Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 28:42

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

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 (Exo 20:26): for the priests, who did go up upon the altar (see on Exo 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 (Exo 39:28, Lev 6:10; Lev 16:4; and in Ezek.’s regulations for the priesthood, Eze 44:18 ): from the description, evidently what we should call either loincloths or drawers. LXX. ; Jos. ( Ant. iii. 7. 1) .

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Verse 42. Linen breeches] This command had in view the necessity of purity and decency in every part of the Divine worship, in opposition to the shocking indecency of the pagan worship in general, in which the priests often ministered naked, as in the sacrifices to Bacchus, c.

ON the garments of the high priest some general reflections have already been made see Ex 28:2: See Clarke on Ex 28:2. and to what is there said it may be just necessary to add, that there can be no doubt of their being all emblematical of spiritual things; but of which, and in what way, no man can positively say. Many commentators have entered largely into this subject, and have made many edifying and useful remarks; but where no clue is given to guide us through a labyrinth in which the possibility of mistake is every moment occurring, it is much better not to attempt to be wise above what is written; for however edifying the reflections may be which are made on these subjects, yet, as they are not clearly deducible from the text itself, they can give little satisfaction to a sincere inquirer after truth. These garments were all made for glory and for beauty, and this is the general account that it has pleased God to give of their nature and design: in a general sense, they represented,

1. The necessity of purity in every part of the Divine worship;

2. The necessity of an atonement for sin;

3. The purity and justice of the Divine Majesty; and,

4. The absolute necessity of that holiness without which none can see the Lord. And these subjects should be diligently kept in view by all those who wish to profit by the curious and interesting details given in this chapter. In the notes these topics are frequently introduced.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Including both. Compare Exo 20:26.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

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

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole 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 comments on Ex 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.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

42. And thou shalt make them linen breeches. Since men, in their natural levity and frowardness, lay hold of the very slightest causes of offense to the disparagement of holy things, and so religion easily sinks into contempt, God here, as a precaution against such a danger, delivers a precept respecting an apparently trivial matter, viz., that the priests should cover their nakedness with breeches. The sum is, that they should conduct themselves chastely and modestly, lest, if anything improper or indecorous should appear in them, the majesty of holy things should be impaired. Some, therefore, thus explain the clause, “that they may minister in holiness,” (172) as if it were said, “that they may be pure from every stain, and may not desecrate God’s service.” In my opinion, however, the word קודש kodesh, should be taken for the sanctuary; and this is the more natural sense. A threat is added, that if they neglected this observance it would not be with impunity, since they would bring guilt upon themselves. Nor can we wonder at this, since all carelessness and negligence in the performance of sacred duties is closely connected with impiety and contempt of God. What immediately follows as to its being a perpetual law or statute, some, in my judgment improperly, restrict to the precept respecting the breeches, for it has a natural reference to the other ordinances of the priesthood. God therefore declares generally, that the Law which He gives is not for a little time, but that it may always remain in force as regards His elect people; whence we infer that the word עולם gnolam (173) whenever the legal types are in question, attains its end in the advent of Christ; and assuredly this is the true perpetuity of the ceremonies, that they should rest in Christ, who is their full truth and substance. For, since in Christ was at length manifested what was then delineated in shadows, these figures are established, because their use has ceased after the manifestation of their reality. And this we have already seen was long ago foretold by David, when he substitutes for the Levitical priesthood another “after the order of Melchisedec,” (Psa 110:4😉 but the dignity being transferred, as the Apostle well reminds us, the Law and all the statutes must be of necessity transferred also. (Heb 7:12.) The ancient rites, therefore, are now at an end, because they do not accord with the spiritual priesthood of Christ; and herein the twofold sacrilege of the Papacy betrays itself, in that mortal men have dared to substitute another third priesthood for that of Christ, as if His were transitory; and also, in their foolish imitation of the Jews, have heaped together ceremonies which are directly opposed to the nature of Christ’s priesthood. They reply, indeed, that His priesthood remains entire, although they have innumerable sacrifices; but they vainly endeavor to escape by this subterfuge, for if it was unlawful to change, or to innovate anything in the legal priesthood, how much less is it lawful to corrupt the priesthood of Christ by strange inventions, when its integrity has been ratified by the inviolable oath of God? The Father says to the Son, “Thou art a priest for ever;” how, then, does it avail to make the silly assertion that nothing is taken away from Christ, when an innumerable multitude (of priests) are appointed? How do these things accord, that He was anointed to offer Himself by the Spirit, and yet that He is offered by others? that by one offering He completed His work unto our full justification, and yet that He is offered daily? Now, if there be now-a-days no lawful priest except such an one as possesses in himself what was foreshewn in the ancient types, let them bring forth priests adorned with angelic purity, and as it were separate from the ranks of men, otherwise we shall be at liberty to repudiate all who are defiled by the very slightest stain. Hence, too, has arisen their second sacrilege, viz., that they have dared to obscure the brightness of the gospel with a new Judaism. They were altogether without the means of proving their priesthood, and so their easiest plan was to envelop their vanity in an immense mass of ceremonies, and, as it were, to shut out the light by clouds. So much the more diligently, then, must believers beware of departing from the pure institution of Christ, if they desire to have Him for their one and eternal Mediator.

(172) “To minister in the holy place.” — A. V.

(173) The primary signification of this word is hidden; hence a period of time, of which either the end or the beginning is hidden; and therefore frequently it is used for eternity, or as in the A. V., for ever. — W.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(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.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

42. Linen breeches The Hebrew is from a root which means to conceal . They were a garment for concealing the nakedness, short drawers reaching from the loins even unto the thighs, and were, on peril of death, to be worn by Aaron and his sons whenever they ministered in the holy places . The word , here rendered linen, is not the same as that so rendered above, in Exo 28:39; Exo 28:15; Exo 28:8; Exo 28:6; Exo 28:5. The material intended is not certainly known, but would seem, from Exo 39:28, to be something much resembling the linen, or byssus, if not a peculiar texture of the same material.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

The Linen Breeches To Cover Their Nakedness ( Exo 28:42-43 ).

These are very pointedly not put on them by Moses. They are not a part of the official garb as such, although a requirement of the office. For these act to cover the private parts (like underpants). To ‘reveal a person’s nakedness’ was usually to expose their private parts in sexual relations (Lev 18:6-19; Lev 20:11-21).

Exo 28:42-43

“And you shall make them linen breeches to cover the flesh of their nakedness. They shall reach from the loins even to the thighs. And they shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they go into the Tent of Meeting, or when they come near to the altar to minister in the Holy Place, that they bear not iniquity and die. It shall be a statute for ever to him and to his seed after him.”

Aaron and his sons must at all time within the Dwellingplace and while on duty in its courts wear linen breeches which covered from loins to thigh. Nothing of what they were must be exposed to God (compare Exo 20:26). These private parts had once been man’s glory. Then man was naked and was not ashamed (Gen 2:25). Indeed his purpose was stated as, to ‘be fruitful and multiply’ (Gen 1:28). But now what he produced was sinful and needed to be redeemed. Thus the linen breeches emphasised the fallenness of man. They did not declare the priest’s status, but rather were a reminder of his sinfulness, of the great lack that there was within him. Neither Temple of Meeting nor altar were to be approached unless they be worn. They may also have been intended to ensure that the holy garments were not soiled.

To fail to cover their nakedness on official duties before Yahweh was to be under sentence of death. And this was considered to be so important that it was declared to be a permanent statute while the priesthood continued (compare Exo 27:21).

We must remember that sex played a major part in many religions, and especially among the Canaanites, something which would have been known from the regular practise of Canaanite religion in Egypt. The act of sex with sacred prostitutes and in wild orgies in the sacred groves and high places was seen as helping to persuade the gods to ensure the fertility of the land. Here it is made quite clear that Yahwism is the very opposite of that. Apart from between man and wife for the purpose of procreation and for making the man and woman one it was abhorred.

“ The Tent of Meeting.” In this case the Dwellingplace. The name was taken over from the old Tent of Meeting which will be described in Exo 33:7-11. It referred to the place where God could be met with.

“ When they come near to the altar to minister in the Holy Place.” That is when they officially approach the altar preparatory to entering to minister in the Holy Place.

Breeches were to be made for the priests reaching from the loins to the thighs to cover their ‘nakedness’ (Exo 28:42).

They were to be worn when going into the Tent of Meeting (Exo 28:43 a).

They were to be worn when coming near the altar to minister in the Holy Place (Exo 28:43 b).

This was so that they do not bear iniquity and die. This was to be a statute for ever to Aaron and his seed after him (Exo 28:43 c).

Linen breeches of a similar kind, from waist to above the knees, were certainly worn in Egypt later and were no doubt so worn at this time, but here they have been given special significance.

It will be noted that no prescription has been made for footwear. The priests were to walk barefoot (compare Exo 3:5), and must wash their feet (in the laver) prior to entering the Holy Place or approaching the altar to officiate at it (Exo 30:18-21). Like the wearing of breeches this was a permanent statute.

Notes for Christians.

In the priestly garments are symbols of God’s provision for His people. The ephod symbolised God’s people being brought by the High Priest into His presence constantly, for he wore their names on his shoulders. Thus does our great High Priest ever bear our names before Him. While the clothing of us by God in His heavenly nature (2Pe 1:4), the appointing of us as His royal priests (1Pe 2:5; 1Pe 2:9) and His provision for us of the blood of Christ which cleanses from all sin (1Jn 1:7) provides for all that we need in order to serve Him, and through this provision it is our responsibility to ‘wear the ephod’ and bring to God His people in our prayers and worship. The breastpouch too is the symbol that our High Priest bears our names upon His heart, and that from it by His Spirit He guides His church and brings to us all truth (Joh 14:26; Joh 16:13), we must therefore be ready to bring God’s guidance and truth to the world, by studying to show ourselves workmen approved to God, rightly dividing the word of truth (2Ti 2:15). The clothing stresses again that we must wear the righteousnesses of the saints, and be constantly heavenly, royal and cleansed. The breeches remind us that the people of God must not treat lightly the sacredness of sex properly utilised, but must beware of flaunting it before God who knows our hearts. The golden plate declaring ‘holiness to the Lord’ must be worn by His people constantly that the world might know of what true holiness consists.

End of note.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett