The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 2 — Section 270

EXPOSITION. Ven;, 13--80.-Tm: BREABT-rLATB. It bes introductory paragraph to this section. Kalisch been noticed that the ephod had for ill; main traDRlates "the breast-plate of decuion." It object or purpose to be a receptacle for the was to be made, eo far e.s its main fabric wos breast-plate which WBB attached to it after concerned, of exactly the same materials os the epbod. See ver. 6. it bad been put on, and formed itB principal Ver.16.-Jl'our lq11&1'8 . •. being doubled. ornament. The Hebrew word khoahen, 'lll·hicb It bas been generally supposed that the doub- is tre.nslat.ed "breast-plate," moans "orna- ling we.s merely for the purpose of giving ment ; " and the khoehen must certainly have additional strength to the work, which was to been the most striking and brilliant object in receive twelve heavy gems; but Gesenius and others are of opinion that the object we.s to t.he whole attire of the high priest. Exter- form a bag, in which the Urim and Thum- na.11 y. it did but repeat the symbolism of the mim, which they regard as material objectE, ephod, exhibiting the high priest as the repre- might be kept. A span. Half a cubit, or sentative of the twelve tribes, whose names about nine inches. 'lll'ere engraved upon its twel vc stones, as well Ver. 17.-Settinga of atoues. These were similar to those of the two shoulder stones- as upon the onyxes of the ephod. Internally, i.e. of filagree or cloisonnt!' work-es aprears it had, however, another, and a deeper import. from eh. xxxix. 13. The 1lnt row o the It contained within it the Urim and the stones is said to have been composed of a IIIU'- Thummim (ver. 30), by means of 'lll·hich God dim, or sard, a topaz, and a oarbUJ1ole. Of was consulted, and signified his will to his these names the futrt only would seem to be t.olerably certain. The second cannot be people. This must be regarded as ilE main right, since the t.opaz was too hard a stone to end and use. It was from the deci8i0flll thus be engraved by the ancient engravers. We given that it received the name of "the breast- may conjecture that the chryeolite, a pale plate (or ornament) of judgment." stone not unlike the t.opaz, but far less hard, was the gem intended. The " carbuncle " Ver. 13.- Onches of gold. "Bnttons" is also thought t.o be wrong; and the " beryl " according t.o one view (Cook): "sockets," is suggested by some ; by others " a sort of according t.o another (Kalisch): "rosettes," precious corundum." Emerald, to which the according t.o a third (Keil). Some Slll&ll "smaragdus " of the LXX. and Josephus ornament of open-work (see the comment on would seem to point, cannot be right, since ver. 11), which could be sewn on t.o the ephod, that stone is fully as hard as the topaz. and wheret.o a chain might be attached, seems Ver. 18.- The 1eoo11d row an emerald, a t.o be intended. The object was t.o fasten the aapphire, and a diamond. Here ell the •· breast-plate " firmly t.o the ephod. names must be wrong, for none of these three Ver. 14.-At tu endll. The meaning of stones could be cut by the ancient engravers. the Hebrew word migba/,oth is very doubtful. Probably, carbuncle (or garnet), le.pie lazuli, J archi and Bosenmfiller approve of the render- and onyx are intended. ing of our transl.e.tors. Geddes, Boothroyd., Ver. 19.-Thethirdrow aligure,anage.te, and Dathe render "chains of eqnal length." and an amethyat. The term "ligure" is un- Gesenius, Kalisch, Canon Cook, and others, known in modem minere.logy ; and it is to the believe the true meaning t.o be "wreathed,'' or last degree uncertain what stone the ancienta •• of wreathen wOl'k,'' so that the next clause, intend:i, : , their lingurium or lapia ligurit/,/1 '' after the manner of a rope,'' would be simply Some 1• that "jacinth," others that "tour- exegetic. Of wreathen work. Litere.lly, me.line," is the stone here meant. A few '· aft;,r the manner of a rope." Cords of suggest amber, but amber cannot receive an twisted gold wire were frequently used, instead engraving. " Agate " and " amethyst" are of chains, by the Egyptians. generally allowed t.o be right translations. Ver.15.-The breut-plate. .A.sthe khoshen Ver. 20.-The fourth row a beryl, &DA was to be worn upon the breast (ver. 29), this an Oll)'lt, and a juper. li the identifications name is approprate : hut it is not a transla- above suggested &re allowed, two at least o. tw11 of 1.lw•heu. Of judgment. See the these translations must be rejected. We have r,IJ. X:XVIIT. 20-30.) TJIR ROOK OF' EXODUS. 2Hi