We are in chapter thirty-nine of Exodus with our word for today. תְּכֵ֫לֶת bluish or violet purple wool or dye. It is used 49 times in the Old Testament, 8 times in our chapter. Our word is used only four times in the sense of fabric that has been dyed blue. Esther 8:15 Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal robes of תְּכֵ֣לֶת blue. The overwhelming way our word is used with 45 uses referring to setting up the tabernacle worship. All but a couple of these references use our word as wool yarn that has been dyed blue. Exodus 35:23, 25 Every one who possessed תְּכֵ֧לֶת blue or purple or scarlet yarns ... they all brought what they had spun in הַתְּכֵ֙לֶת֙ blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. This is how our word is used 8 times in our chapter to describe the color of the yarn used to make the priests garments. Exodus 39:1-3 From הַתְּכֵ֤לֶתthe blue and purple and scarlet yarns [this word is not in the original but supplied by the translators] they made finely woven garments, for ministering in the Holy Place. They made the holy garments for Aaron, as the Lord had commanded Moses. He made the ephod of gold, תְּכֵ֧לֶתblue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen. And they hammered out gold leaf, and he cut it into threads to work into הַתְּכֵ֙לֶת֙ the blue and purple and the scarlet yarns, and into the fine twined linen, in skilled design. I find it interesting that the word yarn is not in the original but translated three times in this section. It is a good translation because the literal wording just has the colors so supplying the word yarn helps us understand what is meant. It is also identified specifically as part of the shirt or ephod. Exodus 39:4-5 They made ... attaching shoulder pieces, joined to it at its two edges. And the skillfully woven band on it was of one piece with it and made like it, of gold, תְּכֵ֧לֶת blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen, as the Lord had commanded Moses. And another reference as part of the breastpiece. Exodus 39:8 He made the breastpiece, in skilled work, in the style of the ephod, of gold, תְּכֵ֧לֶת blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen. We also see it used as the color of the robe of the ephod. Exodus 39:22, 24 He also made the robe of the ephod woven all of תְּכֵֽלֶת blue … On the hem of the robe they made pomegranates of תְּכֵ֥לֶת blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. And our word is used to describe the color of the sash of the coats for the priests. Exodus 39:27, 29 the sash of fine twined linen וּתְכֵ֧לֶת and of blue and purple and scarlet yarns, embroidered with needlework, as the Lord had commanded Moses. I find it interesting how detailed and specific God is with his instructions even down to the color being a violet or bluish purple. We will look at the word for purple tomorrow as it is a different word. And we see the people followed these very specific detailed instructions that God commanded Moses to follow. This whole enterprise is for people to connect with God himself through the tabernacle worship which is how it was set up for that time. This emphasizes just how important being connected to God is. It is very, very, valuable and important so much that it has to be done correctly. Thankfully God sent his son who followed his will and instructions perfectly so he could be our sacrifice for sins and take our place. I’ll close with the passage that show how Jesus torn the veil or curtain that separated off the holy place showing that God had made a way for us to be close to him through Jesus death in our place. And that veil was made in the color of our word. 2 Chronicles 3:14 He made the veil of תְּכֵ֥לֶת blue and purple and crimson fabrics and fine linen. Matthew 27:50-51 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.
