Exodus 28:2

28:2 You must make holy garments ¹  for your brother Aaron, for glory and for beauty. ² 

Leviticus 21:10

Rules for the High Priest

21:10 “‘The high ³  priest – who is greater than his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil is poured, who has been ordained ⁴  to wear the priestly garments – must neither dishevel the hair of his head nor tear his garments. ⁵ 

[28:2]  ¹ sn The genitive “holiness” is the attribute for “garments” – “garments of holiness.” The point of the word “holy” is that these garments would be distinctive from ordinary garments, for they set Aaron apart to sanctuary service and ministry.

[28:2]  ² tn The expression is לְכָבוֹד וּלְתִפְארֶת (lÿkhavod ulÿtif’aret, “for glory and for beauty”). W. C. Kaiser (“Exodus,” EBC 2:465), quoting the NIV’s “to give him dignity and honor,” says that these clothes were to exalt the office of the high priest as well as beautify the worship of God (which explains more of what the text has than the NIV rendering). The meaning of the word “glory” has much to do with the importance of the office, to be sure, but in Exodus the word has been used also for the brilliance of the presence of Yahweh, and so the magnificence of these garments might indeed strike the worshiper with the sense of the exaltation of the service.

[21:10]  ³ tn The adjective “high” has been supplied in the translation for clarity, as in many English versions.

[21:10]  ⁴ tn Heb “and he has filled his hand.” For this expression see the note on Lev 8:33.

[21:10]  ⁵ tn Regarding these signs of mourning see the note on Lev 10:6. His head had been anointed (v. 10a) so it must not be unkempt (v. 10b), and his garments were special priestly garments (v. 10a) so he must not tear them (v. 10b). In the translation “garments” has been employed rather than “clothes” to suggest that the special priestly garments are referred to here; cf. NRSV “nor tear his vestments.”