Movatterモバイル変換

Exodus 39:24-26
And they made upon the hems of the robe pomegranatesof blue, and purple, and scarlet,and twinedlinen…

hem or skirts.

1 Kings 7:18
And he made the pillars, and two rows round about upon the one network, to cover the chapiters thatwere upon the top, with pomegranates: and so did he for the other chapiter.

2 Kings 25:17
The height of the one pillarwas eighteen cubits, and the chapiter upon itwas brass: and the height of the chapiter three cubits; and the wreathen work, and pomegranates upon the chapiter round about, all of brass: and like unto these had the second pillar with wreathen work.

bells

Zechariah 14:20
In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD'S house shall be like the bowls before the altar.

all the way around the lower hem
The placement of the pomegranates around the hem of the robe indicates completeness and continuity. The hem of a garment in ancient times often symbolized authority and identity. By encircling the hem with pomegranates, the garment is marked as belonging to the high priest, who serves as a mediator between God and the people. This design also ensures that the priest is constantly reminded of his role and the divine presence as he moves.

with gold bells between them
The gold bells serve a practical and symbolic purpose. Practically, they produce sound as the high priest moves, signifying his presence and activity within the holy place. Symbolically, gold represents purity and divinity. The sound of the bells is a reminder of the priest's sacred duties and the need for reverence in the presence of God. The bells also serve as a warning, as their sound indicates the priest's movements, ensuring that he is not approached unannounced, which could lead to death (Exodus 28:35). This reflects the holiness of God and the seriousness of approaching Him. The combination of pomegranates and bells illustrates the balance of fruitfulness and reverence in the priestly ministry.

• The instruction is literal: small, fruit-shaped ornaments were to be crafted for the high priest’s robe.

• Pomegranates were a well-known symbol of fruitfulness and blessing (Deuteronomy 8:8; Song of Songs 4:13). Israel’s spies carried the fruit back from Canaan as proof of the land’s abundance (Numbers 13:23).

• God uses tangible symbols to teach spiritual truth. Just as the pomegranate is packed with seeds, the priest who represents the people is to be marked by overflowing life and obedience (Genesis 1:28).

• Temple architecture later echoed this pattern, with pomegranates adorning the tops of the pillars (1 Kings 7:18-20), showing the continuity of God’s design.

• These three colors reappear throughout the tabernacle—on curtains (Exodus 26:1) and the veil before the Most Holy Place (Exodus 26:31).

– Blue points upward, reminding of the heavens and divine revelation (Numbers 15:38-39).

– Purple speaks of royalty and kingship (Judges 8:26;John 19:2-3, where soldiers mock Jesus with a purple robe).

– Scarlet evokes sacrifice and atonement (Leviticus 14:52;Hebrews 9:19-22).

• By combining all three threads, God visually wove together heaven, royalty, and redemption in the person and work of the high priest.

• The hem is the garment’s outermost edge—the part that moves with every step. Covering it “all the way around” ensured the symbolism was constant and complete (Exodus 39:24-26).

• In Scripture the hem can represent authority and holiness: cutting Saul’s robe shamed him (1 Samuel 24:4-5), and a desperate woman later touched “the fringe of His cloak” for healing (Matthew 9:20-22).

• God wanted no gap in the reminder of fruitfulness and sacrifice. Each movement of the priest within the sanctuary displayed a continuous testimony of God’s covenant care.

• Gold, the metal of the sanctuary furniture (Exodus 25:11), stands for divine glory and incorruptibility.

• The bells produced audible testimony: “The sound of the bells will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the LORD and when he exits, so that he will not die” (Exodus 28:35).

• Every step announced that atonement was being made, foreshadowing the once-for-all entrance of Christ into the heavenly sanctuary (Hebrews 9:7-12).

• The alternation—pomegranate, bell, pomegranate—unites silent fruitfulness with sounding proclamation, a pattern the believer is still called to embody (Philippians 1:11;Romans 10:14-15).

Exodus 28:33 describes real ornaments on the high priest’s robe, blending pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn with golden bells. The fruit shapes proclaim abundance and covenant life; the colors point to heaven, royalty, and sacrifice; the complete hem signals unbroken holiness; and the bells audibly affirm accepted ministry before God. Together they anticipate the perfect, life-giving, and constantly effective priesthood of Jesus Christ, whose work brings both fruit and proclamation into every step of our worship and service.

Bells of gold.--The bell is also more Assyrian than Egyptian. Its use as an article of priestly costume has no direct parallel, nor are bells known to have been employed in the religious services of any ancient nation. The statement that Persian kings wore bells rests upon no sufficient authority. We seem to have here the introduction of an entirely new religious usage.