Verse 2 is identical with 28.6, with just two changes. The words “skilfully worked” are omitted here but added at the end of verse 3. And the verb he made is singular rather than plural. This probably refers to Bezalel, but some translations use the plural “they” throughout the chapter (so New International Version, Revised English Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible). Contemporary English Version uses the passive voice throughout, thus avoiding the problem. But in languages that do not have the passive voice, one may use “they,” or even “Bezalel and his helpers,” since this is the beginning of a new chapter. As explained above, the wider context clearly indicates that Bezalel was assisted by Oholiab and other skilled workers whom they also trained. (See 35.34.)

The ephod is described in 28.6-8. (The Hebrew word itself is ʾefod, as explained at 28.4.) Gold probably refers to “gold thread” (Good News Translation), which was used for the embroidery work after the cloth was woven. (See the comment at 28.5.) This is made clear in verse 3. Good News Translation places “gold thread” at the end of the verse to distinguish it from the blue and purple and scarlet stuff, which is identical with the phrase in 25.4. The fine twined linen agrees with 28.6, not with 28.5.

Verse 3 provides new information not given elsewhere. And gold leaf was hammered out is literally “and they stamped [or, beat] the leaves of gold.” This means that the workmen actually “hammered” the gold into “thin sheets” (New International Version), which were then cut into threads, or “thin strips” (Good News Translation). The verb for cut is literally “and he cut,” shifting again to the singular subject, but it is probably better to keep the plural “they.” Revised Standard Version and New Revised Standard Version change to the passive voice for both verbs (so also Contemporary English Version, Revised English Bible, and New American Bible). The word for threads comes from the verb meaning “to twist,” so Revised English Bible has “cut and twisted into braid,” but this may be reading too much into the one word.

To work into the blue … is literally “to make [or, do] into the midst of the blue….” The Hebrew word for “into the midst of” is repeated for the purple and for the scarlet stuff. It is also repeated for the fine twined linen, which is literally only “the [fine] linen.” (New Revised Standard Version has failed to remove “twisted” here as it has in 25.4 and elsewhere. See the comment there.) Good News Translation is correct in having simply “the fine linen.”

The Hebrew for in skilled design is identical with 28.6, where Revised Standard Version has “skilfully worked.” Literally it is “work of reflection,” or “something done by a thinker,” as explained at 26.1. Good News Translation has omitted it here, perhaps inadvertently, but the same expression in 28.6 is rendered as “decorated with embroidery.” (See the comment there.)

An alternative model for verse 3 may be:

• They took gold and hammered it into thin sheets. Then they cut these into strips and wove them skillfully into the fine linen and also into the blue, purple, and red thread.

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .