Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Theological treatise · Chapter 28 · Questions · Question 13 – Question 20
QUEST. XIII. Of the matter whereof the holy garment should be made.
Vers. 5. THey shall take gold and blew silke. 1. By gold is here understood, Aurum in massa, & aurum in filis; Gold in the lumpe or masse, and golden threed, for the garments were made of golden threed: the precious stones were set into gold, and thereof was made the golden plate in the high Priests miter, Tostat. qu. 8. 2. And under the name of gold are comprehended also the precious stones, because they were inclosed, and set into the gold, Simler. 3. And these five are named, gold, blew silke, purple, skarlet, fine linen, not that all these concurred to the making of every garment, Sed quia nullum ornamentum erat, quod non ex istorum aliquo, &c. But because there was not any of the ornaments, which was not made of some of them, Cajetan. 4. The blew colour was like unto the skie, or violet: the purple was like to the rose colour, which was made of the liquor or bloud of a certaine shell-fish called the purple: the skarlet was died with certaine graines growing in a tree, whereof Plinie writeth: and to make the colour deeper,Lib. 9. cap. 41. it was twice died, in the wooll, and afterward, when it was spun: the fine linen was made of a most fine and white kinde of flax or linen, Ribera. 5. These foure colours represented the foure elements; two of them in colour, the skarlet the fire; the blew the skie or ayre; the other in their originall; the purple the water, the linen the earth, out of the which they came: and hereby as Iosephus noteth, was signified,Lib. 6. de bell. Iudaic. cap. 6. Sacerdotem illum esse summi rerum omnium conditoris: That he was the Priest of the high Creator of all things, because the colours of his garments did represent the whole world. 6. Beda also thus collecteth, that because all things were prescribed to be made of gold, and precious colours: Nihil vile, vel sordidum in Sacerdotis ore, vel opere debet apparere;Lib. 3. de sacri vestib. cap. 5… There should no vile thing appeare either in the Priests words or works, &c. Ribera.
QUEST. XIV. Of the name of the Ephod, and the divers kinds thereof.
Vers. 6. ANd they shall make the Ephod. 1. The Latine Interpreter calleth it superhumerale, following the Septuagint, which interpret it foreign, the shoulder garment: Iunius translateth it amiculum, a short cloake: but the Hebrew word is better retained, Ephod, because it was a peculiar garment belonging to the high Priest, so called of the word aphad, which signifieth to close or compasse, or gird about; as chap. 39.5. Thou shalt close them to him with embroidered gard of the Ephod, Oleaster. 2. There were two kinds of the Ephod; one was common (made of linen onelyonly) both to the inferiour Priests, as Saul put to the sword 85. Priests, that did weare a linen Ephod: as also to the Levits, as Samuel ministred before the Lord girded with a linen Ephod, 1 Sam. 2.18. Some thinke that this kinde was also permitted unto lay men in generall, Ribera. Some, that the Kings had a privilege to weare it, because David danced before the Arke in a linen Ephod, 2 Sam. 6. But R. Salomon thinketh more probably, that none were girded with the Ephod, but colentes Deum, aut servientes ei, They which worshipped God, or were specially addicted to his service. Other then beside the Priests might weare the linen Ephod, but onelyonly insacred actions: as David at that time danced before the Arke, Gallas. Oleaster. The other kinde of Ephod was peculiar to the high Priest, which was made of gold, and of the foure colours before named, Hierome ad Fabielam. And this Ephod it was not lawfull for any other to imitate: which was the cause of the fall of Gedeons house, because he made an Ephod like unto that used in the Tabernacle, Gallas.
QUEST. XV. How Gedeon offended in making an Ephod.
BUt whereas Gedeon made that Ephod of 1700. sicles of gold, Iudg. 8.26. 1. Augustine moveth a question, how so much gold could be put into one Ephod; and thinketh that by the Ephod are understood, as the whole by the part, Omnia qua constituit Gedeon in civitate ad colendum Deum;Quaest. super Iudic. qu. 41. All the other things which Gedeon made in his City to worship God by, as in the Tabernacle. And he thinketh further, that all Israel is said to go a whoring after it: although Gedeon made no image, Quia extra Tabernaculum fieri aliquid simile fas non erat; Because it was not lawful to make any like thing out of the Tabernacle. 2. But it need not seeme strange that so much gold was put into one vesture: for the whole summe, counting sixtie sicles to a pound, amounteth but to eighteen pound weight, or thereabout: and seeing the text maketh mention of no other ornaments, which Gedeon made, but the Ephod, we cannot conjecture that he made any beside that. And though it were unlawfull to make an Ephod elsewhere like that, which the high Priest used in the Tabernacle; yet that was not onelyonly Gedeons fault, but for that also by this occasion the people fell to idolatrie, and abused that Ephod in the idolatrous service of Baal Berith, as it followeth in the same place, Iudg. 9.33. Iun.
QUEST. XVI. Of the fashion of the Ephod.
Vers. 7. THe two shoulders thereof, &c. 1. R. Ab. Ezra thinketh, that this Ephod onelyonly covered the back-parts of the Priest, and that the breastplate or pectorall served for the other part before▪ but if it had beene so, then how could the shoulders thereof be joyned together one to another? therefore the Ephod had two parts, one before, and another behind, Cajetan.
2. Beda thinketh that the Ephod was made double, and so halfe of it was in sight without, and halfe within, and so it was joyned together. But Hierom calleth it, palliolum mira pulchritudinis, a cloake of exceeding beautie: it was not therefore onelyonly put double upon the back-parts; it was fastened in the shoulders, one part to another, Montan.
3. Iosephus thinketh it had sleeves; so also Ribera. But the contrarie is received, that it was fine ma… icis, without sleeves, Lippoman.
Riber. lib. 3. de sacr. vestib. c. 10. Tostat. qu. 2.4. Iosephus also thinketh, that it was but a cubit long, and so came but to the waste. So also Ribera and Tostatus thinke, that pertingebat us que ad zonam, it came but downe to the girdlestead, or waste: Procopius extendeth it, us que ad praecordia, unto the parts about the heart. But it rather reached à lumbis us que ad humeros, from the loynes to the shoulders, as Iunius, and Montanus in his description, us que ad umbilicum, downe to the navell, Cajetane: for if it did not hang downe beyond the waste, the broidered gard of the Ephod could not handsomely serve to close in the other garments, and gird them in the waste together with the Ephod: as is prescribed, chap. 39.5.
5. Thus then was the Ephod made; it had foure laps or wings: whereof two were joyned together on each shoulder, and two were coupled beneath under the arme holes, Tostat. quaest. 2. which are called the broidered gard, or girdle, as Iun. Oleaster, which was not made of the same stuffe onelyonly which the Ephod was made of, but out of the same peece, to make a difference betweene the girdle of the Ephod, and the other embroidered girdle, which was put aloft upon the garments: so that the nether lappets of the Ephod served as a girdle to fasten it below, Iun. Oleaster.
6. It was made of broidered worke, not pictured either with beasts, or flowers, or any such, but devised worke, as the word signifieth: such as Turkie and Arabian worke is, Montan.
7. On the forepart of the Ephod, was left a certaine hole or void place, for the pectorall to be placed in, Iosephus. Contra pectus nihil contextum erat, &c. Against the breast there was nothing wrought, that a place might be left for the pectorall or breast-plate, Hierom.
8. Beside, the Ephod had two golden chaines, not to hold up the breast-plate or pectorall, as Tostatus seemeth to thinke, for these chaines are described afterward, vers. 22. but they served rather, Vt illaquest partes superhumerales, &c. To fasten together the parts of the Ephod in the shoulder on both sides, Cajetan. Oleaster. For they were fastned on both sides to the bosses of gold upon the shoulders, where were set the two precious stones, vers. 14. which now come in the next place to be handled.
QUEST. XVII. Of the two Onyx or Sardonyx stones, why they are called stones of remembrance.
Vers. 9. THou shalt take two Onyx stones. 1. The Hebrew word is shoham, which the Chalde, whom Montanus followeth, takes for Berill, of a sea colour: the Septuag. for the smaragd, which is of greene colour: Procopius for the Saphire, of skie colour: but Iosephus calleth it the Sardonyx, so Iunius: and commonly it is called the Onyx stone, rather the Sardonyx, because it is so called, Apocal. 21.20. which is of the colour of the naile shewing upon the flesh, wherein there is a red mixed with white;Plinie lib. 37. cap. 6. so the Sardonyx hath a mixt colour of red, as the Sardius stone, and of white as the Onyx, which is of the colour of the naile, Tostat. qu. 10. Oleaster, Ribera.
2. In these two stones were graven the names of the 12. Tribes, according to their eldership: in the stone on the right shoulder, six of the eldest, and in the other, the six younger, Iosephus. The six elder were, Ruben, Simeon, Iudah, Dan, Nepthali, Gad: the six younger, Asher, Issachar Zebulon, Ephraim, Manasses, Benjamin; for Levi was left out, that Tribe being now to bee sequestred for the service of the Tabernacle, and for Ioseph were written his two sonnes, Ephraim and Manasses.
3. These are called stones of remembrance, not that the Lord need be put in remembrance; but that hereby the Israelites might be assured, that they were alwayes had in remembrance with God, Marbach. And Beda assigneth three other reasons, why they are so called: Vt ipse fidem Patriarcharum meminisset imitari; That he should remember to imitate the faith of the Patriarks, whose names he did beare: that the Priest should remember the Tribes in his prayers unto God: and to admonish the people in generall, not to decline from the steps of their fathers, Beda.
QUEST. XVIII. Of the mysticall application of the Ephod, and the two precious stones.
NOw this first priestly garment is diversly applied: 1. Iosephus by the two precious stones understandeth the Sunne and Moone. 2. Philo, the two Hemispheres of the world. 3. Hierome by the twelve names written in the precious stones, would have signified the twelve Apostles, which first preached the Gospell. 4. Beda: The Priest is admonished hereby to follow the life, and embrace the faith of the Patriarks and Prophets. 5. But most fitly rather is hereby signified, that Christ doth beare his Church as it were upon his shoulders, even as the Eagle beareth her young ones upon her wings, Deut. 32.11. Marbach. Osiand. Simler. Rupertus also hereby understandeth the bearing of our iniquities, which were laid upon Christs shoulders: Prosper, the government which is laid upon Christ. Procopius by the names graven in the stones, their names who are written in the booke of life, whom Christ carrieth as it were upon his shoulders into heaven.
QUEST. XIX. Why it was called the breast-plate of judgement.
Vers. 15. THou shalt make the breast-plate of judgement, &c. 1. The Septuagint call it foreign, and the Latine Interpreter following them, rationals, that is, the rationall or reasonable ornament: so named (as Tostatus thinketh) of the effect, because by that, Ratio reddebatur de his qua …nquirebamure; A reason was given of those things which were inquired. So also Ribera: because it was fat idicum, it prophesied of things to come, Procopius, because rationalis animi pars, &c. the reasonable part of the minde is placed in the heart, which the breast-plate covered. Vatabl…s giveth this reason, Quia exactaratione consideranda erant, &c. Because the things therein, as the Vrim and Thu…mi…, were exactly and with deepe reason to be considered of the high Priest. But this descanting upon the word is here superfluous, seeing the Hebrew word coshen signifieth a pectorall or breast-plate, and not as the Septuag. and Latine translate.
2. It is then called the breast-plate of judgement: not as the Hebrewes, because the high Priest found therein what the judgement of God was in that matter, which was inquired upon: for it shall afterward be shewed, that the Vrim and Thummius were not given to that end: nor yet because the high Priest in all weighty matters of judgement did put on the Ephod with the breast-plate, Marbach. for by that reason it might as well be called the Ephod of judgement: neither, because Aaron should in judgement have the people in remembrance, when he went into the holy place, Oleaster. But it was therefore so called, for that the high Priest did put it on, when he consulted with the Lord about the causes of the people, to give right judgement: as Numb. 27.21. He shall aske counsell for him by the judgement of Vrim before the Lord, Iun.
QUEST. XX. Of the fashion of the breast-plate.
Vers. 16. FOure-square shall it be. The breast-plate is thus described: 1. For the manner of workmanship, it must be of broidered worke like the Ephod. 2. For the matter, five things are required to the making thereof, as before in the Ephod: gold, blew silke, purple, skarlet, fine twined linen. 3. For the forme and fashion, it must be foure square, every side of even length, as appeareth by the foure orders of the stones: and double it must be, that it might be of more strength to hold and receive the stones, ut firmius substaret auro, that it might be the stiffer for the gold and precious stones, Pellican. 4. For the quantity, it was an handbreadth, which was halfe a cubit, that is, twelve fingers: for if it had beene but the small handbreadth, that is, foure fingers, it had not beene sufficient to cover the breast before, Montan. Ribera, Pelargus. 5. The ornaments also of the pectorall are set forth, which were twelve precious stones, set in foure rankes or rowes.