What number verse is Exodus 39:19 in the Bible?

Exodus 39:19 is the 2,684th verse of the Bible. Counting straight through the King James canon — all 31,102 verses from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 — Exodus 39:19 sits at position 2,684.

Translation

King James Version

And they made two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, upon the border of it, which was on the side of the ephod inward.

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KJV (with Strong's)

And they made ^H6213 two ^H8147 rings ^H2885 of gold ^H2091, and put ^H7760 them on the two ^H8147 ends ^H7098 of the breastplate ^H2833, upon the border ^H8193 of it, which was on the side ^H5676 of the ephod ^H646 inward ^H1004.

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Complete Jewish Bible

They also made two gold rings and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, at its edge, on the side facing in toward the vest.

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Berean Standard Bible

They made two more gold rings and attached them to the other two corners of the breastpiece, on the inside edge next to the ephod.

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American Standard Version

And they made two rings of gold, and put them upon the two ends of the breastplate, upon the edge thereof, which was toward the side of the ephod inward.

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World English Bible Messianic

They made two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, on its edge, which was toward the side of the ephod inward.

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Geneva Bible (1599)

Likewise they made two rings of gold, and put them in the two other corners of the brest plate vpon the edge of it, which was on the inside of the Ephod.

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Young's Literal Translation

And they make two rings of gold, and set them on the two ends of the breastplate, on its border, which is on the side of the ephod within;

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In the KJVVerse 2,684 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Exodus 39:19 meticulously details the creation and precise placement of two gold rings on the High Priest's breastplate, a critical step in securely attaching this sacred garment to the ephod. This verse highlights the unwavering obedience of the artisans, led by Bezalel and Oholiab, in executing God's intricate divine blueprint for the Tabernacle's furnishings and priestly vestments. The secure fastening ensured that the breastplate, bearing the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, remained perpetually positioned over the High Priest's heart as he ministered before the Lord, symbolizing his role in bearing the people before God.

CONTEXT

Literary Context: Exodus 39:19 is situated within the extensive and highly detailed account of the Tabernacle's construction and the crafting of the priestly garments, which spans from Exodus 35 through Exodus 40. This section serves as the fulfillment of the divine instructions given earlier, particularly those concerning the High Priest's attire in Exodus 28. Specifically, verse 19 follows the description of the breastplate's construction, including the setting of its twelve precious stones (Exodus 39:8-18), and immediately precedes the final steps of attaching the breastplate to the ephod (Exodus 39:20-21). It underscores a crucial functional detail—the mechanism for securing the breastplate—thereby demonstrating the comprehensive nature of God's commands and the Israelites' faithful adherence to every minute specification. The narrative's emphasis on "as the LORD commanded Moses" throughout Exodus 39 reinforces the theme of perfect obedience.
Historical & Cultural Context: In ancient Israel, the High Priest held a unique and indispensable role as the primary mediator between God and His covenant people. His garments were not merely ceremonial attire but were imbued with profound symbolic meaning and spiritual significance. The breastplate, specifically referred to as the "breastplate of judgment" (Hebrew: choshen mishpat), was exceptionally vital, as it bore the engraved names of the twelve tribes of Israel. This symbolized the High Priest carrying the entire nation before God's presence. The ephod was the High Priest's principal outer garment, and the secure attachment of the breastplate to it was paramount. This ensured that the representation of Israel was continually positioned over the High Priest's heart as he entered the Holy Place, signifying his intercessory function. The exclusive use of gold for these rings, consistent with other elements of the Tabernacle and priestly vestments, underscores the preciousness, sanctity, and divine honor associated with the materials designated for sacred service, reflecting the reverence due to God and the holy nature of the priestly office.
Key Themes: This verse contributes to several overarching themes present in the book of Exodus. Primarily, it exemplifies the theme of Divine Mandate and Human Obedience, showcasing the meticulous execution of God's precise instructions for the Tabernacle and its sacred objects. Every detail, no matter how small, was to be followed exactly "as the LORD commanded Moses" (e.g., Exodus 39:1). Secondly, it highlights the theme of Holiness and Sacred Space, as the materials (gold) and the craftsmanship (meticulous rings) contribute to the overall sanctity of the priestly garments, which were essential for approaching a holy God. Thirdly, it reinforces the theme of Representation and Mediation, as the rings facilitate the secure placement of the breastplate, symbolizing the High Priest's role in bearing the people of Israel before God's presence, a concept central to the priestly function as seen in Exodus 28:29.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

Rings (Hebrew, ṭabbaʻath', H2885): Derived from a root meaning "to sink" or "to seal," this term properly refers to a signet ring, but generally denotes any kind of ring. In Exodus 39:19, these are circular fasteners, specifically crafted from gold. Their function was crucial for the secure and proper wearing of the breastplate, serving as attachment points that would link it to the ephod. Their inclusion, even as seemingly minor components, underscores the divine attention to every detail of the priestly garments, emphasizing that all elements, from the grandest to the smallest, were to be made of the finest materials according to God's precise specifications, signifying their value and sacredness.
Gold (Hebrew, zâhâb', H2091): From an unused root meaning "to shimmer," this word refers to the precious metal, gold. Figuratively, it can describe something gold-colored or bright. In the context of the Tabernacle and priestly garments, gold consistently symbolizes purity, divine glory, incorruptibility, and immense value. Its use for the rings, as for many other sacred items, was not merely for aesthetic appeal but conveyed the holiness and enduring nature of God's presence and the sacred service performed in His sanctuary. It signifies that only the best was fitting for the Lord's work.
Breastplate (Hebrew, chôshen', H2833): This term, likely from a root meaning "to contain" or "to sparkle," refers specifically to the gorget of the High Priest, often translated as "breastplate." More fully known as the "breastplate of judgment" (choshen mishpat), it was a folded pouch designed to hold the Urim and Thummim, and it was adorned with twelve precious stones, each engraved with the name of one of the tribes of Israel. The rings described in this verse were integral to its proper wearing, ensuring it was always positioned over the High Priest's heart. This placement was central to his symbolic role of bearing the people of Israel continually before God's presence for judgment and intercession.

Verse Breakdown

"And they made two rings of gold": This initial clause establishes the specific items being crafted—two rings—and their material—gold. The verb "made" (H6213, ʻâsâh) emphasizes the skilled craftsmanship and the act of creation in accordance with divine instructions. The quantity "two" (H8147, shᵉnayim) and the precious material "gold" (H2091, zâhâb) highlight the precise nature of God's commands and the high value placed on every component of the sacred vestments, signifying purity, glory, and divine origin.
"and put [them] on the two ends of the breastplate": This clause specifies the action of placing the rings and their precise location. The verb "put" (H7760, sûwm) indicates deliberate and careful placement. The "two ends" (H7098, qâtsâh) refer to the upper corners or extremities of the breastplate. This strategic positioning was essential for the breastplate's functionality, ensuring it could be securely linked to the ephod and remain stable during the High Priest's movements, preventing any shifting or displacement.
"upon the border of it, which [was] on the side of the ephod inward": This final clause provides further meticulous detail regarding the rings' attachment and orientation. "Upon the border" (H8193, sâphâh) indicates that the rings were affixed to the edge or rim of the breastplate. The phrase "which was on the side of the ephod inward" (H5676, ʻêber and H1004, bayith for "inward") clarifies their precise orientation: they were positioned on the inner side of the breastplate, facing the ephod. This ensured a seamless, secure, and aesthetically integrated connection, demonstrating God's concern for both the functional integrity and the orderly beauty of the sacred garments.

Literary Devices

Exodus 39:19, like much of the Tabernacle narrative, primarily employs Precision as its dominant literary device. The verse's highly specific language regarding the material ("gold"), quantity ("two rings"), and exact placement ("on the two ends... upon the border... on the side... inward") exemplifies the meticulous detail inherent in God's instructions and the Israelites' faithful execution. This precision underscores the divine demand for exact obedience in worship and service, emphasizing that every component, no matter how small, has its divinely appointed place and purpose. Additionally, there is an element of Symbolism, as these small gold rings are part of a larger symbolic system. They facilitate the secure attachment of the breastplate to the ephod, symbolically representing the unbreakable bond between God's chosen High Priest and the people he bears before the Lord, ensuring their constant representation. The broader narrative also utilizes Repetition of the phrase "as the LORD commanded Moses," implicitly reinforcing that every detail, including the crafting of these rings, was made in perfect accordance with divine will, highlighting the theme of faithful obedience.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Exodus 39:19, in its minute detail, powerfully illustrates God's demand for meticulous obedience and His profound concern for order, beauty, and perfection in worship. The precise crafting and placement of the gold rings for the breastplate, ensuring its secure attachment to the ephod, speaks to the divine intentionality behind every aspect of the Tabernacle and priestly service. It highlights the interconnectedness of the priestly garments, where each piece served a vital function and contributed to the High Priest's unified role as the representative of Israel before God. This attention to detail teaches us that God values not just the grand acts of worship, but also the seemingly small, functional elements that enable faithful service. It underscores the principle that true worship involves diligent adherence to God's revealed will, reflecting His own character of order and holiness. The integrity of the High Priest's office, and thus his ability to mediate effectively, depended on the flawless execution of these divine commands.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

The meticulous detail found in Exodus 39:19, concerning the gold rings that secured the breastplate to the ephod, serves as a profound reminder of God's character and His expectations for our service. Just as every component of the High Priest's garments was essential and precisely crafted, so too are the seemingly small details of our lives and ministries significant in God's eyes. This passage challenges us to consider whether we approach our spiritual walk, our acts of worship, and our service to God with the same level of care, diligence, and obedience that was demonstrated in the Tabernacle's construction. It prompts us to reflect on the interconnectedness of our faith—how our private devotion (like the ephod, the inner garment) should be inextricably linked to our public representation of Christ (like the breastplate bearing the tribes), ensuring that our lives are a unified and authentic expression of our faith. God's attention to these minute details assures us that He is sovereign over all things, and He desires our wholehearted and precise obedience in every area, knowing that even the smallest act of faithfulness contributes to the greater tapestry of His kingdom.

Questions for Reflection

How does God's meticulousness in commanding the construction of the priestly garments challenge my own approach to "small" details in my spiritual life or service?
What does the secure and integrated connection between the breastplate and the ephod symbolize about the relationship between my personal faith and my public witness?
In what ways can I cultivate a greater sense of precision and obedience in my daily walk with God, knowing that He values even the seemingly minor aspects of our devotion?

FAQ

Why were these rings of gold, and not another material?

Answer: The use of gold for these rings, like many other components of the Tabernacle and priestly garments, signifies the divine origin, preciousness, and sacredness of the items. Gold is a noble, incorruptible metal, symbolizing purity, glory, and enduring value. By divine command, only the finest materials were to be used for God's sanctuary and the vestments of His High Priest, emphasizing the honor and reverence due to Him. The gold rings were not merely functional but also conveyed the sanctity and glory associated with the High Priest's office and his ministry before the Lord, reflecting the perfection and holiness of God Himself.

What was the practical purpose of these rings?

Answer: The practical purpose of these two gold rings was to provide secure attachment points for the breastplate to the ephod. As described in Exodus 28:28, blue cords were passed through these rings and then tied to the gold rings on the ephod's shoulder straps. This intricate system ensured that the breastplate, which held the Urim and Thummim and the engraved names of the twelve tribes, remained firmly in place over the High Priest's heart while he ministered. This secure connection was crucial for the symbolic representation of the High Priest bearing the people of Israel continually before God, ensuring that their names were always present in the Holy Place.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

The precise crafting and secure attachment of the breastplate to the ephod through these gold rings in Exodus 39:19 beautifully foreshadow the perfect and enduring connection between Christ, our great High Priest, and His people. Just as the breastplate, bearing the names of Israel, was inextricably linked to the ephod worn by the High Priest, so too are believers eternally united with Christ. He bears us, His Church, not merely symbolically but actually, on His heart before the Father. The meticulousness of the rings' design and placement speaks to the divine perfection of Christ's mediatorial work. Unlike the Old Testament High Priest, whose service was temporary and imperfect, Jesus has entered the true, heavenly sanctuary, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption for us (Hebrews 9:12). He is our permanent and perfectly connected High Priest, who ever lives to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25). The secure attachment of the breastplate symbolizes the unbreakable bond forged by Christ's finished work on the cross (John 19:30), ensuring that we are always presented before God, perfectly represented and eternally secure in Him (Romans 8:34). Through Him, we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him (Ephesians 3:12), because He perfectly fulfills the High Priestly office.

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Commentary on Exodus 39 verses 1–31

1 ¶ And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made cloths of service, to do service in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as the LORD commanded Moses.

2 And he made the ephod of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.

3 And they did beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in the blue, and in the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, with cunning work.

4 They made shoulderpieces for it, to couple it together: by the two edges was it coupled together.

5 And the curious girdle of his ephod, that was upon it, was of the same, according to the work thereof; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen; as the LORD commanded Moses.

6 And they wrought onyx stones inclosed in ouches of gold, graven, as signets are graven, with the names of the children of Israel.

7 And he put them on the shoulders of the ephod, that they should be stones for a memorial to the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses.

8 And he made the breastplate of cunning work, like the work of the ephod; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.

9 It was foursquare; they made the breastplate double: a span was the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof, being doubled.

10 And they set in it four rows of stones: the first row was a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this was the first row.

11 And the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.

12 And the third row, a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.

13 And the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper: they were inclosed in ouches of gold in their inclosings.

14 And the stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, every one with his name, according to the twelve tribes.

15 And they made upon the breastplate chains at the ends, of wreathen work of pure gold.

16 And they made two ouches of gold, and two gold rings; and put the two rings in the two ends of the breastplate.

17 And they put the two wreathen chains of gold in the two rings on the ends of the breastplate.

18 And the two ends of the two wreathen chains they fastened in the two ouches, and put them on the shoulderpieces of the ephod, before it.

19 And they made two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, upon the border of it, which was on the side of the ephod inward.

20 And they made two other golden rings, and put them on the two sides of the ephod underneath, toward the forepart of it, over against the other coupling thereof, above the curious girdle of the ephod.

21 And they did bind the breastplate by his rings unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not be loosed from the ephod; as the LORD commanded Moses.

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

23 And there was an hole in the midst of the robe, as the hole of an habergeon, with a band round about the hole, that it should not rend.

24 And they made upon the hems of the robe pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen.

25 And they made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates upon the hem of the robe, round about between the pomegranates;

26 A bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, round about the hem of the robe to minister in; as the LORD commanded Moses.

27 And they made coats of fine linen of woven work for Aaron, and for his sons,

28 And a mitre of fine linen, and goodly bonnets of fine linen, and linen breeches of fine twined linen,

29 And a girdle of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, of needlework; as the LORD commanded Moses.

30 And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote upon it a writing, like to the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.

31 And they tied unto it a lace of blue, to fasten it on high upon the mitre; as the LORD commanded Moses.

In this account of the making of the priests' garments, according to the instructions given (ch. 28), we may observe, 1. That the priests' garments are called here clothes of service, Exo 39:1. Note, Those that wear robes of honour must look upon them as clothes of service; for from those upon whom honour is put service is expected. It is said of those that are arrayed in white robes that they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple, Rev 7:13, Rev 7:15. Holy garments were not made for men to sleep in, or to strut in, but to do service in; and then they are indeed for glory and beauty. The Son of man himself came not to be ministered unto, but to minister. 2. That all the six paragraphs here, which give a distinct account of the making of these holy garments, conclude with those words, as the Lord commanded Moses, Exo 39:5, Exo 39:7, Exo 39:21, Exo 39:26, Exo 39:29, Exo 39:31. The like is not in any of the foregoing accounts, as if in these, more than any other of the appurtenances of the tabernacle, they had a particular regard to the divine appointment, both for warrant and for direction. It is an intimation to all the Lord's ministers to make the word of God their rule in all their ministrations, and to act in observance of and obedience to the command of God. 3. That these garments, in conformity to the rest of the furniture of the tabernacle, were very rich and splendid; the church in its infancy was thus taught, thus pleased, with the rudiments of this world; but now under the gospel, which is the ministration of the Spirit, to affect and impose such pompous habits as the church of Rome does, under pretence of decency and instruction, is to betray the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and to entangle the church again in the bondage of those carnal ordinances which were imposed only till the time of reformation. 4. That they were all shadows of good things to come, but the substance is Christ, and the grace of the gospel; when therefore the substance has come, it is a jest to be fond of the shadow. (1.) Christ is our great high-priest; when he undertook the work of our redemption, he put on the clothes of service - he arrayed himself with the gifts and graces of the Spirit, which he received not by measure - girded himself with the curious girdle of resolution, to go through with his undertaking - charged himself with the curious girdle of resolution, to go through with his undertaking - charged himself with all God's spiritual Israel, bore them on his shoulders, carried them in his bosom, laid them near his heart, engraved them on the palms of his hands, and presented them in the breast-plate of judgment unto his Father. And (lastly) he crowned himself with holiness to the Lord, consecrating his whole undertaking to the honour of his Father's holiness: now consider how great this man is. (2.) True believers are spiritual priests. The clean linen with which all their clothes of service must be made is the righteousness of saints (Rev 19:8), and Holiness to the Lord must be so written upon their foreheads that all who converse with them may see, and say, that they bear the image of God's holiness, and are devoted to the praise of it.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–31. Public domain.

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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.

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