What number verse is Exodus 39:9 in the Bible?

Exodus 39:9 is the 2,674th verse of the Bible. Counting straight through the King James canon — all 31,102 verses from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 — Exodus 39:9 sits at position 2,674.

39:839:8

Exodus 39:9

Q: What was the significance of the breastplate being "foursquare"?

The "foursquare" (Hebrew: râbaʻ) shape of the breastplate was highly significant, symbolizing stability, balance, and completeness. In biblical thought, a perfect square often represents divine perfection, wholeness, and integrity. For the breastplate, this ensured that the representation of the twelve tribes of Israel, whose names were engraved on its stones, was perfectly balanced and complete before God. This geometric perfection underscored the divine order and the High Priest's perfect presentation of the people before the Lord, a theme powerfully echoed in the foursquare dimensions of the New Jerusalem in Revelation, which also signifies divine completeness and security.

39:1039:10

Translation

King James Version

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

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KJV (with Strong's)

It was foursquare ^H7251; they made ^H6213 the breastplate ^H2833 double ^H3717: a span ^H2239 was the length ^H753 thereof, and a span ^H2239 the breadth ^H7341 thereof, being doubled ^H3717.

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Complete Jewish Bible

When folded double, the breastplate was square -doubled, it was a hand-span by a hand-span.

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Berean Standard Bible

It was square when folded over double, a span long and a span wide.

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American Standard Version

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

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World English Bible Messianic

It was square. They made the breastplate double. Its length was a span, and its breadth a span, being double.

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Geneva Bible (1599)

They made the brest plate double, and it was square, an hand breadth long, and an hand breadth broad: it was also double.

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Young's Literal Translation

it hath been square; double they have made the breastplate, a span its length, and a span its breadth, doubled.

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In the KJVVerse 2,674 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Exodus 39:9 provides meticulous details regarding the dimensions and construction of the high priestly breastplate, specifying its "foursquare" shape and "double" layering, with each side measuring "a span." This precise instruction highlights the divine demand for order, perfection, and symbolic integrity in the sacred garments, which were central to Aaron's role as Israel's representative before God in the Tabernacle.

CONTEXT

Literary Context: Exodus 39 serves as the practical culmination of the detailed instructions for the Tabernacle and priestly garments given earlier in Exodus 25-31. This chapter, along with Exodus 35-40, meticulously records the faithful execution of God's blueprint. Specifically, verses 1-8 describe the crafting of the ephod, the ornate garment to which the breastplate would be attached. The breastplate itself, previously detailed in Exodus 28, was designed to hold twelve precious stones, each representing a tribe of Israel, and to contain the Urim and Thummim, instruments for discerning God's will. Thus, Exodus 39:9 is a specific technical detail within the broader narrative of Israel's obedient response to God's precise commands for worship, emphasizing the sacredness and symbolic weight of each component.
Historical & Cultural Context: The construction of the Tabernacle and its priestly vestments took place during Israel's formative period of wilderness wandering, a time crucial for establishing their identity as God's covenant people. In the ancient Near East, priestly attire often conveyed status and symbolic meaning, but Israel's garments were unique due to their divine origin and specific function within a monotheistic cult. The meticulousness of God's instructions, down to the "span" measurement and "foursquare" design, underscores a divine standard of holiness and order that sharply contrasted with the often chaotic and syncretistic practices of surrounding pagan cultures. The artisans, like Bezalel and Oholiab, were not merely skilled craftsmen; they were divinely gifted, "filled with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts" as described in Exodus 35:31. Their work was an act of worship and obedience, and the breastplate's function of bearing the names of the tribes before God was a powerful symbol of intercession and divine remembrance, vital for a nomadic people solidifying their unique relationship with Yahweh.
Key Themes: This verse, within the broader context of the Tabernacle's construction, highlights several key themes. First, it underscores God's divine precision and order, demonstrating that every detail of worship and service is divinely ordained and significant. This meticulousness reflects God's holy character and His expectation of excellence in approaching Him. Second, it emphasizes representation and intercession, as the breastplate, bearing the names of the tribes, symbolized the High Priest carrying the entire nation into God's presence, a foundational concept for understanding the role of mediation. Third, the "foursquare" design and "doubled" construction point to themes of stability, completeness, and security, suggesting the steadfastness of God's covenant and the secure standing of His people when represented before Him. These themes are not merely aesthetic but deeply theological, reinforcing the covenant relationship between God and Israel, where every element of the Tabernacle served to facilitate their holy encounter with Him, as seen throughout Exodus 25-40.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

Foursquare (Hebrew, râbaʻ', H7251): This term describes a perfectly square shape, indicating symmetry, stability, and completeness. In biblical symbolism, the "foursquare" often signifies divine perfection, wholeness, and integrity, as also seen in the dimensions of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21:16. For the breastplate, it ensured balanced representation of the tribes and provided a stable foundation for the precious stones and the Urim and Thummim, reflecting God's perfect order.
Span (Hebrew, zereth', H2239): This is an ancient unit of measurement derived from the human hand, specifically the distance from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the little finger when extended, roughly 9 inches or 22 centimeters. This specific, human-scale measurement highlights the practicality and exactitude of God's instructions, ensuring the breastplate was of a manageable size for the High Priest while still being substantial enough for its symbolic and functional elements. It underscores the divine attention to detail.
Double (Hebrew, kâphal', H3717): This term indicates that the fabric of the breastplate was folded over, creating two layers or a pouch-like structure. This served both practical and symbolic purposes: practically, it provided strength and durability to hold the heavy stones and the Urim and Thummim securely; symbolically, it could suggest the security, protection, and profound weight of the High Priest's representative role and the sacred items it contained.

Verse Breakdown

"It was foursquare": This initial clause immediately establishes the fundamental geometric shape of the breastplate, emphasizing its perfect symmetry and balanced design. This shape was not arbitrary but held profound symbolic significance, conveying ideas of completeness, stability, and divine order in its construction.
"they made the breastplate double": This describes the specific construction method, indicating that the fabric (likely fine linen, interwoven with gold, blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, as per earlier instructions) was folded over. This doubling created two layers, providing the necessary strength and durability, and forming a secure pocket for the Urim and Thummim.
"a span [was] the length thereof": This specifies the first dimension of the breastplate, indicating that one side of the square measured approximately 9 inches. This precise, human-scale measurement underscores the exactness required in the divine blueprint.
"and a span the breadth thereof": This confirms the second dimension, reiterating that the breastplate was indeed a perfect square, with both its length and width being identical. The repetition of "a span" emphasizes the perfect symmetry and the precise adherence to God's detailed design.
"[being] doubled": This final phrase reinforces the earlier statement about the breastplate's construction, emphasizing its layered nature. It serves as a concluding affirmation of its robust and secure design, highlighting both its practical strength and its symbolic capacity to hold sacred elements and represent the people securely before God.

Literary Devices

The description in Exodus 39:9 employs several literary devices to convey its meaning and significance. Precision and Detailing are paramount, as the verse meticulously specifies the exact dimensions ("a span the length... and a span the breadth") and construction ("foursquare," "double") of the breastplate. This intense focus on minutiae reflects the divine authorship of the design and the importance God places on exact obedience in worship. Symbolism is deeply embedded, particularly in the "foursquare" shape, which universally connotes stability, completeness, and perfection, aligning the breastplate with divine order and the ultimate perfection of God's plan. The act of "doubling" the fabric also carries symbolic weight, suggesting strength, security, and the capacity to hold sacred items (the Urim and Thummim) that conveyed divine guidance. The Repetition of "a span" for both length and breadth serves to emphasize the perfect squareness and the precise adherence to the divine blueprint, reinforcing the divine demand for exactitude.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Exodus 39:9, in its meticulous detail, speaks volumes about God's character and His relationship with His people. It highlights His demand for holiness, order, and excellence in all matters of worship and service. The precise dimensions and construction of the breastplate underscore the truth that God is a God of detail, for whom every component of His plan and every act of obedience matters. This attention to detail is not arbitrary but serves a profound theological purpose: to ensure that the High Priest, as Israel's representative, perfectly embodies the divine standard of intercession and carries the people's identity securely before the Lord. The breastplate, bearing the names of the tribes, foreshadows the ultimate intercession of Christ, who bears His people in His heart before the Father.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

The meticulous instructions for the breastplate in Exodus 39:9 serve as a profound reminder that God is a God of order, precision, and intentionality. His attention to every detail, from the grand design of the Tabernacle to the specific dimensions of a priestly garment, teaches us that our worship and service to Him should be marked by diligence, excellence, and obedience. This doesn't imply a legalistic adherence to rituals, but rather a heart attitude that values God's commands and seeks to honor Him in every aspect of life. Just as the breastplate was designed to bear the names of Israel before God, we are called to live as His representatives in the world, bearing His name and His truth. The security and strength provided by the "doubled" construction can also remind us of the spiritual protection and stability found in faithfully following God's revealed will and trusting in His providential care, knowing that His plans for us are perfectly crafted and secure.

Questions for Reflection

In what areas of my life do I tend to overlook "small" details, and how might a greater attention to precision honor God?
How does the "foursquare" symbolism of stability and completeness encourage me in my walk with God, knowing that His character is unwavering?
Considering the breastplate's function of bearing the tribes, how can I better bear the concerns and needs of others in prayer and intercession, reflecting Christ's heart?
What does God's meticulousness in these ancient instructions teach me about His character and His expectations for my spiritual discipline and faithfulness today?

FAQ

What was the significance of the breastplate being "foursquare"?

Answer: The "foursquare" (Hebrew: râbaʻ) shape of the breastplate was highly significant, symbolizing stability, balance, and completeness. In biblical thought, a perfect square often represents divine perfection, wholeness, and integrity. For the breastplate, this ensured that the representation of the twelve tribes of Israel, whose names were engraved on its stones, was perfectly balanced and complete before God. This geometric perfection underscored the divine order and the High Priest's perfect presentation of the people before the Lord, a theme powerfully echoed in the foursquare dimensions of the New Jerusalem in Revelation, which also signifies divine completeness and security.

Why was the breastplate "double" and what was "a span" in measurement?

Answer: The breastplate was made "double" by folding the fabric over, creating a pouch or pocket. This served two primary purposes: practically, it provided increased strength and durability to support the weight of the twelve precious stones and to securely hold the Urim and Thummim, which were instruments used for discerning God's will (see Exodus 28:30). Symbolically, the doubling could represent the security and protection found in God's presence, as well as the profound weight and importance of the High Priest's mediatorial role. "A span" (Hebrew: zereth) was an ancient unit of measurement, roughly equivalent to the distance from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the little finger when the hand is fully extended, approximately 9 inches or 22 centimeters. This specific measurement ensured the breastplate was of a manageable size for the High Priest to wear comfortably while still being large enough to fulfill its symbolic and functional requirements.

What was the overall purpose of the High Priest's breastplate?

Answer: The breastplate, also known as the Breastplate of Judgment, was a crucial component of the High Priest's sacred garments. Its primary purpose was representative and intercessory. It bore twelve precious stones, each engraved with the name of one of the tribes of Israel, signifying that the High Priest carried the entire nation into God's holy presence. This act underscored his role as an intercessor, bearing the burdens and identity of the people before the Lord. Additionally, it contained the Urim and Thummim, used for divine guidance and judgment, making it a means through which God's will could be discerned for the nation. Thus, the breastplate symbolized God's remembrance of His people and the High Priest's unique function as their mediator, bringing their concerns directly before the divine throne.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Exodus 39:9, in its precise description of the high priestly breastplate, finds its ultimate and perfect fulfillment in Jesus Christ, our great High Priest. The "foursquare" perfection and "doubled" strength of the breastplate, meticulously designed to bear the names of Israel before God, powerfully foreshadow Christ's perfect, unwavering, and eternally secure intercession for His people. Just as the Old Testament High Priest carried the tribes into the Holy Place, Jesus, through His once-for-all sacrifice on the cross, has entered the true heavenly sanctuary, bearing the names of all who believe in Him into the very presence of God (see Hebrews 9:11-12). The breastplate's capacity to hold the Urim and Thummim, instruments of divine guidance and revelation, points to Christ as the ultimate source of all wisdom and knowledge, through whom God perfectly communicates His will to us (see Colossians 2:3). He is the one who perfectly represents us, bears our burdens, and intercedes for us without ceasing, ensuring our secure and righteous standing before God (see Hebrews 7:25). The meticulous detail of the breastplate's construction speaks to the divine precision of God's redemptive plan, perfectly executed in Christ, who is the flawless and complete embodiment of all that the Old Testament priesthood and its sacred garments symbolized.

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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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