Exodus 28:43

(43) The tabernacle of the congregation. —Heb., the tent of meeting. The holy place seems to be here the court of the tabernacle, within which the altar was to be set up (Exodus 40:6; Exodus 40:29).That they bear not iniquity, and die.—The death penalty is threatened against the sin of ministering without the garments needed for decency, as against the sin of neglecting to wear the robe of the ephod (Exodus 28:35). In both cases a Divine vengeance, rather than a legal punishment, is probably intended.Benson CommentaryExodus 28:43. It shall be a statute for ever — That is, it is to continue as long as the priesthood continues. And it is to have its perpetuity in the substance of which these things were the shadow.Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary28:40-43 The priest's garments typify the righteousness of Christ. If we appear not before God in that, we shall bear our iniquity, and die. Blessed is he, therefore, that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, Re 16:15. And blessed be God that we have a High Priest, appointed of God, and set apart for his work; furnished for his high office by the glory of his Divine majesty, and the beauty of perfect holiness. Happy are we, if by the law spiritually understood, we see that such a High Priest became us; that we cannot draw near to a holy God, or be accepted, but by him. There is no light, no wisdom, no perfection, but from him; no glory, no beauty, but in being like unto him.

Let us take encouragement from the power, love, and compassion of our High Priest, to draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.Barnes' Notes on the BibleThat they bear not iniquity and die - See Exodus 28:35, note; Exodus 28:38 note. The consecration of the priests. See the notes to Leviticus 8-9.Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary42. linen breeches—drawers, which encompassed the loins and reached half way down the thighs. They are seen very frequently represented in Egyptian figures. Matthew Poole's Commentary No text from Poole on this verse. Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd they shall be upon Aaron and upon his sons,....

And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come in unto the tabernacle of the congregation, or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place; that they {r} bear not iniquity, and die: it shall be a statute for ever unto him and his seed after him. (r) In not hiding their nakedness.

Verse 43. - When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation . Literally," when they go into the tent of meeting - i.e. , the place where God and the high priest were to meet. The holy place . The "holy place" seems in this passage to include the court of the tabernacle, wherein the altar was situated. That they bear not iniquity . To "bear iniquity" is to incur guilt, or have sin imputed to one. If even through forgetfulness a priest entered the sanctuary without this necessary article of clothing, and so risked an unseemly, exposure of his person, he was to be accounted guilty, and punished by death. This was to be a "statute for ever," and to apply both to the high priest and the ordinary priests. Compare Exodus 20:26 . Exodus 28:43

43 . the altar ] i.e. the altar of burnt-offering: cf. on Exodus 27:1 . the holy place ] i.e. the sanctuary in general (including the court), as Exodus 36:1 ; Exodus 36:3-4 ; Exodus 36:6 ; not in the special sense of Exodus 26:33 ; for the altar of burnt-offering did not stand in the Dwelling, but in the court ( Exodus 40:6 ). With to minister , as Exodus 29:30 , Exodus 35:19 al. (P); Ezekiel 44:27 . bear iniquity and die , cf. Leviticus 22:16 (H); and on v. 35 above. a statute for ever ] as Exodus 30:21 , Leviticus 6:18 ; Leviticus 6:22 ; Leviticus 7:34 ; Leviticus 10:15 ; Leviticus 24:9 , Numbers 18:8 ; Numbers 18:11 ; Numbers 18:19 (all P): cf. on Exodus 12:14 (where the Heb. is ḥuḳḳâh , the fem. of ḥôḳ , the word used here). and … his seed after him ] one of P’s standing expressions: Genesis 9:9 ; Genesis 17:7-10 ; Genesis 17:19 ; Genesis 35:12 ; Genesis 48:4 , Numbers 25:13 .