The Meaning of Exodus 28:32 Explained

Exodus 28:32

KJV: And there shall be an hole in the top of it, in the midst thereof: it shall have a binding of woven work round about the hole of it, as it were the hole of an habergeon, that it be not rent.

YLT: and the opening for its head hath been in its midst, a border is to its opening round about, work of a weaver, as the opening of a habergeon there is to it; it is not rent.

Darby: And its opening for the head shall be in the midst thereof; there shall be a binding of woven work at its opening round about; as the opening of a coat of mail, it shall be in it it shall not rend.

ASV: And it shall have a hole for the head in the midst thereof: it shall have a binding of woven work round about the hole of it, as it were the hole of a coat of mail, that it be not rent.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And there shall be an hole  in the top  of it, in the midst  thereof: it shall have a binding  of woven  work  round about  the hole  of it, as it were the hole  of an habergeon,  that it be not rent. 

What does Exodus 28:32 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 28:31-43 - Aaron's Holy Garments
The robe was worn under the ephod. It was of blue, the color of heaven, of deep lakes, of the gentian and the forget-me-not. It was of one piece. See John 19:23. It ended in a fringe, in which bells and pomegranates alternated. We are as the skirts of his garments, and the holy oil will reach us there, so the psalmist says. See Psalms 133:2. We may receive the unction of the holy Christ. The Spirit so richly given to Him may anoint even us, and it will reveal itself in the fruit of the pomegranate and the sweetness of the golden bell. Aaron's head plate bore an inscription, which the prophet tells us should be written also on our commonest duties and most prosaic service. See Zechariah 14:20-21. For ordinary priests the clothing was very simple. Pure white linen! Such is the garb which befits us all! Revelation 19:8. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 28

1  Aaron and his sons are set apart for the priest's office
2  Holy garments are appointed
6  The ephod and girdle
15  The breast-plate with twelve precious stones
30  The Urim and Thummim
31  The robe of the ephod, with pomegranates and bells
36  The plate of the mitre
39  The embroidered coat
40  The garments for Aaron's sons

What do the individual words in Exodus 28:32 mean?

And there shall be an opening for his head in the middle of it a binding it shall have its opening all around work woven like the opening in a coat of mail so that it - not does tear
וְהָיָ֥ה פִֽי־ רֹאשׁ֖וֹ בְּתוֹכ֑וֹ שָׂפָ֡ה יִֽהְיֶה֩ לְפִ֨יו סָבִ֜יב מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה אֹרֵ֗ג כְּפִ֥י תַחְרָ֛א יִֽהְיֶה־ לּ֖וֹ לֹ֥א יִקָּרֵֽעַ

וְהָיָ֥ה  And  there  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
פִֽי־  an  opening 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
רֹאשׁ֖וֹ  for  his  head 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
בְּתוֹכ֑וֹ  in  the  middle  of  it 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
שָׂפָ֡ה  a  binding 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׂפָה  
Sense: lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding.
יִֽהְיֶה֩  it  shall  have 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לְפִ֨יו  its  opening 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
סָבִ֜יב  all  around 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מוּסָב 
Sense: places round about, circuit, round about adv.
מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה  work 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַעֲשֶׂה  
Sense: deed, work.
אֹרֵ֗ג  woven 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אָרַג  
Sense: to weave.
כְּפִ֥י  like  the  opening  in 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
תַחְרָ֛א  a  coat  of  mail 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: תַּחְרָא  
Sense: corselet.
יִֽהְיֶה־  so  that  it 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לּ֖וֹ  - 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
יִקָּרֵֽעַ  does  tear 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרַע  
Sense: to tear, tear in pieces.