Exodus 39:11 — Word Study
WLCוְהַטּ֖וּר הַשֵּׁנִ֑י נֹ֥פֶךְ סַפִּ֖יר וְיָהֲלֹֽם׃
BSAthe secondshênîy row [had]ṭûwr a turquoisenôphek [emerald, green gemstone] a sapphireçappîyr [blue gemstone, lapis lazuli] and a diamondyahălôm [jasper, clear stone]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְהַטּ֖וּר | and the row | Conjunction, particle, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| הַשֵּׁנִ֑י | second | Particle |
| נֹ֥פֶךְ | [was] a turquoise | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| סַפִּ֖יר | a sapphire | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| וְיָהֲלֹֽם׃ | and an emerald | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | the second row had a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond; |
| KJV | And the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. |
| ASV | and the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond; |
| YLT | and the second row an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond; |
| WEB | and the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire, and an emerald; |
| BBE | In the second, a ruby, a sapphire, and an onyx; |
Where they part company is נֹפֶךְ — see How Translations Differ.
The structure consists of a main clause followed by a noun phrase that describes the row and a list of the gemstones.
4 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge, Whedon & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Exodus 39:11
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The High Priest's Breastplategenerated
Exodus 39:11 describes the second row of gemstones on the high priest's breastplate, which is part of the ceremonial garments worn by Aaron. Each stone represents a tribe of Israel, emphasizing the high priest's role as a mediator between God and His people. This verse follows a detailed account of the various rows of gemstones, each adorned with specific precious stones, as outlined in the preceding verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exodus 28:18 | in the second row a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond; |
| 2 | Ezekiel 28:13 | You were in Eden, the garden of God. Every kind of precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald. Your mountings and settings were crafted in gold, prepared on the day of your creation. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — נֹפֶךְ, No.fekhgenerated
The noun נֹפֶךְ (No.fekh) refers to a precious stone, likely an emerald or garnet, used in the high priest's breastplate. It is associated with brightness and value, indicating its significance in the ceremonial context.
This word appears in a construct form, linking it to the second row of the breastplate, which highlights its role in the arrangement of the stones. The parsing indicates it is a common masculine singular noun, emphasizing its individual identity among the other gemstones.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb is absent in this verse, as it describes the arrangement of the gemstones in the breastplate. The structure consists of a noun phrase followed by a numeral phrase and additional noun phrases, indicating the specific arrangement of the stones.
The order of the Hebrew words emphasizes the sequence of the gemstones, starting with the conjunction and the noun for the row, followed by the ordinal number for 'second' and the gemstones themselves.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates טוּר as στίξος, meaning 'row' or 'line', which aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning of an arranged sequence.
The Greek word for נֹפֶךְ is ἄνθραχ, suggesting a specific interpretation of the stone, possibly highlighting its value and beauty in the context of the high priest's attire.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Exodus 39:11 describes the second row of gemstones on the high priest's breastplate, which includes a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond. These precious stones are significant as they represent the tribes of Israel and are part of the high priest's ceremonial garments.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Each gemstone corresponds to one of the twelve tribes of Israel, symbolizing the high priest's role in representing the people before God.
The arrangement signifies order and purpose in the high priest's attire, emphasizing his role in the religious practices of Israel.
The high priest's garments were made from fine materials, including gold, blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, along with the precious stones mentioned.
This verse is part of a larger description that details the specific elements of the high priest's garments, which were designed to reflect holiness and beauty.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What significance do you see in the choice of gemstones for the high priest's breastplate?
- How does understanding the arrangement of the stones enhance your view of the high priest's role?
- In what ways can we reflect the holiness represented by the high priest in our own lives?
- How does this description of the high priest's garments inform your understanding of worship?
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Exodus 39:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThey made shoulderpieces for it, to couple it together: by the two edges was it coupled together. No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Exodus 39 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English ReadersXXXIX. THE MAKING OF THE HOLY .(1-31) This section corresponds to Exodus 28:5-40, but does not follow exactly the same order. Exodus 39:2-7 correspond to Exodus 39:5-12 of Exodus 28; Exodus 39:8-21 to Exodus 39:13-28; Exodus 39:22-26 to Exodus 39:31-35; but after this a dislocation occurs. Exodus 39:27-29 correspond to Exodus 39:39-42 of Exodus 28, and Exodus 39:30-31 to Exodus 39:36-38. It is not clear why any change was made. The order observed in Exodus 28 seems preferable.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Exodus 39 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges10–13. The names of several of the stones are uncertain: see on Exodus 28:17-20.
Read Cambridge on Exodus 39 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the BibleTHE HOLY OF THE PRIESTS, Exodus 39:1-31 See notes on Exodus 28. ALL BROUGHT TO MOSES AND , Exodus 39:32-43.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Exodus 39 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
the second row had a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond;
and the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire, and an emerald;
the second row had a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond;
and the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire, and an emerald;
Tyndale line
And the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.
and the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond;
And the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.
And the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.
And in the seconde rowe, an Emeraude, a Saphir, and a Diamond:
Strictly literal
and the second row, a carbuncle, a sapphire, and a diamond;
and the second row an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond;
and the second row an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond;
And the second row, a carbuncle, a sapphire, and a diamond.
The second row had an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.
From the Latin
In the second, a carbuncle, a sapphire, and a jasper.
Simplified
In the second row turquoise, lapis lazuli, and sardonyx.
In the second, a ruby, a sapphire, and an onyx;
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text, the Septuagint, and the Samaritan Pentateuch all agree on the wording of this verse. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain one word from the verse, with the rest supplied by an editor, indicating some damage to the manuscript.
וְהַטּ֖וּר הַשֵּׁנִ֑י נֹ֥פֶךְ סַפִּ֖יר וְיָהֲלֹֽם׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
והטור השׁני נפך ספיר ויהלם
Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.
[והטור] [השני] [נפך] ספיר [ויהלם]
1 word on the leather — 4 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Exodus 39:11
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
טוּר (tuhr) refers to a 'row' or 'course,' specifically in contexts like building stones in the temple or jewels on the high priest's breast-piece, as noted in Exodus 28:17. It is derived from an unused root meaning to arrange in a regular manner.
טוּר n.m. Ex 28:17 row
row, course of building-stones, in temple and in Solomon’s house
row of jewels, on high priest’s breast-piece
base
H2905 טוּר n.m. Ex 28:17 row . row, course of building-stones, in temple and in Solomon’s house
. row of jewels, on high priest’s breast-piece
2905 tuwr toor
from an unused root meaning to range in a regular manner; a
row; hence, a wall:--row.
טוּר (tur) — row.
1) row
1a) row, course (of building)
1b) row (of jewels)
Conj | Art | N-ms — Conjunction · particle · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Td/Ncmsa
שֵׁנִי (sheniy) means 'second' and can also imply 'again' or 'another.' It is an ordinal number used to denote position or sequence, as well as to indicate repetition. The word is derived from a root meaning 'double' and appears in various contexts in the Old Testament.
שֵׁנִי m. שֵׁנִית f. 157 adj.num.ord. second
base
H8145 שֵׁנִי m. שֵׁנִית f. adj. num. ord. second
8145 sheniy shay-nee'
from 8138; properly, double, i.e. second; also adverbially,
again:--again, either (of them), (an-)other, second (time).
see HEBREW for 08138
שֵׁנִי (she.ni) — second.
1) second
1a) second (the ordinal number)
1b) again (a second time)
1c) another, other (something as distinct from something else)
Art | Adj — ParticleHTd/Aomsa
נֹ֫פֶךְ (nophek) refers to a precious stone, likely an emerald, mentioned in the context of trade in Tyre (Ezekiel 27:16) and as part of the high priest's breastplate (Exodus 28:18, 39:11). It may also be associated with other gems like ruby or carbuncle. The entries suggest a connection to brightness or shining, stemming from an unused root.
נֹ֫פֶךְ n.[m.] a precious stone which Tyre gained by trade Ez 27:16 (where נ׳ doubted by Berthol, queried by Toy Hpt), cf 28:13 (symbol. of wealth and honour of king of Tyre); in high priest’s breast-piece Ex 28:18 39:11. Perh. = ruby or carbuncle 𝔊 Joseph. ἄνθραξ, 𝔙 carbunculus, cf. Di Ex, Kau Ex, Sgfr Ezek, Co Berthol; 𝔗 AV emerald.
done
H5306 נֹ֫פֶךְ n.[m.] a precious stone which Tyre gained by trade Ez 27:16 (where נ׳ doubted by Berthol, queried by Toy Hpt), cf 28:13 (symbol. of wealth and honour of king of Tyre); in high priest’s breast-piece Ex 28:18 39:11. Perh. = ruby or carbuncle 𝔊 Joseph. ἄνθραξ, 𝔙 carbunculus, cf. Di Ex, Kau Ex, Sgfr Ezek, Co Berthol; 𝔗 AV emerald.
5306 nophek no'-fek
from an unused root meaning to glisten; shining; a gem,
probably the garnet:--emerald.
נֹ֫פֶךְ (no.phekh) — emerald.
1) a precious stone in the high priest's breastplate
1a) perhaps an emerald, turquoise, ruby, or carbuncle
2) jewels imported from Tyre
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
סַפִּיר (sappir) refers to sapphire, and possibly lapis lazuli. It is identified as a gem, potentially used for scratching other materials. The word is derived from a root meaning to scratch, and it is noted in various lexicons for its association with these precious stones.
סַפִּיר n.[m.] sapphire, perh. also lapis lazuli
base
H5601 סַפִּיר sapphire, perh. also lapis lazuli
5601 cappiyr sap-peer'
from 5608; a gem (perhaps used for scratching other
substances), probably the sapphire:--sapphire.
see HEBREW for 05608
סַפִּיר (sap.pir) — sapphire.
sapphire, lapis lazuli
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
saf'-ir.
See STONES, PRECIOUS.
Sapphire
Associated with diamonds (Ex. 28:18) and emeralds (Ezek. 28:13); one of the stones in the high priest’s breastplate. It is a precious stone of a sky-blue colour, probably the lapis lazuli, brought from Babylon. The throne of God is described as of the colour of a sapphire (Ex. 24:10; comp. Ezek. 1:26).
(Heb. sappir), a precious stone, apparently of a bright-blue color, set: (Exodus 24:10) the second stone in the second row of the high priest’s breastplate, (Exodus 28:18) extremely precious, (Job 28:16) it was one of the precious stones that ornamented the king of Tyre. (Ezekiel 28:13) The sapphire of the ancients was not our gem of that name, viz. the azure or indigo-blue, crystalline variety of corundum, but our lapis lazuli (ultra-marine).
A gem next in hardness and value to the diamond, and comprising, as varieties, all those precious stones known by the name of oriental gems, namely, the oriental ruby, oriental topaz, and oriental emerald, Joh 21:25. In general the name of sapphire is given to the blue variety, which is either of deep indigo blue, or of various lighter tints, Ex 24:10, and sometimes gradually passes into perfectly white or colorless, which, when cut, may also pass for a diamond, Ex 28:18; 39:11; Re 21:19.
יַהֲלֹם (yahalom) refers to a precious stone, possibly jasper or onyx, noted for its hardness. The term appears in lists of precious stones in Exodus 28:18, Exodus 39:11, and Ezekiel 28:13. The lexicons suggest it may derive from a root meaning to smite or hammer, indicating its toughness.
3095 yahalom yah-hal-ome'
from 1986 (in the sense of hardness); a precious stone,
probably onyx:--diamond.
see HEBREW for 01986
יַהֲלֹם (ya.ha.lom) — jasper.
1) a precious stone (known for its hardness)
1a) perhaps the jasper, onyx, or diamond
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Ncmsa
em'-er-ald.
See STONES, PRECIOUS.
Emerald
Heb. nophek (Ex. 28:18; 39:11); i.e., the “glowing stone”, probably the carbuncle, a precious stone in the breastplate of the high priest. It is mentioned (Rev. 21:19) as one of the foundations of the New Jerusalem. The name given to this stone in the New Testament Greek is smaragdos, which means “live coal.”
a precious stone of a rich green color, upon which its value chiefly depends. This gem was the first in the second row on the breastplate of the high priest. (Exodus 28:18; 39:11) It was imported to Tyre from Syria, (Ezekiel 27:16) was used as a seal or signet, Ecclus. 32:6, as an ornament of clothing and bedding, (Ezekiel 28:13; Judges 10:21) and is spoken of as one of the foundations of Jerusalem. (Revelation 21:19) Tob. 13:16. The rainbow around the throne is compared to emerald in (Revelation 4:3)