The designation and call of Aaron and his sons to the priesthood are commanded in Exod. xxviii. t, and holy garments to be made for Aaron, for glory and for beauty' (ver. 2), and for his sons (ver. by persons originally skilful, and now also inspired for the purpose (ver. 3), the chief of whom were Bezaleel and Aholiab (xxxi. 2-6). As there were some garments common both to the priests and the high-priest, we shall begin with those of the former, taking them in the order in which they would be put on. I. The first was '11 +Dnn, 'linen breeches,' or drawers (xxviii. 42; Sept. rein !Oki) XLvic ; Vulg. feminalia linea). These were to be of fine twined linen, and to reach from the loins to the middle of the thighs. According to Josephus—whose testimony, however, of course, relates only to his own time—they reached only to the middle of the thigh, where they were tied fast (Antiq. iii. 7. I). Such drawers were worn uni versally in Egypt. In the sculptures and paintings of that country, the figures of workmen and ser vants have no other dress than a short kilt or apron, sometimes simply bound about the loins and lap ping over in front ; other figures have short loose drawers ; while a third variety of this article, fitting closely and extending to the knees, appears in the figures of some idols, as in No. 438. This last sort of drawers seems to have been peculiar in Egypt to the gods and to the priests, whose attire was often adapted to that of the idols on which they attended. The priests, in common with other persons of the upper classes, wore the drawers under other robes. No mention occurs of the use of drawers by any other class of persons in Israel except the priests, on whom it was enjoined for the sake of decency. 2. The coat of fine linen or cotton, t'I) roro (Exod. xxxix. 27), tunica byssina. This was worn by men in general (Gen. xxxvii. 3) ; also by women (2 Sam. xiii. IS; Cant. v. 3), next to the skin. It was to be of woven work. Josephus states that it reached down to the feet, and sat close to the body, and had sleeves, which were tied fast to the arms, and was girded to the breast a little above the elbows by a girdle. It had a narrow aperture about the neck, and was tied with certain strings hanging down from the edge over the breast and back, and was fastened above each shoulder (Antig. iii. 7. 2). But this garment, in the case of the priests and high-priest, was to be broidered (xxviii. 4), rovn nrIn, `a broidered coat,' by which Gesenius understands a coat of cloth worked in checkers or cells. Braunius compares it to the reticulum in the stomach of ruminant animals (De Vestitu, i. I 7). The Sept. gives KoaugPcards, which seems to refer to the tassels or strings ; Vulg. linea stricter, which seems to refer to its close fitting. 3. The girdle, 1il2N (xxviii. 40) ; Sept. ; Vulg. balteus. This was also worn by magistrates (Is. xxii. 21). The girdle for the priests was to be made of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, of needlework (xxxix. 29). Josephus describes it as often going round, four fingers broad, but so loosely woven that it might be taken for the skin of a serpent ; and that it was embroidered with flowers of scarlet, and purple, and blue, but that the warp was nothing but linen. The beginning of its circumvolution was at the breast ; and when it had gone often round, it was there tied, and hung loosely down to the ankles while the priest was not engaged in any laborious service, for in that position it appeared in the most agreeable manner to the spectators ; but when he was obliged to assist at the offering of sacrifices, and to do the appointed ser vice, in order that he might not be hindered in his operations by its motion, he threw it to the left hand, and bore it on his right shoulder (Antig. 7. 2). The mode of its hanging down is illustrated by the cut No. 441, where the girdle is also richly embroidered ; while the imbricated appearance of the girdle, ilV3.70 npl, may be seen very plainly in No. 438. The next cut, No. 439, of a priestly scribe of ancient Egypt, offers an interesting speci men of both tunic and girdle. Other Egyptian girdles may be seen under ABNET. 4. The bonnet, cap, or turban, P13.7a)n (xxviii. 40) ; Sept. rciacqus ; Vulg. tiara. The bonnet was to be of fine linen (xxxix. 28). In the time of Josephus it was cir cular, covering about half the head, something like a crown, made of thick linen swathes doubled round many times, and sewed together, surrounded by a linen cover to hide the seams of the swathes, and sat so close that it would not fall off when the body was bent down (dully. iii. 7. 3). The dress of the high-priest was precisely the same with that of the common priests in all the foregoing parti culars, in addition to which he had (i) a robe, 'Ivo (xxviii. 4), 7roa0n, tunica. This was not a mantle, but a second and larger coat without sleeves ; a kind of surtout worn by the laity, especially persons of distinction (Job i. 20 ; ii. 12), by kings (i Sam. xv. 27; xviii. 4; xxiv. 5, 12). This garment, when intended for the high-priest, and then called imr; `the robe of the ephod,' was to be of one entire piece of woven work, all of blue, with an aperture for the neck in the middle of the upper part, having its rim strengthened and adorned with a border. The hem had a kind of fringe, composed of tassels, made of blue, purple, and scarlet, in the form of pomegranates ; and between every two pomegranates there was a small golden bell, so that there was a bell and a pomegranate alternately all round (xxviii. 31-35). The use of these bells may have partly been, that by the high-priest shak ing his garment at the time of his offering incense on the great day of expiation, etc., the people without might be apprised of it, and unite their prayers with it (comp. Ecclus. xlv. 9 ; Luke i. so ; Acts x. 4 ; Rev, viii. 3, 4). Josephus describes this robe of the ephod as reaching to the feet, and consisting of one entire piece of woven work. and parted where the hands came out (John 23). He also states that it was tied round with a girdle, embroidered with the same colours as the former, with a mixture of gold interwoven (eintiq. iii. 7. 4). It is highly probable that this garment was also de rived from Egyptian usage. There are instances at Thebes of priests wearing over the coat a loose sleeveless robe, and which exposes the sleeves of the inner tunic. The fringe of bells and pome granates seems to have been the priestly substitute for the fringe bound with a blue riband, which all the Israelites were commanded to wear. Many traces of this fringe occur in the Egyptian remains. The use assigned to it, ' that looking on this fringe they should remember the Lord's commandments,' seems best explicable by the supposition that the Egyptians had connected some superstitious ideas with it (Num. xv. 37-40). (2) The ephod, 11EN, ircogis, superamerale (Exod. xxviii. 4). This was a short cloak covering the shoulders and breast.
ephod is, however, highly charged with all sorts of idolatrous figures and emblems, and even with scenes of human sacrifices. The Sept. rendering of ]L'11, ' cunning work,' is gp-yov Tiq5avrew irot KOvroii, woven-work of the embroiderer,' a word which especially denotes a manufacturer of tissues adorned with figures of animals (Strabo, xvii.,
P. 547, Sieb.) Then came (3) the breastplate, repL.mjecov ; Vulg. rationale; a gorget, ten inches square, made of the same sort of cloth as the ephod, and doubled so as to form a kind of pouch or bag (Exod. xxxix. 9), in which was to be put the URINE and THUMMINI, which are also mentioned as if already known (xxviii. 30). The external part of this gorget was set with four rows of precious stones : the first row, a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle ; the second, an emerald, a sap phire, and a diamond ; the third, a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst ; and the fourth, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper—set in a golden socket. Upon each of these stones was to be engraven the name of one of the sons of Jacob. In the ephod, in which there was a space left open sufficiently large for the admission of this pectoral, were four rings of gold, to which four others at the four corners of the breastplate corresponded ; the two lower rings of the latter being fixed inside. It was confined to the ephod by means of dark blue ribands, which passed through these rings ; and it was also suspended from the onyx stones on the shoulder by chains of gold, or rather cords of twisted gold threads, which were fastened at one end to two other larger rings fixed in the upper corners of the pectoral, and by the other end going round the onyx stones on the shoulders, and re turning and being fixed in the larger ring. The breastplate was further kept in its place by a girdle, made of the same stuff, which Josephus says was sewed to the breastplate, and which, when it had It is said to have been worn by Samuel while a youth ministering before the Lord (I Sam. ii. 18) ; by David while engaged in religious service (2 Sam. vi. 14); and by inferior priests (r Sam. xxii. IS). But in all these instances it is distinguished as a linen ephod, and was not a sacred but honorary vestment, as the Sept. understands it in 2 Sam. vi. 14, arokip ; but the ephod of the high-priest was to be made of gold, of blue, of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work, =Th. Though it probably consisted of one piece, woven throughout, it had a back part and a front part, united by shoulder-pieces. It had also a girdle ; or rather strings went out from each side and tied it to the body. On the top of each shoulder was to be an onyx stone, set in sockets of gold, each having engraven upon it six of the names of the children of Israel, according to the precedence of birth, to memorialise the Lord of the promises made to them (Exod. xxviii. 6-12, 29). Josephus gives sleeves to the ephod (.4ntiq. iii. 7. 5). It may be considered as a substitute for the leopard-skin worn by the Egyptian high-priests in their most sacred duties, as in No. 441, where the ephod appears'no less plainly. In other figures of Egyptian priests, the shoulder-pieces are equally apparent. They are even perceptible in No. 439. The Egyptian gone once round, was tied again upon the seam and hung down. It appears in No. 444. Here is another adaptation and correction of the costume of the higher Egyptian priests, who wore a large splendid ornament upon the breast, often a winged scarabxus, the emblem of the sun, as in the cut No. 442, which exhibits the connecting ring and chain to fasten it to the girdle. 4. The remaining portion of dress peculiar to the high-priest was the mitre, limn, iciSapts, cidaris (xxviii. 4). The Bible says nothing of the difference between this and the turban of the common priests. It is, how ever, called by a different name. It was to be of fine linen (ver. 39). Josephus says it was the same in construction and figure with that of the common priest, but that above it there was another, with swathes of blue, embroidered, and round it was a golden crown, polished, of three rows, one above another, out of which rose a cup of gold, which resembled the calyx of the herb called by Greek botanists hyoscyamus. He ends a most laboured description by comparing the shape of it to a poppy (iii. 7. 6). Upon comparing his account of the bonnet of the priests with the mitre of the high priests, it would appear that the latter was conical. The cut, No. 443, presents the principal forms of the mitres worn by the ancient priests of Egypt, and affords a substantial resemblance of that pre scribed to the Jews, divested of idolatrous symbols, but which were displaced to make way for a simple plate of gold, bearing the inscription, ' Holiness to Jehovah.' This r+v, 7th-aXov, lamina, extended from one ear to the other, being bound to the fore head by strings tied behind, and further secured in its position by a blue riband attached to the mitrt (Exod. xxviii. 36-39 ; xxxix. 3o; Lev. viii. 9). Josephus says this plate was preserved to his own day (Anti?. viii. 3-8 ; see Reland, De Spol. Temple, p. 132). Such was the dress of the high-priest : see a description of its magnificence in correspond ing terms in Ecclus. 1. 5 - 6. Josephus had an idea of the symbolical import of the several parts of it. He says, that being made of linen signified the earth ; the blue denoted the sky, being like lightning in its pomegranates, and in the noise of its bells resembling thunder. The ephod showed that God had made the universe of four elements, the gold relating to the splendour by which all things are enlightened. The breastplate in the middle of the ephod resembled the earth, which has the middle place of the world. The girdle signified the sea, which goes round the world. The sardonyxes declare the sun and moon. The twelve stones are the twelve months or signs of the zodiac. The mitre is heaven, because blue (iii. 7. 7). He appears, however, to have had two explanations of some things, one for the Gentiles and another for the Jews. Thus, in this section he tells his Gentile readers that the seven lamps upon the golden candlesticks referred to the seven planets ; but to the Jews he represents them as an emblem of the seven days of the week (De Bell. 7ud, vii.• 5. 5 ; Whiston's notes in loc.) The magnificent dress of the high-priest was not always worn by him. It was exchanged for one wholly of linen, and therefore white, though of similar construction, when on the day of expiation he entered into the Holy of Holies (Lev. xvi. 4, 23) ; and neither he nor the common priests wore their appropriate dress except when officiating. It was for this reason, according to some, that Paul, who had been long absent from Jerusalem, did not know that Ananias was the high-priest (Acts xxiii. 5). In Ezek. xlii. 14 ; xliv. 17-19, there are directions that the priests should take off their garments when they had ministered, and lay them up in the holy chambers, and put on other garments ; but these directions occur in a visionary representation of a temple, which all agree has never been realised, the particulars of which, though sometimes derived from known customs, yet at other times differ from them widely. The garments of the inferior priests appear to have been kept in the sacred treasury (Ezra ii. 69 ; Neh. vii. 70).