Exodus 28
Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Priestly Garments
28 “Have 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 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[d] must be of one piece,[e] 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.[f] 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, nine inches long and nine inches wide.[g] 17 Place a setting of gemstones[h] on it, four rows of stones:
The first row should be
a row of carnelian, topaz, and emerald;[i]
18 the second row,
a turquoise,[j] a sapphire,[k] 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 12 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 12 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 center of it. Around the opening, there should be a woven collar with an opening like that of body armor[p] so that it does not tear. 33 Make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn[q] on its lower hem and all around it. Put gold bells between them all the way around, 34 so that gold bells and pomegranates alternate around the lower hem of the robe. 35 The robe must 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,[r] 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[s] 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
- Exodus 28:3 Lit all wise of heart
- Exodus 28:4 Hb obscure
- Exodus 28:5 Lit receive
- Exodus 28:8 Lit waistband of its ephod, which is on it
- Exodus 28:8 Lit piece with the ephod
- Exodus 28:15 Used for determining God’s will; Nm 27:21
- Exodus 28:16 Lit a span its length and a span its width
- Exodus 28:17 Many of these stones cannot be identified with certainty.
- Exodus 28:17 Or beryl
- Exodus 28:18 Or malachite, or garnet
- Exodus 28:18 Or lapis lazuli
- Exodus 28:18 Hb obscure; LXX, Vg read jasper
- Exodus 28:19 Hb obscure
- Exodus 28:22 The same chains mentioned in v. 14
- Exodus 28:27 The place where the shoulder pieces join the front of the ephod
- Exodus 28:32 Hb obscure
- Exodus 28:33 Sam, LXX add of finely spun linen
- Exodus 28:41 Lit anoint them, fill their hand
- Exodus 28:42 Lit loins
Exodus 28
International Standard Version
The Garments for the Priests
28 “You are to bring your brother Aaron, along with his sons, from among the Israelis so they can serve as priests for me: that is, Aaron and his sons[a] Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 2 You are to make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for dignity and beauty. 3 You are to speak to all who are skilled,[b] whom I’ve endowed[c] with talent,[d] that they should make Aaron’s garments for consecrating him to serve me as priest. 4 These are the garments that they are to make: a breast piece, an ephod, a robe, a checkered tunic, a turban, and a sash. They are to make holy garments for Aaron your brother and for his sons to serve me as priests. 5 They are to use[e] gold, blue, purple, and scarlet material, as well as fine linen.”
The Ephod
6 “They are to make the ephod from gold, along with blue, purple, and scarlet material and fine woven linen, all of it[f] skillfully worked. 7 It is to have two shoulder-pieces attached to its two edges so it can be joined together. 8 The skillfully woven band that is on it is to be made like it, that is, of one piece with it, of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet material, and fine woven linen. 9 You are to take two onyx stones and engrave the names of the sons of Israel on them, 10 six of their names on one stone, and the six remaining names on the other stone. Engrave them[g] according to their order of birth. 11 With work like a jeweler engraves on a signet,[h] you are to inscribe the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel, and you are to mount them in settings of gold filigree. 12 You are to put the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as stones of remembrance representing the sons of Israel, and Aaron is to carry their names into the Lord’s presence on his two shoulders as a memorial. 13 You are to make settings of gold filigree, 14 and you are to make two chains of pure gold twisted like cords, and then fasten the twisted chains to the filigree settings.”
The Breast Piece
15 “You are to make a breast piece to be worn by the high priest when he makes legal decisions.[i] It is to be skillfully worked, made like the work of the ephod from gold, blue, purple, and scarlet material, and from fine woven linen. 16 It is to be square when folded double, one hand span[j] long and one hand span wide.[k] 17 You are to mount on it a setting for four rows of stones. The first row is to contain carnelian,[l] topaz, and emerald; 18 the second row ruby,[m] sapphire, and crystal; 19 the third row jacinth, agate, and amethyst; 20 the fourth row beryl, onyx, and jasper, and they are to be set in gold filigree. 21 The stones are to correspond to the names of the sons of Israel, twelve stones[n] corresponding to their names. They are to be engraved like a signet,[o] each with the name of one of the twelve tribes.
22 “You are to make chains of pure gold, twisted like cords, for the breast piece. 23 You are to make two gold rings for the breast piece, and put the two rings on the two edges of the breast piece. 24 You are to put the two gold cords on the two gold rings at the edges of the breast piece, 25 and you are to attach the other two ends of the two cords to the filigree settings and attach them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod in front.
26 “You are to make two gold rings and attach them to the two edges of the breast piece, on the side of it that is toward the inner side of the ephod. 27 You are to make two gold rings and attach them in front on the lower part of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod close to the place where it’s joined, above the skillfully woven band of the ephod. 28 They are to fasten the rings on the breast piece to the rings on the ephod with a blue cord so it will rest[p] on the skillfully woven band of the ephod and so the breast piece won’t come loose from the ephod.
29 “Aaron is to carry the names of Israel’s sons on his heart on the breast piece to be worn by the high priest when he makes legal decisions,[q] that is, whenever he goes into the Holy Place in order to remember them continuously in the Lord’s presence. 30 You are to put the Urim and Thummim[r] into the breast piece of judgment, and they are to be on Aaron’s heart when he goes into the Lord’s presence. He is to carry the breast piece of decision[s] that depicts Israel’s sons[t] on his heart in the Lord’s presence continuously.”
Other Garments for the Priests
31 “You are to make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue. 32 There is to be an opening at its top, in the middle, with a woven binding around the opening like the opening of a coat of mail so that it cannot be torn. 33 On its hem you are to make blue and purple and scarlet pomegranates, all around the skirt, with gold bells between them all the way[u] around. 34 You are to have a gold bell and a pomegranate, then[v] a gold bell and a pomegranate, on the hem of the robe all the way[w] around it. 35 Aaron is to wear the robe when he ministers[x] so its sound may be heard when he enters and leaves the Holy Place in the Lord’s presence, so that he won’t die.
36 “You are to make a medallion[y] of pure gold, and engrave on it ‘Holy to the Lord,’ like the engravings of a signet. 37 You are to put it on a blue cord and place it on the turban. It is to be on the front of the turban 38 and worn on Aaron’s forehead in order to take away any guilt contained in the holy things which the Israelis consecrate as holy gifts. It is to remain on his forehead continuously, so they may be accepted in the Lord’s presence.
39 “You are to weave the checkered tunic of fine linen, you are to make a turban of fine linen, and you are to make an embroidered sash. 40 “You are to make tunics for the sons of Aaron, you are to make sashes for them, and you are to make head coverings for them for dignity and beauty. 41 You are to put them on Aaron your brother, and on his sons with him, and you are to anoint them, ordain them,[z] and consecrate them to serve as my priests.
42 “You are to make linen undergarments for them to cover their naked flesh, and they are to reach[aa] from the loins to the thighs. 43 They are to be on Aaron and his sons when they enter the Tent of Meeting or when they approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place so they don’t incur guilt and die. This is to be a perpetual ordinance for him and for his descendants[ab] after him.”
Footnotes
- Exodus 28:1 Lit. Aaron’s sons
- Exodus 28:3 Lit. wise (or skilled) of heart
- Exodus 28:3 Lit. filled
- Exodus 28:3 Lit. a spirit of wisdom (or skill)
- Exodus 28:5 Lit. take
- Exodus 28:6 The Heb. lacks all of it
- Exodus 28:10 The Heb. lacks Engrave them
- Exodus 28:11 I.e. a type of seal used to indicate ownership
- Exodus 28:15 Lit. breast piece of judgment
- Exodus 28:16 I.e. about the distance between the outstretched thumb and little finger, or about nine inches
- Exodus 28:16 I.e. about the distance between the outstretched thumb and little finger, or about nine inches
- Exodus 28:17 The meaning of MT is uncertain.
- Exodus 28:18 Or turquoise
- Exodus 28:21 The Heb. lacks stones
- Exodus 28:21 Lit. the engravings of a seal (or signet ring)
- Exodus 28:28 Lit. be
- Exodus 28:29 Lit. breast piece of judgment
- Exodus 28:30 I.e. the jewel-encrusted breastplate worn by the high priest by which the will of God could be revealed; cf. Ezra 2:63, Neh 7:65
- Exodus 28:30 Lit. judgment
- Exodus 28:30 Lit. of judgment of Israel’s sons
- Exodus 28:33 The Heb. lacks the way
- Exodus 28:34 The Heb. lacks then
- Exodus 28:34 The Heb. lacks the way
- Exodus 28:35 Lit. for ministering
- Exodus 28:36 Or plate
- Exodus 28:41 Lit. fill their hand
- Exodus 28:42 Lit. be
- Exodus 28:43 Lit. seed
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