Exodus 28
Modern English Version
The Priestly Garments
28 And bring near to yourself Aaron, your brother, and his sons with him from among the children of Israel, so that they may minister to Me as priests—Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons. 2 You shall make holy garments for your brother Aaron, for glory and for beauty. 3 You shall speak to all who are specially skilled, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister to Me as a priest. 4 These are the garments which they shall make: a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and an embroidered coat, a turban, and a sash. They shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons, that he may minister to Me as priest. 5 They shall take the gold, the blue, the purple, and the scarlet, and fine linen.
The Ephod(A)
6 They shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of a skilled workman. 7 It shall have the two shoulder pieces attached to its two corners, so it shall be joined together. 8 The skillfully woven waistband of the ephod, which is on it, shall be of the same workmanship, of the same material: of gold, of blue and purple, and scarlet, and fine twisted linen.
9 You shall take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the children of Israel, 10 six of their names on one stone, and the other six names of the rest on the other stone, according to their birth. 11 With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, you shall engrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel. You shall set them in filigree of gold. 12 You shall put the two stones on the shoulders of the ephod as stones of memorial for the children of Israel, and Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord on his two shoulders as a memorial. 13 You shall make filigree settings of gold, 14 and two chains of pure gold. You shall make them of twisted cord and fasten the braided chains to the filigree settings.
The Breastplate(B)
15 You shall make the breastplate of judgment, the work of a skillful workman. You shall make it in the same manner as the ephod. Of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twisted linen you shall make it. 16 It is to be square when doubled: a span[a] in length and a span in width. 17 You shall set in it four rows of stones. The first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle; 18 the second row an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond; 19 the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 20 and the fourth row a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They shall be set in gold filigree. 21 The stones shall be according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, each like the engravings of a signet, every one according to his name for the twelve tribes.
22 You shall make for the breastplate braided chains of pure gold. 23 You shall make on the breastplate two rings of gold and shall put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate. 24 You shall put the two braided chains of gold on the two rings which are on the ends of the breastplate. 25 You shall fasten the other two ends of the two braided chains in the two filigree settings and put them on the front of the shoulder pieces of the ephod. 26 You shall make two rings of gold and shall put them on the two ends of the breastplate, on the edge of it which is toward the inner side of the ephod. 27 You shall make two other rings of gold and shall put them on the two shoulder pieces of the ephod underneath toward the front, close to the place where it is joined above the skillfully woven waistband of the ephod. 28 They shall bind the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a blue cord, so that it may be above the skillfully woven waistband of the ephod, and so that the breastplate will not come loose from the ephod.
29 Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel on the breastplate of judgment over his heart when he goes into the holy place, as a memorial before the Lord continually. 30 You shall put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastplate of judgment, and they shall be over Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the Lord. And Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel over his heart before the Lord continually.
Other Priestly Garments(C)
31 You shall make the robe of the ephod completely blue. 32 There shall be a hole at the top of it, in the middle of it. Around its opening it shall have a binding of woven work, like the opening of a coat of mail, so that it will not be torn. 33 You shall make on its hem pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, all around its hem, and bells of gold between them all around: 34 a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, all around on the hem of the robe. 35 It shall be on Aaron when he ministers. And its sound shall be heard when he goes into the holy place before the Lord, and when he comes out, so that he does not die.
36 You shall make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engravings of a signet,
HOLINESS TO THE LORD.
37 You shall put it on a blue cord, so that it may be upon the turban. It is to be on the front of the turban. 38 It shall be on Aaron’s forehead, so that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel shall consecrate in regard to all their holy gifts. And it shall always be on his forehead, so that they may be accepted before the Lord.
39 You shall embroider the tunic of fine linen, and you shall make the turban of fine linen, and you shall make the sash, the work of an embroiderer. 40 For Aaron’s sons you shall make tunics. You shall make sashes for them, and you shall make caps for them, for glory and for beauty. 41 You shall put them on Aaron your brother, and on his sons with him, and shall anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister to Me as priests.
42 You shall make linen undergarments for them to cover their naked skin. They shall reach from the waist to the thighs. 43 They shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they come into the tent of meeting or when they come near to the altar to minister in the holy place, so that they may not bear iniquity and die.
It shall be a perpetual statute to him and his descendants after him.
Footnotes
- Exodus 28:16 About 9 inches, or 23 centimeters.
Exodus 28
Common English Bible
Instructions for the priests’ clothing
28 Summon to you your brother Aaron and his sons from among the Israelites to serve me as priests—Aaron and Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, and Eleazar and Ithamar. 2 Make holy clothing that will give honor and dignity to your brother Aaron. 3 Tell all who are skilled, to whom I have given special abilities, to make clothing for Aaron for his dedication to serve me as a priest. 4 These are the articles of clothing that they should make: a chest pendant, a vest, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban, and a sash. When they make this holy clothing for your brother Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests, 5 they should use gold, blue, purple, and deep red yarns and fine linen.
Priest’s ornamental vest
6 They should make the vest of gold, of blue, purple, and deep red yarns and of fine twisted linen with embroidered designs. 7 The vest will have two shoulder pieces attached to its two edges so that they may be joined together. 8 The vest’s belt should be attached to it and made in the same way of gold, of blue, purple, and deep red yarns and fine twisted linen. 9 Take two gemstones and engrave on them the names of Israel’s sons, 10 six names on one stone and the other six names on the other stone, in the order of their birth. 11 Like a gem cutter who engraves official seals, you will engrave the two stones with the names of Israel’s sons. Mount them in gold settings. 12 Attach the two stones to the vest’s shoulder pieces as stones of reminder for the Israelites. Aaron will carry into the Lord’s presence their names on his two shoulders as a reminder. 13 Then make gold settings 14 along with two chains of pure gold, twisted like cords. Attach the corded chains to the gold settings.
Priest’s chest pendant used for making decisions
15 Make an embroidered chest pendant used for making decisions. Make it in the style of the vest, using gold, blue and purple and deep red yarns, and fine twisted linen. 16 It will be square and doubled, nine inches long and nine inches wide. 17 Set in it four rows of gemstone settings. The first row will be a row of carnelian, topaz, and emerald stones. 18 The second row will be a turquoise, a sapphire, and a moonstone. 19 The third row will be a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst. 20 The fourth row will be a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. Their settings will be made of decorative gold. 21 There will be twelve stones with names corresponding to the names of Israel’s sons. They will be engraved like official seals, each with its name for the twelve tribes.
22 Make chains of pure gold twisted like cords for the chest pendant. 23 Make two gold rings for the chest pendant and attach the two rings to the two edges of the chest pendant. 24 Attach the two gold cords to the two rings at the edges of the chest pendant. 25 Then fasten the two ends of the cords to the two settings, which you should attach to the vest’s two front shoulder pieces. 26 Make two gold rings and attach them to the two ends of the chest pendant on its inside edge facing the vest. 27 Make two gold rings and fasten them on the front of the lower part of the two shoulder pieces of the vest, at its seam just above the vest’s belt. 28 The chest pendant should be held in place by a blue cord binding its rings to the vest’s rings so that the chest pendant rests on the vest’s belt and won’t come loose from the vest. 29 In this way, Aaron will carry the names of Israel’s sons on the chest pendant for making decisions over his heart when he goes into the sanctuary as a reminder before the Lord at all times. 30 Put into the chest pendant used for making decisions the Urim and the Thummim, so they will be over Aaron’s heart when he goes into the Lord’s presence. In this way, Aaron will carry the means to make decisions for the Israelites over his heart when in the Lord’s presence at all times.
Instructions for other priestly clothing
31 You will make the robe for the vest all of blue. 32 The opening for the head should be in the middle of it. The opening should be reinforced by a woven binding, a strong border so that it doesn’t tear. 33 On its lower hem add pomegranates made of blue, purple, and deep red yarns all around the lower hem, with gold bells between the pomegranates all around it. 34 A gold bell and a pomegranate should alternate all around the lower hem of the robe. 35 Aaron will wear the robe when he ministers as a priest. Its sound will be heard when he goes into the sanctuary in the Lord’s presence and when he comes out, so that he will not die.
36 Make a flower ornament of pure gold and engrave on it like an official seal: “Holy to the Lord.” 37 You should fasten it on the turban with a blue cord. It should be on the front of the turban. 38 It will be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron will take on himself any guilt connected with the holy offerings that the Israelites give as their sacred donations. It will always be on his forehead so that the people may be remembered favorably in the Lord’s presence.
39 Weave the tunic out of fine linen. Make the turban out of fine linen. Make a sash decorated with needlework. 40 For Aaron’s sons, you should also make tunics, sashes, and turbans to mark their honor and dignity. 41 Put these garments on your brother Aaron and on his sons with him. Anoint them with oil, ordain them, and make them holy to serve me as priests. 42 You should also make linen undergarments for them to cover their naked skin from their hips to their thighs. 43 Aaron and his sons should wear this clothing when they go into the meeting tent or when they approach the altar to minister as priests in the sanctuary. Otherwise, they will bring guilt on themselves and die. This will be a permanent regulation for him and for his descendants after him.
Exodus 28
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
The Priestly Garments
28 ‘Let your brother Aaron, with his sons, come to you from the Israelites to serve me as priest – Aaron, his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.(A) 2 Make holy garments(B) for your brother Aaron, for glory and beauty. 3 You are to instruct all the skilled craftsmen,[a](C) whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom, to make Aaron’s garments for consecrating him to serve me as priest. 4 These are the garments that they must make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a specially woven tunic,[b] a turban, and a sash. They are to make holy garments for your brother Aaron and his sons so that they may serve me as priests. 5 They should use[c] gold; blue, purple, and scarlet yarn; and fine linen.
The Ephod
6 ‘They(D) are to make the ephod of finely spun linen embroidered[d] with gold, and with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn. 7 It must have two shoulder pieces attached to its two edges so that it can be joined together. 8 The artistically woven waistband that is on the ephod[e] must be of one piece,[f] according to the same workmanship of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely spun linen.
9 ‘Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of Israel’s sons: 10 six of their names on the first stone and the remaining six names on the second stone, in the order of their birth. 11 Engrave the two stones with the names of Israel’s sons as a gem cutter engraves a seal. Mount them, surrounded with gold filigree settings. 12 Fasten both stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the Israelites. Aaron will carry their names on his two shoulders before the Lord as a reminder.(E) 13 Fashion gold filigree settings 14 and two chains of pure gold; you will make them of braided cord work, and attach the cord chains to the settings.
The Breastpiece
15 ‘You(F) are to make an embroidered breastpiece for making decisions.[g] Make it with the same workmanship as the ephod; make it of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely spun linen. 16 It must be square and folded double, twenty-five centimetres long and twenty-five centimetres wide.[h] 17 Place a setting of gemstones[i] on it, four rows of stones:
The first row should be
a row of carnelian, topaz, and emerald;[j]
18 the second row,
a turquoise,[k] a lapis lazuli, and a diamond;[l]
19 the third row,
a jacinth,[m] an agate, and an amethyst;
20 and the fourth row,
a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper.
They should be adorned with gold filigree in their settings. 21 The twelve stones are to correspond to the names of Israel’s sons. Each stone must be engraved like a seal, with one of the names of the twelve tribes.
22 ‘You are to make braided chains[n] of pure gold cord work for the breastpiece. 23 Fashion two gold rings for the breastpiece and attach them to its two corners. 24 Then attach the two gold cords to the two gold rings at the corners of the breastpiece. 25 Attach the other ends of the two cords to the two filigree settings, and in this way attach them to the ephod’s shoulder pieces in the front. 26 Make two other gold rings and put them at the two other corners of the breastpiece on the edge that is next to the inner border of the ephod. 27 Make two more gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the ephod’s two shoulder pieces on its front, close to its seam,[o] and above the ephod’s woven waistband. 28 The craftsmen are to tie the breastpiece from its rings to the rings of the ephod with a cord of blue yarn, so that the breastpiece is above the ephod’s waistband and does not come loose from the ephod.
29 ‘Whenever he enters the sanctuary, Aaron is to carry the names of Israel’s sons over his heart on the breastpiece for decisions, as a continual reminder before the Lord. 30 Place the Urim and Thummim(G) in the breastpiece for decisions, so that they will also be over Aaron’s heart whenever he comes before the Lord. Aaron will continually carry the means of decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord.
The Robe
31 ‘You(H) are to make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue yarn. 32 There should be an opening at its top in the centre of it. Round the opening, there should be a woven collar with an opening like that of body armour[p] so that it does not tear. 33 Make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn on its lower hem and all round it. Put gold bells between them all the way round, 34 so that gold bells and pomegranates alternate round the lower hem of the robe. 35 The robe will be worn by Aaron whenever he ministers, and its sound will be heard when he enters the sanctuary before the Lord and when he exits, so that he does not die.
The Turban
36 ‘You are to make a pure gold medallion and engrave it, like the engraving of a seal:(I) Holy to the Lord. 37 Fasten it to a cord of blue yarn so it can be placed on the turban; the medallion is to be on the front of the turban. 38 It will be on Aaron’s forehead so that Aaron may bear the guilt(J) connected with the holy offerings that the Israelites consecrate as all their holy gifts. It is always to be on his forehead, so that they may find acceptance with the Lord.
Other Priestly Garments
39 ‘You are to weave the tunic from fine linen, make a turban of fine linen, and make an embroidered sash. 40 Make tunics, sashes, and headbands for Aaron’s sons to give them glory and beauty.(K) 41 Put these on your brother Aaron and his sons; then anoint,(L) ordain,[q] and consecrate(M) them, so that they may serve me as priests. 42 Make them linen undergarments(N) to cover their naked bodies; they must extend from the waist to the thighs. 43 These must be worn by Aaron and his sons whenever they enter the tent of meeting or approach the altar to minister in the sanctuary area, so that they do not incur guilt(O) and die. This is to be a permanent statute(P) for Aaron and for his future descendants.
Footnotes
- 28:3 Lit all wise of heart
- 28:4 Hb obscure
- 28:5 Lit receive
- 28:6 Or woven
- 28:8 Lit waistband of its ephod, which is on it
- 28:8 Lit piece with the ephod
- 28:15 Used for determining God’s will; Nm 27:21
- 28:16 Lit a span its length and a span its width
- 28:17 Many of these stones cannot be identified with certainty.
- 28:17 Or beryl
- 28:18 Or malachite, or garnet
- 28:18 Hb obscure; LXX, Vg read jasper
- 28:19 Hb obscure
- 28:22 The same chains mentioned in v. 14
- 28:27 The place where the shoulder pieces join the front of the ephod
- 28:32 Hb obscure
- 28:41 Lit anoint them, fill their hand
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