What number verse is Exodus 39:27 in the Bible?

Exodus 39:27 is the 2,692nd verse of the Bible. Counting straight through the King James canon — all 31,102 verses from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 — Exodus 39:27 sits at position 2,692.

39:2639:26

Exodus 39:27

Q: What was the significance of "fine linen" for the priestly garments?

"Fine linen" (*shêš*) was a high-quality, pure white material, often associated with royalty and sacred contexts in the ancient world. Biblically, its primary significance is purity and holiness. Its use for the priests' innermost garments visually communicated the moral and ritual purity required for those who ministered in God's presence. It also symbolized righteousness, a theme that finds its ultimate fulfillment in the spotless righteousness of Christ and the "fine linen, bright and clean" given to the bride of Christ (Revelation 19:8).

39:2839:28

Translation

King James Version

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

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KJV (with Strong's)

And they made ^H6213 coats ^H3801 of fine linen ^H8336 of woven ^H707 work ^H4639 for Aaron ^H175, and for his sons ^H1121,

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Complete Jewish Bible

They made the tunics of finely woven linen for Aharon and his sons,

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Berean Standard Bible

For Aaron and his sons they made tunics of fine linen, the work of a weaver,

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American Standard Version

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

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World English Bible Messianic

They made the coats of fine linen of woven work for Aaron, and for his sons,

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Geneva Bible (1599)

After, they made coates of fine linen, of wouen worke for Aaron and for his sonnes.

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Young's Literal Translation

And they make the coats of linen, work of a weaver, for Aaron and for his sons,

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Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Exodus 39:27 meticulously details the fabrication of the linen coats for Aaron and his sons, serving as the foundational undergarments for their sacred priestly service. This verse is part of the broader narrative in Exodus 39, which chronicles the precise and faithful execution of all divine instructions for the construction of the Tabernacle and its accompanying priestly vestments, underscoring God's demand for purity, order, and absolute obedience in worship.

CONTEXT

Literary Context: Exodus 39:27 is situated within the concluding chapters of Exodus, specifically detailing the actual construction of the Tabernacle and the making of the priestly garments. The entire chapter, from Exodus 39:1 to Exodus 39:43, emphasizes the meticulous adherence to God's previously given instructions, often repeating the phrase "as the LORD commanded Moses." This verse, along with Exodus 39:28-29, specifically describes the garments of the ordinary priests and the basic undergarments for the High Priest, Aaron, following the detailed specifications outlined in Exodus 28. The placement here highlights the transition from divine blueprint to tangible reality, showcasing the Israelites' faithfulness in fulfilling every aspect of the sacred commission.
Historical & Cultural Context: In the ancient Near East, priestly attire was not merely functional but deeply symbolic, distinguishing the priests and signifying their consecrated status. The "coats of fine linen" (Hebrew: kuttĕnōt šēš) were the innermost garments, worn directly against the body, symbolizing the purity and humility required for those who ministered in the presence of a holy God. Unlike the more ornate outer garments, these simple linen tunics underscored the fundamental requirement of inner cleanliness and moral uprightness for priestly service. The use of "fine linen" (šēš), a costly and high-quality material often associated with royalty and sacred contexts (compare Genesis 41:42), further emphasized the sacredness of the priestly office and the divine origin of their calling. The meticulous craftsmanship implied by "woven work" reflects the high standards God expected for all elements of Tabernacle service, from the grandest furnishings to the most basic priestly attire.
Key Themes: This verse contributes significantly to several overarching themes within Exodus and the broader Pentateuch. Primarily, it underscores the theme of Divine Instruction and Human Obedience, as the making of the coats is a direct fulfillment of God's precise commands given earlier. It also highlights the theme of Holiness and Purity, as the "fine linen" and the very function of the garments signify the moral and ritual cleanliness required for those who approach a holy God. Furthermore, the meticulous detail points to the Sacredness of Worship and Service, emphasizing that every aspect of ministering before God, no matter how seemingly small, must be executed with excellence and according to divine standards. This preparation for priestly service anticipates the broader call to holiness for God's people, as seen in passages like Leviticus 11:44-45.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

Coats (Hebrew, kᵉthôneth', H3801): This term (H3801) refers to a tunic or shirt, serving as the basic undergarment worn by the priests. Unlike the more elaborate ephod or breastplate, the kᵉthôneth was a simple, full-length garment, symbolizing the foundational purity and humility required for all who ministered before God. Its simplicity contrasted with the ornate outer garments, emphasizing that even the most basic elements of priestly service were divinely prescribed and significant.
Fine linen (Hebrew, shêš', H8336): This term (H8336) denotes high-quality, pure white linen, likely imported from Egypt. It was a costly and prized material, consistently associated with purity, holiness, and divine presence throughout the Old Testament (e.g., the Tabernacle curtains in Exodus 26:1). Its use for the priestly garments underscored the absolute necessity of moral and ritual purity for those who approached God on behalf of the people.
Work (Hebrew, maʻăseh', H4639): This word (H4639) signifies an action, a transaction, or a product. In this context, it refers to the skilled craftsmanship involved in producing the garments, specifically the "woven work." It implies that these garments were not merely sewn but intricately crafted, reflecting the divine standard of excellence and the sacredness of every aspect of Tabernacle service. This "work" was the result of the artisans' God-given wisdom and understanding (Exodus 31:3).

Verse Breakdown

"And they made coats": This refers to the skilled artisans, specifically Bezalel and Oholiab and those working under them, who were gifted by God with wisdom and understanding for all the work of the Tabernacle (Exodus 31:1-6). The act of "making" signifies the faithful execution of God's detailed commands, transforming divine blueprints into tangible reality.
"[of] fine linen": The material chosen, "fine linen" (shêš), was of superior quality and notably white. This choice was not arbitrary but profoundly symbolic, representing purity, holiness, and righteousness. Priests, as mediators between a holy God and His people, had to embody these qualities in their very attire.
"[of] woven work": This phrase emphasizes the method of construction, indicating that the garments were meticulously crafted by skilled weavers. This detail underscores the divine expectation for excellence and precision in all aspects of worship and service, reflecting the perfect order and beauty of God Himself. It suggests a seamless or expertly constructed garment, fit for sacred use.
"for Aaron, and for his sons": This specifies the recipients of these garments. Aaron was the High Priest, and his sons were the ordinary priests. These linen coats were the basic, innermost layer worn by all priests during their service, signifying their common call to purity and service, regardless of their specific rank within the priesthood.

Literary Devices

The verse employs Metonymy, where "coats of fine linen" stand for the entire priestly office and the purity required for it. The garments themselves are not merely clothing but symbols of the consecrated status and the moral and ritual cleanliness essential for approaching God. There is also an underlying Emphasis on divine command and obedience, which is a pervasive theme throughout Exodus 39. The meticulous detail given to even these basic garments highlights God's demand for absolute precision and faithfulness in carrying out His instructions, reinforcing the sanctity of the Tabernacle service. The consistent use of specific materials like "fine linen" also functions as Symbolism, where the material itself carries inherent theological meaning related to purity and holiness.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Exodus 39:27, in its description of the priests' linen coats, profoundly connects to the broader biblical themes of holiness, purity, and the necessity of proper preparation for divine service. The meticulous attention to detail in crafting these garments underscores God's absolute standard for those who draw near to Him. It teaches that access to God is not casual but requires a divinely ordained approach, marked by consecration and moral purity. This Old Testament pattern foreshadows the ultimate purity and perfect access provided through Christ, yet it also calls believers to a life of holiness, recognizing our identity as a "royal priesthood" in the New Covenant.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

The painstaking detail given to the priests' linen coats in Exodus 39:27 serves as a powerful reminder of God's meticulous nature and His demand for purity and intentionality in worship and service. While we no longer serve under the Old Covenant priesthood, the principles of preparation, purity, and humble obedience remain profoundly relevant for believers today. As a "royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9), we are called to offer spiritual sacrifices and live lives that reflect the holiness of God. This verse challenges us to consider the "garments" of our spiritual lives—our attitudes, motives, and actions—and to ensure they are "woven" with integrity, humility, and a deep respect for God's character and commands. Our service, whether in public ministry or daily life, should be marked by a conscious effort to live purely and faithfully, recognizing that we represent a holy God.

Questions for Reflection

In what areas of my life or service do I need to pay more meticulous attention to purity and obedience, reflecting God's high standards?
How does the "fine linen" of the priests' garments challenge me to cultivate inner purity and humility in my walk with God?
What "woven work"—the skilled application of my gifts and talents—am I offering to God, and is it done with excellence and intentionality?

FAQ

Why was so much detail given to these seemingly simple linen coats?

Answer: The extensive detail for the linen coats, as with all Tabernacle elements, underscores God's absolute holiness and His meticulous requirements for approaching Him. These coats were the innermost garments, symbolizing the fundamental purity and humility required for priests. The details emphasized that every aspect of service, even the most basic, was divinely ordained and essential for proper worship. It taught the Israelites, and us, that God is not to be approached casually but with reverence, precision, and a deep understanding of His sacred nature.

What was the significance of "fine linen" for the priestly garments?

Answer: "Fine linen" (shêš) was a high-quality, pure white material, often associated with royalty and sacred contexts in the ancient world. Biblically, its primary significance is purity and holiness. Its use for the priests' innermost garments visually communicated the moral and ritual purity required for those who ministered in God's presence. It also symbolized righteousness, a theme that finds its ultimate fulfillment in the spotless righteousness of Christ and the "fine linen, bright and clean" given to the bride of Christ (Revelation 19:8).

Are these specific garments still relevant for believers today?

Answer: While the physical garments and the Old Covenant priesthood have been fulfilled in Christ, the principles they represent are profoundly relevant. Believers are now part of a "royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9), called to offer spiritual sacrifices. The linen coats symbolize the spiritual purity, humility, and obedience required for all who serve God. We are called to "put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:24), which is our spiritual "fine linen" for service in the New Covenant.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Exodus 39:27, with its focus on the pure linen garments for the priests, finds its profound Christ-centered fulfillment in several ways. The Old Testament priests, clothed in "fine linen" to signify their ritual purity and fitness for service, foreshadowed the ultimate and perfect High Priest, Jesus Christ. Unlike the Levitical priests who needed to be cleansed and clothed in symbolic purity, Christ possessed inherent, unblemished purity and righteousness. He is the Lamb of God, "without blemish or spot" (1 Peter 1:19), whose perfect life and atoning sacrifice provide the true "fine linen" of righteousness for all who believe. Through His shed blood, He not only purifies us but also clothes us in His own perfect righteousness, enabling us to draw near to God with confidence (Hebrews 10:19-22). The meticulous "woven work" of the linen coats also points to Christ's perfectly executed ministry and His flawless obedience to the Father's will, which culminated in His ultimate priestly act on the cross, making Him "holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens" (Hebrews 7:26). He is our great High Priest, who mediates for us not with symbolic garments, but with His own eternal, perfected sacrifice (Hebrews 9:11-14).

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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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Cross-References

Ezekiel 44:18
They shall have linen bonnets upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird themselves with any thing that causeth sweat.
Galatians 3:27
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Romans 13:14
But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Philippians 2:6
Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Philippians 2:8
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Exodus 28:39
And thou shalt embroider the coat of fine linen, and thou shalt make the mitre of fine linen, and thou shalt make the girdle of needlework.
Exodus 28:42
And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach: