanctuary, as well as the holy garments for Aaron, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. / Bezalel made the ephod of finely spun linen embroidered with gold, and with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn. / They hammered out thin sheets of gold and cut threads from them to interweave with the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and fine linen—the work of a skilled craftsman. ...

Leviticus 16:32
The priest who is anointed and ordained to succeed his father as high priest shall make atonement. He will put on the sacred linen garments

Numbers 20:26-28
Remove Aaron’s priestly garments and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron will be gathered to his people and will die there.” / So Moses did as the LORD had commanded, and they climbed Mount Hor in the sight of the whole congregation. / After Moses had removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar, Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.

Hebrews 7:26
Such a high priest truly befits us—One who is holy, innocent, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.

1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Isaiah 61:10
I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom wears a priestly headdress, as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Revelation 1:6
who has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen.

Revelation 19:8
She was given clothing of fine linen, bright and pure.” For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints.

Zechariah 3:4
So the angel said to those standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes!” Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have removed your iniquity, and I will clothe you with splendid robes.”

1 Samuel 2:28
And out of all the tribes of Israel I selected your father to be My priest, to offer sacrifices on My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in My presence. I also gave to the house of your father all the food offerings of the Israelites.

2 Chronicles 26:18
They took their stand against King Uzziah and said, “Uzziah, you have no right to offer incense to the LORD. Only the priests, the descendants of Aaron, are consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have acted unfaithfully; you will not receive honor from the LORD God.”

Psalm 132:9
May Your priests be clothed with righteousness, and Your saints shout for joy.

Ezekiel 44:17-18
When they enter the gates of the inner court, they are to wear linen garments; they must not wear anything made of wool when they minister at the gates of the inner court or inside the temple. / They are to wear linen turbans on their heads and linen undergarments around their waists. They must not wear anything that makes them perspire.


Treasury of Scripture

And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother for glory and for beauty.

holy garments

Exodus 29:5-9,29,30
And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the curious girdle of the ephod: …

Exodus 31:10
And the cloths of service, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's office,

Exodus 39:1,2
And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made cloths of service, to do service in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as the LORD commanded Moses…

glory

Exodus 28:40
And for Aaron's sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and for beauty.

Exodus 19:5,6
Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: …

Numbers 27:20,21
And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient…

Jump to Previous
Aaron Beauty Clothed Dignity Garments Glory Holy Honor Honour Ornament Robes Sacred Splendour
Jump to Next
Aaron Beauty Clothed Dignity Garments Glory Holy Honor Honour Ornament Robes Sacred Splendour
Exodus 28
1. Aaron and his sons are set apart for the priest's office
2. Holy garments are appointed
6. The ephod and girdle
15. The breast-plate with twelve precious stones
30. The Urim and Thummim
31. The robe of the ephod, with pomegranates and bells
36. The plate of the mitre
39. The embroidered coat
40. The garments for Aaron's sons














Make holy garments
The Hebrew word for "holy" is "קֹדֶשׁ" (qodesh), which signifies something set apart for a sacred purpose. In the context of the priestly garments, this indicates that these clothes are not ordinary but are consecrated for divine service. The act of making these garments is a divine command, emphasizing the importance of preparation and intentionality in worship. Historically, the creation of these garments would have involved skilled craftsmanship, reflecting the value God places on beauty and excellence in service to Him.

for your brother Aaron
Aaron, the brother of Moses, is chosen by God to be the first high priest of Israel. This familial relationship underscores the importance of leadership within the community of faith being rooted in God’s calling and not merely in human ambition. Aaron's role as high priest is foundational for the Levitical priesthood, which serves as a mediator between God and the Israelites. This highlights the necessity of a divinely appointed mediator, a theme that finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, our High Priest.

to give him dignity and splendor
The Hebrew words for "dignity" (כָּבוֹד, kavod) and "splendor" (תִּפְאָרָה, tiferet) convey a sense of honor and beauty. "Kavod" often refers to glory or weightiness, suggesting that the garments are meant to reflect the gravity and honor of Aaron's priestly office. "Tiferet" implies beauty and magnificence, indicating that the garments are not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing, reflecting the beauty of holiness. This combination of dignity and splendor serves to elevate Aaron's role, reminding the Israelites of the majesty and holiness of God whom Aaron represents. Theologically, this points to the truth that those who serve God are to reflect His glory and beauty in their lives and service.

(2) Holy garments.--Though holiness is, strictly speaking, a personal quality, yet all nations have felt it right to regard as "holy," in a certain modified sense, all those material objects which are connected with religion and employed in the worship of God. Hence we hear, both in Scripture and elsewhere, of "holy places," "holy vessels," "holy books," "holy garments." These last are required especially for the ministrants in holy places, who need to be marked out by some evident signs from the body of the worshippers. In Egypt the ministering priests in temples always wore peculiar dresses; and probably there was no nation in the time of Moses which, if it possessed a class of priests, did not distinguish them by some special costume, at any rate when they were officiating. The natural instinct which thus exhibited itself, received Divine sanction by the communications which were made to Moses in Sinai, whereby special dresses were appointed both for the high priest and for the ordinary priests.

For glory and for beauty.--These words have great force. God would have His priests richly, as well as decently, apparelled, for two objects--(1) For glory--to glorify them--to give them an exalted position in the eyes of the nation, to cause them to be respected, and their office to be highly regarded; (2) for beauty--to make the worship of the sanctuary more beautiful than it would otherwise have been, to establish a harmony between the richly-adorned tabernacle and those who ministered in it; to give to the service of the sanctuary the highest artistic, as well as the highest spiritual, perfection. The relation of art to religion is a subject on which volumes have been written, and which cannot be discussed here; but God's regard for "beauty" is here brought prominently before us, and no honest exegesis can ignore the pregnant fact that when God was pleased to give directions for His worship upon earth, they were made subservient, not only to utility and convenience, but to beauty. Beauty, it would seem, is not a thing despised by the Creator of the universe.

Verse 2. - Holy garments have provoked an extreme aversion and an extreme affection at different periods of the world's history. In Moses' time probably no one thought of raising any objection to them. Priestly dresses of many different kinds were worn in Egypt, and some costume other than that of ordinary life, was probably affected by the priest class of every nation. Without entering into any elaborate "philosophy of clothes," we may say that the rationale of the matter would seem to be that expressed with great moderation by Richard Hooker - "To solemn actions of royalty and justice their suitable ornaments are a beauty. Are they in religion only a stain?" (See Eccl. Pol. 5:29, § 1.) The garments ordered to be made for Aaron and his sons (ver. 41), are said to have been for glory and for beauty.

1. "For glory." To exalt the priestly office in the eyes of the people - to make them look with greater reverence on the priests themselves and the priestly functions - to place the priests in a class by themselves, in a certain sense, above the rest of the nation.

2. "For beauty." As fit and comely in themselves - suitable to the functions which the priests exercised - in harmony with the richness and beauty of the sanctuary wherein they were to minister. God, himself, it would seem, is not indifferent to beauty. He has spread beauty over the earth, fie will have beauty in his earthly dwelling-place. He requires men to worship him "in the beauty of holiness" (Psalm 29:2; Psalm 96:9; 1 Chronicles 16:29). He ordains for his priests rich and splendid dresses "for glory and for beauty."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Make
וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ (wə·‘ā·śî·ṯā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

holy
קֹ֖דֶשׁ (qō·ḏeš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6944: A sacred place, thing, sanctity

garments
בִגְדֵי־ (ḇiḡ·ḏê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 899: A covering, clothing, treachery, pillage

for your brother
אָחִ֑יךָ (’ā·ḥî·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 251: A brother, )

Aaron
לְאַהֲרֹ֣ן (lə·’a·hă·rōn)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 175: Aaron -- an elder brother of Moses

to give him dignity
לְכָב֖וֹד (lə·ḵā·ḇō·wḏ)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3519: Weight, splendor, copiousness

and splendor.
וּלְתִפְאָֽרֶת׃ (ū·lə·ṯip̄·’ā·reṯ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8597: Beauty, glory


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