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Exodus 39:22 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַיַּ֛עַשׂ אֶת־ מְעִ֥יל הָאֵפֹ֖ד מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה אֹרֵ֑ג כְּלִ֖יל תְּכֵֽלֶת׃

BSAThey madeʻâsâh [created, fashioned] the robemᵉʻîyl [outer garment] of the ephodʼêphôwd [special vest, priestly garment] entirelykâlîyl [completely, wholly] of blue clothtᵉkêleth [violet, blue-purple] the workmaʻăseh [deed, action] of a weaverʼârag [one who weaves, skilled artisan]

Word
Listen & take awayExodus 39
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 22 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (te.Khe.let) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Exodus 39:22quick helps
In a sentenceThe Israelites crafted the robe of the ephod from blue cloth, showcasing skilled craftsmanship.
Who is speakingThe narrator describes the actions of the craftsmen involved in making the priestly garments.
Where we areThis verse is part of the detailed instructions for the priestly garments in the Book of Exodus.
The hard wordעָשָׂה
Take awayThe robe was made entirely from blue cloth, highlighting its significance.
4 commentators on this verse Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge, Whedon & more — read them › clause verbעָשָׂה The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

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 39:22

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 Making of the Ephodgenerated

21Then they tied the rings of the breastpiece to the rings of the ephod with a cord of blue yarn, so that the breastpiece was above the waistband of the ephod and would not swing out from the ephod, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
22They made the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth, the work of a weaver,
23with an opening in the center of the robe like that of a garment, with a collar around the opening so that it would not tear.
24They made pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and finely spun linen on the lower hem of the robe.

Exodus 39:22 describes the meticulous creation of the ephod's robe, emphasizing the attention to detail in the priestly garments. This process reflects the importance of the ephod in priestly duties and worship, as outlined in earlier chapters like Exodus 28:31-35. The craftsmanship involved signifies the value placed on the attire of the priests, who served as mediators between God and the people.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Exodus 28:31–35You are to make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth,

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to

And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue.Exodus 28:31–35

The Key Word עָשָׂה, vai.Ya.'asgenerated

The verb עָשָׂה (asah) means to make or do and is foundational in biblical Hebrew, appearing over 2,600 times. It encompasses a wide range of actions, from creating physical objects to performing tasks and rituals.

In this verse, it indicates the deliberate act of crafting the robe, highlighting the skill and care involved in making priestly garments. The Qal form, used here, suggests a straightforward action of making, underscoring the hands-on effort of the weavers.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses made, a choice echoed by the KJV and ASV.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb וַיַּ֛עַשׂ (vai.Ya.'as) governs the sentence, indicating the action of making. This is followed by a noun phrase that identifies the object — מְעִ֥יל (me'il) — and additional phrases that provide detail about the material and the nature of the work.

The structure emphasizes the process of creation, with the finite verb leading the sentence and the subsequent phrases elaborating on what was made and how it was made.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates עָשָׂה as ἐποίησαν (epoiēsan), which means 'they made.' This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, emphasizing the act of creation and craftsmanship.

This translation reflects the same focus on the skilled work involved in making the ephod's robe, maintaining the significance of the garment in the context of priestly duties.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Exodus 39:22 describes how the Israelites made the robe of the ephod from blue cloth, showcasing their craftsmanship. This robe was an important part of the high priest's attire, symbolizing their role in serving God.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What is the significance of the robe of the ephod?

The robe of the ephod was a crucial part of the high priest's garments, symbolizing their role in mediating between God and the people.

Why is blue cloth specifically mentioned?

Blue cloth was significant in biblical times, often associated with royalty and divinity, making it suitable for the garments of the high priest.

What does the term 'weaver' imply in this context?

The term 'weaver' indicates skilled craftsmanship, highlighting the importance of quality and detail in the creation of priestly garments.

How does this verse connect to the overall theme of Exodus?

This verse connects to Exodus' theme of holiness and the proper worship of God, emphasizing the importance of the priestly garments in facilitating that worship.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What can we learn about the importance of craftsmanship from this verse?
  2. How does the use of specific colors in garments reflect the significance of the roles they represent?
  3. In what ways can we apply the principles of careful work and dedication in our own tasks?
  4. Why do you think God emphasized the details of the priestly garments in the instructions given to Moses?

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Exodus 39:22 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

They 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 Readers

XXXIX. 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 Colleges

22–26 (Exodus 28:31-35 a). The robe of the ephod.

Read Cambridge on Exodus 39 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

THE 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

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

They made the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth, the work of a weaver,

WEBWorld English Bible2000

He made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

They made the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth, the work of a weaver,

NETBNew English Translation2006

He made the robe of the ephod completely blue, the work of a weaver.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

¶ And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue;

RVARevised Version, American1894

And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue;

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Moreouer, he made the robe of the Ephod of wouen worke, altogether of blewe silke.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And he made the cloak of the ephod of woven work, all of blue;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And he maketh the upper robe of the ephod, work of a weaver, completely of blue;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And he makes the upper robe of the ephod, the work of a weaver, completely of blue;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, altogether of blue woolen yarn.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Bezalel made the robe of the ephod entirely of blue fabric, the work of a weaver.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And beneath at the feet pomegranates of violet, purple, scarlet, and fine twisted linen:

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

They made the robe that goes with the ephod exclusively from woven blue cloth,

BBEBible in Basic English1949

The robe which went with the ephod was made all of blue;

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.

וַandclauseverbיַּ֛עַשׂhe.madenoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseמְעִ֥ילthe.robenoun phraseהָofאֵפֹ֖דthe.ephodnoun phrase · adverbialnoun phraseמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה[the].workאֹרֵ֑גof.a.weaveradjective phraseכְּלִ֖ילan.entiretyתְּכֵֽלֶתof.violet.stuff

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text is supported by the Septuagint, which aligns closely in meaning, though the word order differs. The Samaritan Pentateuch varies slightly with the verb form ויעשׂו (ya'asu), indicating a plural subject, while the Dead Sea Scrolls fragment contains several words that match the MT but are partially restored.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וַיַּ֛עַשׂ אֶת־ מְעִ֥יל הָאֵפֹ֖ד מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה אֹרֵ֑ג כְּלִ֖יל תְּכֵֽלֶת׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיַּ֛עַשׂἐποίησανהָאֵפֹ֖דἐπωμίδαמַעֲשֵׂ֣הἔργονאֹרֵ֑גὑφαντὸνכְּלִ֖ילὅλονתְּכֵֽלֶת׃ὑακίνθινον

6 of the 8 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.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

ויעשׂו את המעיל מעשׂה ארג כליל תכלת

1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: יעשׂו (make)

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q17a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

ויעשו את המעיל [מעשה] [ארג] [כליל] [תכלת]

7 words of the verse are on this fragment — 2 partly restored, 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.

Exodus 39:22עָשָׂהand he madeand he madeעָשָׂהאֵתthe object the object markאֵתמְעִיל[the] robe [the] robe ofמְעִילאֵפוֹדthe ephodthe ephodאֵפוֹדמַעֲשֶׂה[the] work [the] work ofמַעֲשֶׂהאָרַגa weavera weaverאָרַגכָּלִילan entiretyan entirety ofכָּלִילתְּכֵ֫לֶתviolet stufviolet stuffתְּכֵ֫לֶתאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתמָעַלbe unfaithbe unfaithfulמָעַלעָשָׂהto maketo makeעָשָׂהכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלשְׁחֵ֫לֶתonychaonychaשְׁחֵ֫לֶתשָׁנִיscarletscarletשָׁנִימְלָאכָהworkworkמְלָאכָהתּוֹעֵבַהabominatioabominationתּוֹעֵבַהמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁשׁוּלhemhemשׁוּלעָטָהto enwrapto enwrapעָטָהחֵ֫שֶׁבartworkartworkחֵ֫שֶׁבחֹ֫שֶׁןbreastpiecbreastpieceחֹ֫שֶׁןשֵׁשׁalabasteralabasterשֵׁשׁמָנוֹרloom-beamloom-beamמָנוֹרמַחֲלָפָהlocklockמַחֲלָפָהיֳפִיbeautybeautyיֳפִיתְּכֵ֫לֶתblueblueתְּכֵ֫לֶת
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Exodus 39:22

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.

and he made the object marker [the] robe of the ephod [the] work of a weaver an entirety of violet stuff
וַיַּ֛עַשׂvai.Ya.'as and he made H6213 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
2,629× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to make or do something, and is used over 2,600 times in the Bible. It is first used in Genesis 1:7 to describe God's creation of the world and is also used in Exodus 31:5 to describe the work of skilled craftsmen.
Amplified meaning
created, fashioned
Tyndale gloss
to make
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָשָׂה (asah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to do or make, encompassing a wide range of actions such as producing, preparing, and observing. It can refer to both concrete and abstract activities, including making offerings and attending to tasks. The verb also has forms indicating passive meanings, such as being made or offered. Notably, the Piel form refers to pressing or squeezing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָשָׂה 2622 vb. do, make

Qal 2524

do (1560 t.)

deal with

oft. in phr. do kindness with

abs. act, act with effect

make (670 t.)

produce, yield

prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

make offering

attend to, put in order

observe, celebrate, religious festival

acquire property of various kinds

appoint priests

bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

use

spend, pass, days of life

Niph.

97be done

be made, of concr. things

be produced from vine

be prepared, of food

be offered

be observed, passover

be used

Pu. I was made

base

[עָשָׂה] vb. Pi. press, squeeze

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6213a עָשָׂה do, make .. . do (1560 + t.)

. deal with

. oft. in phr. do kindness with

. abs. act, act with effect

. . make (670 + t.)

. produce, yield

. prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

. make offering

. attend to, put in order

. observe, celebrate, religious festival

. acquire property of various kinds

. appoint priests

. bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

. use

. spend, pass, days of life

. . be done

. . be made, of concr. things

. be produced from vine

. be prepared, of food

. be offered

. be observed, passover

. be used

. I was made

H6213b עָשָׂה Pi. press, squeeze

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6213 `asah aw-saw'

a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and

widest application (as follows):--accomplish, advance,

appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth,

bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal

(with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in)

execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, +

finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go

about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X

indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain,

make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare,

bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure,

provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin,

spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be

(warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make: do.

: do/perform

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do, work, make, produce

1a1a) to do

1a1b) to work

1a1c) to deal (with)

1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect

1a2) to make

1a2a) to make

1a2b) to produce

1a2c) to prepare

1a2d) to make (an offering)

1a2e) to attend to, put in order

1a2f) to observe, celebrate

1a2g) to acquire (property)

1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute

1a2i) to bring about

1a2j) to use

1a2k) to spend, pass

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be done

1b2) to be made

1b3) to be produced

1b4) to be offered

1b5) to be observed

1b6) to be used

1c) (Pual) to be made

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to press.

(Piel) to press, squeeze

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make.

: make(OBJECT)

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do, work, make, produce

1a1a) to do

1a1b) to work

1a1c) to deal (with)

1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect

1a2) to make

1a2a) to make

1a2b) to produce

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and he made the object marker [the] robe of the ephod [the] work of a weaver an entirety of violet stuff
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he made the object marker [the] robe of the ephod [the] work of a weaver an entirety of violet stuff
מְעִ֥ילme.'Il [the] robe of H4598 Noun common · masculine singular construct
28× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A meil was a robe or outer garment worn by men of rank, including kings and high priests. It was also worn by David's daughters and is mentioned in various KJV translations as a cloak or coat.
Amplified meaning
outer garment
Tyndale gloss
robe
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מְעִיל (me.il) means 'robe' and refers to an upper or outer garment. It is associated with garments worn by men of rank, long garments for David's daughters, and the high priest's attire. The word is derived from a root meaning 'covering' and encompasses various types of robes.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מְעִיל n.m. robe

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4598 מְעִיל robe

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4598 m`iyl meh-eel'

from 4603 in the sense of covering; a robe (i.e. upper and

outer garment):--cloke, coat, mantle, robe.

see HEBREW for 04603

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מְעִיל (me.il) — robe.

1) robe

1a) a garment worn over a tunic by men of rank

1b) a long garment worn by David's daughters

1c) a garment of the high priest

1d) (fig.) of attributes

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and he made the object marker [the] robe of the ephod [the] work of a weaver an entirety of violet stuff
הָאֵפֹ֖דha.'e.Fod the ephod H646 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
49× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The ephod was a special vest worn by priests in the Bible, including the high priest, made with gold, blue, and purple threads. It was a symbol of their role and had shoulder pieces and a breastpiece with gems. In Exodus 28:6, God instructs Moses on how to make the ephod.
Amplified meaning
special vest, priestly garment
Tyndale gloss
ephod
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֵפוֹד (ephod) refers to a priestly garment, specifically a shoulder-cape or mantle worn by priests, with variations in material and design for ordinary and high priests. It is mentioned in contexts of priestly duties and rituals, including its use in consulting God and a notable instance where Gideon made a gold ephod.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵפוֹד (28 t.) & אֵפֹד (20 t.) n.m. ephod

ephod, priestly garment, shoulder-cape or mantle

ephod used in consulting י׳

ephod of gold made by Gideon

made (material not given) for a private, local sanctuary

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H646 אֵפוֹד (28 t.) & אֵפֹד (20 t.) ephod

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

646 'ephowd ay-fode'

rarely oephod {ay-fode'}; probably of foreign derivation ; a

girdle; specifically the ephod or high-priest's shoulder-

piece; also generally, an image:--ephod.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵפוֹד (e.phod) — ephod.

1) ephod

1a) priestly garment, shoulder-cape or mantle, outer garment

1a1) worn by an ordinary priest and made of white stuff

1a2) worn by the high priest-more costly, woven of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and linen threads provided with shoulder-pieces and a breast piece of like material, ornamented with gems and gold

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Ephod

Something girt, a sacred vestment worn originally by the high priest (Ex. 28:4), afterwards by the ordinary priest (1 Sam. 22:18), and characteristic of his office (1 Sam. 2:18, 28; 14:3). It was worn by Samuel, and also by David (2 Sam. 6:14). It was made of fine linen, and consisted of two pieces, which hung from the neck, and covered both the back and front, above the tunic and outer garment (Ex. 28:31). That of the high priest was embroidered with divers colours. The two pieces were joined together over the shoulders (hence in Latin called superhumerale) by clasps or buckles of gold or precious stones, and…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(a sacred vestment originally appropriate to the high priest. (Exodus 28:4)

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

An ornamental part of the dress worn by the Hebrew priests. It was worn above the tunic and the robe, was without sleeves, and open below the arms on each side, consisting of two pieces, one of which covered the front of the body and the other the back, joined together on the shoulders by golden buckles set with gems, and reaching down to the middle of the thigh. A girdle was inwoven with it, by which it was fastened around the body, Ex 28:6-12. There were two kinds of ephod: one plain, of linen, for the priests, 1Sa 22:18; another embroidered, for the high priest. Young Samuel wore an ephod, though only a Levite and a child, 1Sa 2:18. David, in transferring the ark to Jerusalem, was "girt with a linen ephod,"

1. A sacred vestment worn by the high priest

Described Ex 28:6-14,31-35; 25:7

The making of Ex 39:2-26

Breastplate attached to Ex 28:22-29

Worn by Aaron Ex 39:5

Used as an oracle 1Sa 23:9,12; 30:7,8

An inferior, was worn by the ordinary priests 1Sa 22:18

Worn by Samuel 1Sa 2:18

Worn by David 2Sa 6:14

It was called COAT Ex 28:40; 29:8; 39:27; 40:14; Le 8:13; 10:5

and he made the object marker [the] robe of the ephod [the] work of a weaver an entirety of violet stuff
מַעֲשֵׂ֣הma.'a.Seh [the] work of H4639 Noun common · masculine singular construct
236× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to an action or deed, which can be good or bad. It is used to describe various activities, such as work, business, or achievements. The KJV translates it as act, deed, or labor.
Amplified meaning
deed, action
Tyndale gloss
deed: judgement
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַעֲשֶׂה (ma`aseh) means deed or work, encompassing a range of actions from good to bad, and includes concepts like business, labor, and products made. It can refer to specific achievements, works of God, or even customs. The entries suggest a broad application in various contexts, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מַעֲשֶׂה 233 n.m. deed, work

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4639 מַעֲשֶׂה deed, work

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4639 ma`aseh mah-as-eh'

from 6213; an action (good or bad); generally, a transaction;

abstractly, activity; by implication, a product (specifically,

a poem) or (generally) property:--act, art, + bakemeat,

business, deed, do(-ing), labor, thing made, ware of making,

occupation, thing offered, operation, possession, X well,

((handy-, needle-, net-))work(ing, - manship), wrought.

see HEBREW for 06213

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַעֲשֶׂה (ma.a.seh) — deed: work.

: work/product

1) deed, work

1a) deed, thing done, act

1b) work, labour

1c) business, pursuit

1d) undertaking, enterprise

1e) achievement

1f) deeds, works (of deliverance and judgment)

1g) work, thing made

1h) work (of God)

1i) product

מַעֲשֶׂה (ma.a.seh) — deed: justice.

: justice/right/righteousness

1) deed, work

1a) deed, thing done, act

1b) work, labour

1c) business, pursuit

1d) undertaking, enterprise

1e) achievement

1f) deeds, works (of deliverance and judgment)

1g) work, thing made

1h) work (of God)

1i) product

מַעֲשֶׂה (ma.a.seh) — deed: judgement.

: judgement/punishment

1) deed, work

1a) deed, thing done, act

1b) work, labour

1c) business, pursuit

1d) undertaking, enterprise

1e) achievement

1f) deeds, works (of deliverance and judgment)

1g) work, thing made

1h) work (of God)

1i) product

מַעֲשֶׂה (ma.a.seh) — deed: custom.

: custom/manner

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and he made the object marker [the] robe of the ephod [the] work of a weaver an entirety of violet stuff
אֹרֵ֑ג'o.Reg a weaver H707 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
14× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to weave or plait, and is used to describe everyday tasks like weaving cloth or braiding hair. It also has figurative meanings, such as intrigue or plotting.
Amplified meaning
one who weaves, skilled artisan
Tyndale gloss
to weave
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָרַג (arag) is a Hebrew verb meaning to weave or plait, applicable to both cloth and hair, as noted in the context of Samson's hair. It can also refer to the act of weaving in a more figurative sense, such as in intrigue. The entries consistently emphasize its primary meaning related to weaving.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[אָרַג] vb. weave

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H707 אָרַג weave

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

707 'arag aw-rag'

a primitive root; to plait or weave:--weaver(-r).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָרַג (a.rag) — to weave.

1) to weave

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to weave (cloth)

1a2) to braid (Samson's hair)

1a3) weaver (subst.)

1a4) intrigue (fig.)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
and he made the object marker [the] robe of the ephod [the] work of a weaver an entirety of violet stuff
כְּלִ֖ילke.Lil an entirety of H3632 Adj
15× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means something that is complete or entire, like a whole burnt offering to God. It is used in passages like Leviticus 6:23 and 22:17, and symbolizes perfection or entirety, often in the context of sacrifices and worship.
Amplified meaning
completely, wholly
Tyndale gloss
entire
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כָּלִיל (kaliyl) means entire or whole, and can refer specifically to a sacrifice that is completely consumed, known as a holocaust. It functions as an adjective, adverb, and noun, covering meanings like perfect and wholly. The entries emphasize its use in contexts of totality and completeness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כָּלִיל adj. and subst. entire, whole, holocaust

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3632 כָּלִיל entire, whole, holocaust

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3632 kaliyl kaw-leel'

from 3634; complete; as noun, the whole (specifically, a

sacrifice entirely consumed); as adverb, fully:--all, every

whit, flame, perfect(-ion), utterly, whole burnt offering

(sacrifice), wholly.

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כָּלִיל (ka.lil) — entire.

adj

1) entire, all, perfect

adv

2) entirety

subst

3) whole, whole burnt offering, holocaust, entirety

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAamsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and he made the object marker [the] robe of the ephod [the] work of a weaver an entirety of violet stuff
תְּכֵֽלֶת׃te.Khe.let violet stuff H8504 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
49× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Describes the color blue or violet, obtained from a specific type of mussel, used to dye fabrics in Exodus 28. It is a distinct color in the biblical spectrum.
Amplified meaning
violet, blue-purple
Tyndale gloss
blue
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תְּכֵ֫לֶת (tekhelet) refers to a violet color, specifically associated with violet thread and fabric. The term may also encompass a broader spectrum, including blue hues. It is linked to the cerulean mussel, which produces the dye used for this color. The entries consistently emphasize its connection to both violet and blue.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תְּכֵ֫לֶת 48 n.f. violet, i.e. violet thread and stuff

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8504 תְּכֵ֫לֶת violet, i.e. violet thread and stuff

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8504 tkeleth tek-ay'-leth

probably for 7827; the cerulean mussel, i.e. the color

(violet) obtained therefrom or stuff dyed therewith:--blue.

see HEBREW for 07827

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תְּכֵ֫לֶת (te.khe.let) — blue.

1) violet, violet stuff

1a) violet thread

1b) violet stuff or fabric

2) (TWOT) blue (covering spectrum from brilliant red through deep purple)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

stuf (keli; skeuos): "Material" for any purpose (Eze 12:3,4,7); or "supplies" in a more general sense (Ex 36:7, Hebrew mela'-khah; compare the King James Version, the English Revised Version 1Sa 10:22; 25:13; 30:24 (the American Standard Revised Version substitutes "baggage")); frequently, "household possessions" (Ge 31:37; 45:20; Ex 22:7; Jos 7:11; Ne 13:8; /RAPC Jdt 16:19; the King James Version Judith 15:11 (skeuasmata, the Revised Version (British and American) "furniture"); the King James Version

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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