Exodus 40:14 — Word Study
WLCוְאֶת־ בָּנָ֖יו תַּקְרִ֑יב וְהִלְבַּשְׁתָּ֥ אֹתָ֖ם כֻּתֳּנֹֽת׃
BSABring his sonsbên [the descendants, his male children] forwardqârab▸ and clothelâbash [to wrap around, put on] themʼêth with tunicskᵉthôneth [long, shirt-like garments, coats]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְאֶת־ | and the object marker | Conjunction, particle |
| בָּנָ֖יו | sons his | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| תַּקְרִ֑יב | you will bring near | Verb, Hiphil, imperfect second person masculine singular |
| וְהִלְבַּשְׁתָּ֥ | and you will clothe | Verb, Hiphil, sequential perfect second person masculine singular |
| אֹתָ֖ם | the object marker them | Particle, suffix |
| כֻּתֳּנֹֽת׃ | tunics | Noun common, feminine plural absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Bring his sons forward and clothe them with tunics. |
| KJV | And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats: |
| ASV | And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats upon them; |
| YLT | 'And his sons thou dost bring near, and hast clothed them with coats, |
| WEB | You shall bring his sons, and put tunics on them. |
| BBE | And take his sons with him and put coats on them; |
All translations agree on the essential meaning of the verse.
The sentence has a main verb followed by a subordinate action, emphasizing the sequential commands given to Moses.
3 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Ellicott, Whedon & more — read them ›
clause
verbקָרַב
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 40:14
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 Consecration of Aaron and His Sonsgenerated
Exodus 40:14 is part of the instructions given by the LORD to Moses regarding the consecration of Aaron and his sons as priests. This chapter emphasizes the importance of clothing and anointing in the priestly ordination process. The garments serve not only as physical attire but also as symbols of their sacred duties and responsibilities before God.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 44:3–5 | For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and currents on the dry ground. I will pour out My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring. |
| 2 | Isaiah 61:10 | I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom wears a priestly headdress, as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. |
| 3 | John 1:16 | From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace. |
| 4 | Romans 8:30 | And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified. |
| 5 | Romans 13:14 | Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — תַּקְרִ֑יב, tak.Rivgenerated
The verb תַּקְרִ֑יב (tak.Riv) is a Hiphil form, meaning 'you will bring near' or 'you will present.' It conveys the action of approaching or bringing someone or something closer, often with a specific purpose, such as presenting an offering to God.
In this context, Moses is commanded to bring Aaron's sons forward, which signifies their readiness to enter into their roles as priests. The use of the Hiphil form indicates that Moses is to actively bring them near for their consecration.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
All translations agree on the essential meaning of the verse, conveying the command to bring Aaron's sons forward and clothe them with tunics.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb תַּקְרִ֑יב governs the main action of the sentence, with two phrases hanging off it: a noun phrase indicating the object of the verb and a second verb phrase describing the action of clothing. The structure emphasizes the sequential nature of the commands given to Moses.
The Hebrew word order places the verb first, highlighting the command's urgency and importance in the context of the priestly consecration.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates תַּקְרִ֑יב with προσάχεις (prosaicheis), meaning 'you will bring near.' This choice maintains the sense of approaching or presenting, which is consistent with the original Hebrew intent.
This translation reflects a direct rendering of the Hebrew action, preserving the focus on the act of bringing the sons forward for their priestly duties.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Exodus 40:14 instructs Moses to bring Aaron's sons forward and dress them in tunics. This action is part of the process of consecrating them as priests, highlighting their new roles and responsibilities.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means to present Aaron's sons to Moses for their consecration as priests, signifying their readiness to serve.
The tunics symbolize their new roles and responsibilities as priests, setting them apart for service to God.
The garments represent holiness and the special status of the priests, indicating their role in mediating between God and the people.
This verse is part of the instructions for the Tabernacle and priesthood, emphasizing God's desire for order and holiness in worship.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does it mean to me to be 'clothed' for service in my own life?
- How can I prepare myself to fulfill the roles and responsibilities I have been given?
- In what ways do I see the significance of clothing or preparation in my spiritual journey?
- How can I support others in their journey of service and dedication to God?
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Exodus 40:14 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water. Bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle ... and wash them.
Read Robert Jamieson on Exodus 40 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(14) Thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats.—Rather, with tunics. (Comp. Exodus 29:8.)
Read Charles John Ellicott on Exodus 40 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the BibleTHE ORDER TO SET UP THE , Exodus 40:1-16. The formality of this command to erect the sanctuary involves an incidental repetition of what has already been described.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Exodus 40 →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
Bring his sons forward and clothe them with tunics.
You shall bring his sons, and put tunics on them.
Bring his sons forward and clothe them with tunics.
You are to bring his sons and clothe them with tunics
Tyndale line
And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats:
And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats upon them;
And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats upon them:
And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats:
Thou shalt also bring his sonnes, and clothe them with garments,
Strictly literal
And thou shalt bring his sons near, and clothe them with vests.
'And his sons thou dost bring near, and hast clothed them with coats,
And you bring his sons near, and have clothed them with coats,
And his sons shalt thou bring near, and clothe them with coats:
You are to bring his sons and clothe them with coats.
From the Latin
And Moses did all that the Lord had commanded.
Simplified
Have his sons come forward and dress them with tunics.
And take his sons with him and put coats on them;
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 and the Septuagint agree closely in the wording of Exodus 40:14. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs slightly, using the word 'כיתנות' for 'tunics' instead of 'כֻּתֳּנֹת,' while the Dead Sea Scrolls show partial restoration but align with the Masoretic Text in essence.
וְאֶת־ בָּנָ֖יו תַּקְרִ֑יב וְהִלְבַּשְׁתָּ֥ אֹתָ֖ם כֻּתֳּנֹֽת׃
6 of the 6 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.
ואת בניו תקריב והלבשׁתם כיתנות
2 words differ from the Masoretic Text: הלבשׁתם (clothe), כיתנות (tunic)
ואת [בני׳ו] תקריב והלבשת אות׳ם את הכתנות
4 words on the leather — 2 partly restored, 1 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 40:14
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.
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).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
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
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)
DirObjM | Suff — Conjunction · particleHC/To
בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.
בֵּן 4870 n.m. son
son, male child, born of a woman
children (male and female)
youth, young men
the young of animals
of plant shoots
fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
member of a guild, order or class
of animals son of (the) herd
ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
n. relat. of age
base
בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.
done
H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman
. children (male and female)
. youth, young men
. the young of animals
. of plant shoots
. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
. . member of a guild, order or class
. of animals son of (the) herd
. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
. n. relat. of age
H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son
1121 ben bane
from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the
widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,
including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,
etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)
(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,
(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,
bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X
came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of
first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +
kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)
people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +
spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous
one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
see HEBREW for 01129
see HEBREW for 01
see HEBREW for 0251
בֵּן (ben) — son: child.
: child/son
בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;
son of: Jaaziah (H3269);
brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)
§ Beno = "his son"
the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)
בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.
: descendant, people, tribe, nation
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : child/son
בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.
: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : descendant
בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.
: rebel/son(Belial)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : people/men/nation/tribe
בֵּן (ben) — son.
: [inheriting]son/heir
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.
: warrior/son(strong)
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp3ms
קָרַב (qarab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to approach or come near, with various nuances including bringing or presenting something. It encompasses different forms such as Qal (to approach), Niphal (to be brought near), and Hiphil (to bring near). The term is often associated with offerings or dedications to God, particularly in the context of the book of Ezekiel.
[קָרֵב], קָרַב 279 vb. come near, approach
Qal 93 approach
Niph. he shall be brought unto God
Pi. cause to approach, bring near
Hiph.
177
bring near, bring, present
of time
as term techn. (c. 158 t.), chiefly Ez HP, bring near, of presenting, dedicating, or offering to י׳
base
H7126 קָרֵב, קָרַב come near, approach .approach
. he shall be brought unto God
. cause to approach, bring near
. . . bring near, bring, present
. of time
. as term techn. (c. 158 t.), chiefly Ez HP, bring near, of presenting, dedicating, or offering to י׳
7126 qarab kaw-rab'
a primitive root; to approach (causatively, bring near) for
whatever purpose:--(cause to) approach, (cause to) bring
(forth, near), (cause to) come (near, nigh), (cause to) draw
near (nigh), go (near), be at hand, join, be near, offer,
present, produce, make ready, stand, take.
קָרַב (qa.rav) — to present: come.
: come/approach
1) to come near, approach, enter into, draw near
1a) (Qal) to approach, draw near
1b) (Niphal) to be brought near
1c) (Piel) to cause to approach, bring near, cause to draw near
1d) (Hiphil) to bring near, bring, present
קָרַב (qa.rav) — to present: bring.
: bring/offer
1) to come near, approach, enter into, draw near
1a) (Qal) to approach, draw near
1b) (Niphal) to be brought near
1c) (Piel) to cause to approach, bring near, cause to draw near
1d) (Hiphil) to bring near, bring, present
V-Hiphil-Imperf-2ms — Verb · Hiphil · imperfect second person masculine singularHVhi2ms
The Hebrew word לָבֵשׁ (*labash*) means to put on or wear clothing, and it can refer to both literal and figurative clothing. It is built from a primitive root meaning to wrap around. The entries cover various forms, including Qal, Pual, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of dressing or being clothed. The word is also noted for its use in a figurative sense, such as being clothed with a spirit.
לָבֵשׁ, לָבַשׁ vb. put on (a garment), wear, clothe, be clothed
Qal
lit. put on (one’s own) garment; = wear (more or less habitually)
very oft. fig., put on, be clothed with
lit. put on
once
clothed with
and the spirit of י׳ clothed itself with Gideon
Pu. arrayed
Hiph. clothe, array with
base
H3847 לָבֵשׁ, לָבַשׁ put on (a garment), wear, clothe, be clothed
3847 labash law-bash'
or labesh {law-bashe'}; a primitive root; properly, wrap
around, i.e. (by implication) to put on a garment or clothe
(oneself, or another), literally or figuratively:--(in)
apparel, arm, array (self), clothe (self), come upon, put (on,
upon), wear.
לָבֵשׁ (la.vash) — to clothe.
1) to dress, wear, clothe, put on clothing, be clothed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to put on clothes, be clothed, wear
1a2) to put on, be clothed with (fig.)
1b) (Pual) to be fully clothed
1c) (Hiphil) to clothe, array with, dress
Aramaic equivalent: le.vash (לְבֵשׁ "to clothe" H3848)
Conj | V-Hiphil-2ms — Verb · Hiphil · sequential perfect second person masculine singularHc/Vhq2ms
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).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
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
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)
HTo/Sp3mp — Particle · suffixHTo/Sp3mp
כֻּתֹּ֫נֶת (kthoneth) refers to a tunic or garment, specifically a long shirt-like undergarment typically made of linen. It is derived from a root meaning to cover, and is associated with clothing items such as coats and robes. The term appears in various contexts in the Old Testament.
כֻּתֹּ֫נֶת, כְּתֹ֫נֶת n.f. tunic
base
H3801 כֻּתֹּ֫נֶת, כְּתֹ֫נֶת tunic
3801 kthoneth keth-o'-neth
or kuttoneth {koot-to'-neth}; from an unused root meaning to
cover (compare 3802); a shirt:--coat, garment, robe.
see HEBREW for 03802
כֻּתֹּ֫נֶת (ke.to.net) — tunic.
1) tunic, under-garment
1a) a long shirt-like garment usually of linen
N-fp — Noun common · feminine plural absoluteHNcfpa