Discovery BoxExodus 26:36 
Context26:36 “You are to make a hanging 1 for the entrance of the tent of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twined linen, the work of an embroiderer. 2
Exodus 28:6
Context28:6 “They are to make the ephod of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twisted linen, the work of an artistic designer.
Exodus 28:33
Context28:33 You are to make pomegranates 3 of blue, purple, and scarlet all around its hem 4 and bells of gold between them all around.
Exodus 35:23
Context35:23 Everyone who had 5 blue, purple, or 6 scarlet yarn, fine linen, goats’ hair, ram skins dyed red, or fine leather 7 brought them. 8
Exodus 35:25
Context35:25 Every woman who was skilled 9 spun with her hands and brought what she had spun, blue, purple, or scarlet yarn, or fine linen,
Exodus 36:35
Context36:35 He made the special curtain of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twisted linen; he made 10 it with cherubim, the work of an artistic designer.
Exodus 36:37
Context36:37 He made a hanging for the entrance of the tent of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twisted linen, the work of an embroiderer,
Exodus 39:8
Context39:8 He made the breastpiece, the work of an artistic designer, in the same fashion as the ephod, of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet, and fine twisted linen.
Exodus 39:29
Context39:29 The sash was of fine twisted linen and blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, the work of an embroiderer, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
1 sn This was another curtain, serving as a screen in the entrance way. Since it was far away from the special curtain screening the Most Holy Place, it was less elaborate. It was not the work of the master designer, but of the “embroiderer,” and it did not have the cherubim on it.
2 tn The word רֹקֵם (roqem) refers to someone who made cloth with colors. It is not certain, however, whether the colors were woven into the fabric on the loom or applied with a needle; so “embroiderer” should be understood as an approximation (cf. HALOT 1290-91 s.v. רקם).
3 sn This must mean round balls of yarn that looked like pomegranates. The fruit was very common in the land, but there is no indication of the reason for its choice here. Pomegranates are found in decorative schemes in Ugarit, probably as signs of fertility. It may be that here they represent the blessing of God on Israel in the land. The bells that are between them possibly have the intent of drawing God’s attention as the priest moves and the bells jingle (anthropomorphic, to be sure), or that the people would know that the priest was still alive and moving inside. Some have suggested that the pomegranate may have recalled the forbidden fruit eaten in the garden (the gems already have referred to the garden), the reason for the priest entering for atonement, and the bells would divert the eye (of God) to remind him of the need. This is possible but far from supportable, since nothing is said of the reason, nor is the fruit in the garden identified.
4 tn The text repeats the idea: “you will make for its hem…all around its hem.”
5 tn The text uses a relative clause with a resumptive pronoun for this: “who was found with him,” meaning “with whom was found.”
6 tn The conjunction in this verse is translated “or” because the sentence does not intend to say that each person had all these things. They brought what they had.
7 tn See the note on this phrase in Exod 25:5.
8 tn Here “them” has been supplied.
9 tn Heb “wisdom of heart,” which means that they were skilled and could make all the right choices about the work.
10 tn The verb is simply “he made” but as in Exod 26:31 it probably means that the cherubim were worked into the curtain with the yarn, and so embroidered on the curtain.
