And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod all of blue.

EXODUS 28:31KJV
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Exodus 28:31 (KJV)

What does Exodus 28:31 mean?

Exodus 28:31 gives an instruction for one part of Aaron’s priestly clothing. God tells Moses to have a robe made entirely of blue for use with the ephod, another garment Aaron would wear when serving as priest.

The robe is a separate garment, not another name for the ephod. Later instructions place the ephod over the robe and describe a woven opening at the robe’s neck.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 28:31

  • “robe” — מְעִיל (meʿil): This word refers to a robe or outer garment. Here it names the garment worn beneath the ephod.
  • “blue” — תְּכֵלֶת (tekhelet): This word refers to a blue-dyed material or color, often understood as coming from a sea creature. The word points to a particular dyed fabric, though the exact shade is uncertain.

Why Exodus 28:31 matters

  • The robe belongs with the ephod but has its own design. The words “robe of the ephod” connect the two garments, while Exodus 29:5 names them separately.
  • Blue covers the robe as a whole, not merely a border or decoration. The KJV says “all of blue,” before describing other features of the robe in the following verses.

Where else these words appear

“all” Hebrew H3632 · used in 15 verses

  • Exodus 39:22 And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue.
  • Deuteronomy 13:16 And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street thereof, and shalt burn with fire the city, and all the spoil thereof every whit, for the LORD thy God: and it shall be an heap for ever; it shall not be built again.
  • Isaiah 2:18 And the idols he shall utterly abolish.

“robe” Hebrew H4598 · used in 27 verses

  • Exodus 28:4 And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.
  • Leviticus 8:7 And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith.
  • Ezra 9:3 And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.

“ephod” Hebrew H646 · used in 39 verses

  • Exodus 25:7 Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate.
  • Exodus 39:2 And he made the ephod of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.
  • Judges 18:18 And these went into Micah's house, and fetched the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then said the priest unto them, What do ye?

“blue” Hebrew H8504 · used in 49 verses

  • Exodus 25:4 And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair,
  • Exodus 35:35 Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work.
  • Exodus 39:31 And they tied unto it a lace of blue, to fasten it on high upon the mitre; as the LORD commanded Moses.