New English Translation
Exodus 28:38
38It will be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron will bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the Israelites are to sanctify by all their holy gifts; it will always be on his forehead, for their acceptance before the Lord.
Exodus 28:38 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord.
- New International Version (NIV)It will be on Aaron’s forehead, and he will bear the guilt involved in the sacred gifts the Israelites consecrate, whatever their gifts may be. It will be on Aaron’s forehead continually so that they will be acceptable to the Lord.
- English Standard Version (ESV)It shall be on Aaron's forehead, and Aaron shall bear any guilt from the holy things that the people of Israel consecrate as their holy gifts. It shall regularly be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So it shall be on Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall always be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord.
Context of Exodus 28:38
36“You are to make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it the way a seal is engraved: “Holiness to the Lord.” 37You are to attach to it a blue cord so that it will be on the turban; it is to be on the front of the turban, It will be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron will bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the Israelites are to sanctify by all their holy gifts; it will always be on his forehead, for their acceptance before the Lord. 39You are to weave the tunic of fine linen and make the turban of fine linen, and make the sash the work of an embroiderer. 40“For Aaron’s sons you are to make tunics, sashes, and headbands for glory and for beauty.
Read all of Exodus 28Exodus 28:38 word by word
וְהָיָה֮ עַל־מֵ֣צַח אַהֲרֹן֒ וְנָשָׂ֨א אַהֲרֹ֜ן אֶת־עֲוֹ֣ן הַקֳּדָשִׁ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר יַקְדִּ֙ישׁוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לְכָֽל־מַתְּנֹ֖ת קָדְשֵׁיהֶ֑ם וְהָיָ֤ה עַל־מִצְחוֹ֙ תָּמִ֔יד לְרָצ֥וֹן לָהֶ֖ם לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And it shall be upon Aaron’sאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
- foreheadמֵ֫צַחmêtsach · foreheadH4696
- may bearנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: guiltH5375
- the iniquityעָוֺן‛âvôn ‛âvôn · iniquity: guiltH5771
- of the holy thingsקֹ֫דֶשׁqôdesh · holinessH6944
- which the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- shall hallowקָדַשׁqâdash · to consecrate: consecateH6942
- giftsמַתָּנָהmattânâh · giftH4979
- and it shall be alwaysתָּמִידtâmîyd · continuallyH8548
- that they may be acceptedרָצוֹןrâtsôn râtsôn · acceptanceH7522
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
Cross-references for Exodus 28:38
- Exodus 28:43These must be on Aaron and his sons when they enter to the tent of meeting, or when they approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they bear no iniquity and die. It is to be a perpetual ordinance for him and for his descendants after him.
- Leviticus 10:17“Why did you not eat the sin offering in the sanctuary? For it is most holy and he gave it to you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement on their behalf before the Lord.
- Leviticus 22:9They must keep my charge so that they do not incur sin on account of it and therefore die because they profane it. I am the Lord who sanctifies them.
- Numbers 18:1The Lord said to Aaron, “You and your sons and your tribe with you must bear the iniquity of the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you must bear the iniquity of your priesthood.
- Isaiah 53:6All of us had wandered off like sheep; each of us had strayed off on his own path, but the Lord caused the sin of all of us to attack him.
- Ezekiel 4:4“Also for your part lie on your left side and place the iniquity of the house of Israel on it. For the number of days you lie on your side you will bear their iniquity.
- John 1:29On the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
- 2 Corinthians 5:21God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.
- Hebrews 9:28so also, after Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many, to those who eagerly await him he will appear a second time, not to bear sin but to bring salvation.
- 1 Peter 2:24He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we may cease from sinning and live for righteousness. By his wounds you were healed.
- 1 Peter 3:18Because Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, to bring you to God, by being put to death in the flesh but by being made alive in the spirit.
- Leviticus 1:4He must lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted for him to make atonement on his behalf.
- Leviticus 22:27“When an ox, lamb, or goat is born, it must be under the care of its mother seven days, but from the eighth day onward it will be acceptable as an offering gift to the Lord.
- Leviticus 23:11and he must wave the sheaf before the Lord to be accepted for your benefit – on the day after the Sabbath the priest is to wave it.
- Isaiah 56:7I will bring them to my holy mountain; I will make them happy in the temple where people pray to me. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar, for my temple will be known as a temple where all nations may pray.”
- Isaiah 60:7All the sheep of Kedar will be gathered to you; the rams of Nebaioth will be available to you as sacrifices. They will go up on my altar acceptably, and I will bestow honor on my majestic temple.
Commentaries on Exodus 28:38
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 38May bear the iniquity of the holy things - הקדשים עון את אהרן ונשא venasa Aharon eth avon hakkodashim . And Aaron shall bear (in a vicarious and typical manner) the sin of the holy or separated things - offerings or sacrifices. Aaron was, as the high priest of the Jews, the type or representative of our blessed Redeemer; and as he offered the sacrifices prescribed by the law to make an atonement for sin, and was thereby represented as bearing their sins…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-43Verses 1-43 (Compare Exodus 13:2; Numbers 3:12-13. Moses, as the divinely-appointed and acknowledged leader of the nation, had, on a special occasion, appointed those who were to offer sacrifice, and had himself sprinkled the consecrating blood of the victims on the people Exodus 24:5-6, Exodus 24:8. On the completion of the tabernacle, after Aaron and his sons had been called to the priesthood, he took chief part in the daily service of the sanctuary…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 31-39Verses 31-39 The robe of the ephod was under the ephod, and reached down to the knees, without sleeves. Aaron must minister in the garments appointed. We must serve the Lord with holy fear, as those who know they deserve to die. A golden plate was fixed on Aaron's forehead, engraven with "Holiness to the Lord." Aaron was hereby reminded that God is holy, and that his priests must be holy, devoted to the Lord. This must appear in their forehead, in open…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 36-38Like all other parts of the high priest's clothing and actions, the little gold plate on the front of his turban reminded the people that God is holy. His holiness affected how they could enter his presence. God wanted to live with his people, but his holiness would harm them unless he took protective measures. God decides how we can enter his presence, not us. The Bible's main question is how sinful people can live with a holy God so that God can share…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 36-3836-38. plate--literally, a petal of a flower, which seems to have been the figure of this golden plate, which was tied with a ribbon of blue on the front of the mitre, so that every one facing him could read the inscription.Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 28:38
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 28
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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