Verse Lens · Concise explanation
Exodus 28:4 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 4. 4And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
At 28:4, “And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a…” narrows the reader's attention to the person, object, instruction, danger, gift, or outcome active in this section.
Take Aaron and his sons from among Israel
This verse is one part of that explanation in Exodus 28:1–5. The complete section carries the connected meaning and how it should shape life.
Read It With
- Exodus 28:1–5
Read Exodus 28:4 with 28:1–5. At 28:4, “And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a…” narrows the reader's attention to the person, object, instruction, danger, gift, or outcome active in this section. The whole unit shows: Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar are called to priestly service, and skilled workers receive materials for garments of dignity and beauty.
Why This Verse Appears Here
Exodus 27:20–21 establishes the preceding movement: Israel supplies beaten olive oil so Aaron and his sons may tend a regular lamp before the testimony from evening to morning. This unit continues that movement: Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar are called to priestly service, and skilled workers receive materials for garments of dignity and beauty. At 28:4, the wording “And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a…” makes this verse's contribution precise. At 28:4, “And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a…” narrows the reader's attention to the person, object, instruction, danger, gift, or outcome active in this section.
What Remains True
Because Exodus 28:4 contributes “And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a…” to “Aaron and His Sons Are Set Apart,” its proportionate enduring truth is: Representative service near holy things requires preparation, accountability, sustained care, and visible connection to the people being represented.
Continue in Context
Read the complete section for the connected explanation and how it should shape life. This verse is a doorway into that passage, not a saying that stands alone.
Read Exodus 28:1–5 — Aaron and His Sons Are Set ApartSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? strong
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Exact KJV wording, paragraph metadata, supplied-word markup, and complete verse coverage for this thought unit.
Exact location: Exodus 28:1–5, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Open source ↗hebrew text and morphology
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible: Exodus
Open Scriptures
Open Scriptures, release 2.2
Supports: Masoretic Hebrew wording, morphology, names, speech, law, ritual vocabulary, older-English controls, and translation limits.
Exact location: Open Scriptures MorphHB v.2.2, commit 6a5db284c715c18b239422e57bb89684e6a19f00, wlc/Exod.xml, words and morphology for 28:1–5
Open source ↗translation and translator notes
NET Bible: Exodus with translators' notes
Biblical Studies Press
eBible.org distribution of the NET Bible, PDF generated 2026-08-12
Supports: Unit-bounded Hebrew, syntax, lexical, textual, name, measure, legal, ritual, and older-English notes; silence is not evidence.
Exact location: NET Bible Exodus PDF, complete 127-page PDF, translation and verse-attached translator notes for 28:1–5
Open source ↗