We are moving into chapter thirty-nine of Exodus with our word for today. פָּתִיל thread, tied on, cord, line. It is used 11 times in the Old Testament. Our word is used most of the time as a cord or rope made of fibers, threads, or perhaps other materials. A good example is with Judah where our word is used probably as a way to hold on to his personal items. Genesis 38:18, 25 He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” She replied, “Your signet וּפְתִילֶ֔ךָ and your cord and your staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her. We also see it used to hold together some of the items of clothing that was to be worn by the priest. Exodus 28:28 And they shall bind the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod בִּפְתִ֣יל with a lace of blue, so that it may lie on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, so that the breastpiece shall not come loose from the ephod. Exodus 28:36-37 You shall make a plate of pure gold and ... fasten it on the turban by a פְּתִ֣יל cord of blue. Our word is also used in the sense of a very thin, thread-like piece of something. A good example of this is when Delilah was trying to find the source of Samson’s strength. Judges 16:9 She said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he snapped the bowstrings, as a פְּתִֽיל thread of flax snaps when it touches the fire. This is how our word is used twice in our chapter. Exodus 39:1-3 From the 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, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen. And they hammered out gold leaf, and he cut it into פְּתִילִם֒ threads to work into 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. Our word for today and the larger context justifies supplying the word yarn. I find it interesting that God gives the people a visible way to remember him with our word. Numbers 15:37-41 The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a פְּתִ֥יל cord of blue on the tassel of each corner. And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord.” We see this practice in the New Testament with the religious leaders of the people. One of Jesus condemnations of them involved their using this practice to draw attention to themselves instead of what God designed it for. Matthew 23:5-7 They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. The word fringes is referring to God’s instructing them to add the thread or cord of blue to the tassel of their garment. I’ll close with this amazing miracle that Jesus preforms when a woman touches this very thread of Jesus garment that emphasizes God’s power to accomplish his will and purposes. Matthew 9:19-22 And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well.
