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The Priests’ Garments

28 “Now as for you, (A)bring near to yourself Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the sons of Israel, to minister as priests to Me—Aaron, (B)Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons. You shall make (C)holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. You shall speak to all those [a](D)wise at heart (E)whom I have filled with [b]the spirit of wisdom, that they make Aaron’s garments to set him apart as holy, in order for him to minister as priest to Me. These are the garments which they shall make: a [c](F)breastpiece and an ephod and a robe and a tunic of checkered work, a turban and a sash, and they shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons, in order for him to minister as priest to Me. They shall take (G)the gold and the [d]blue and the purple and the scarlet material and the fine linen.

“They shall also make (H)the ephod of gold, of [e]blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of the skillful designer. It shall have two shoulder pieces joined to its two ends, that it may be joined. The skillfully woven band, which is on it, shall be like its workmanship, [f]of the same material: of gold, of [g]blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen. You shall take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel, 10 six of their names on the one stone and the names of the remaining six on the second stone, according to their birth. 11 [h]As a jeweler engraves a signet, you shall engrave the two stones according to the names of the sons of Israel; you shall set them all around in filigree settings of gold. 12 You shall put the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, as stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel, and Aaron shall (I)bear their names before Yahweh on his two shoulders (J)for remembrance. 13 (K)You shall make filigree settings of gold, 14 and two chains of pure gold; you shall make them a twisted work of cords, and you shall put the chains of cords on the filigree settings.

15 (L)You shall make a [i]breastpiece of judgment, the work of a skillful designer; like the work of the ephod you shall make it: of gold, of [j]blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen you shall make it. 16 It shall be square, having been folded double, a [k]span [l]in length and a [m]span in width. 17 You shall [n]mount on it four rows of stones; the first row shall be a row of ruby, topaz, and emerald; 18 and the second row a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond; 19 and the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 20 and the fourth row a beryl and an onyx and a jasper; they shall be [o]set in gold settings. 21 The stones shall be according to the names of the sons of Israel: twelve, according to their names; they shall be like the engravings of a signet, each (M)according to his name for the twelve tribes. 22 You shall make on the [p]breastpiece chains of a twisted work of cords in pure gold. 23 You shall make on the breastpiece two rings of gold, and you shall put the two rings on the two ends of the breastpiece. 24 You shall put the two cords of gold on the two rings at the ends of the breastpiece. 25 You shall put the two ends of the two cords on the two filigree settings, and you shall put them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front of it. 26 You shall make two rings of gold and shall place them on the two ends of the breastpiece, on the edge of it, which is toward the inner side of the ephod. 27 You shall make two rings of gold and put them on the bottom of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, on the front of it close to the place where it is joined, above the skillfully woven band of the ephod. 28 They shall bind the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a [q]blue cord, so that it will be on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastpiece will not come loose from the ephod. 29 Aaron shall carry the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgment over his heart when he comes into the holy place, for a remembrance before Yahweh continually. 30 (N)You shall put in the breastpiece of judgment the [r](O)Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be over Aaron’s heart when he comes in before Yahweh; and Aaron shall carry the judgment of the sons of Israel over his heart before Yahweh continually.

31 (P)You shall make the robe of the ephod entirely of [s]blue. 32 There shall be an opening [t]at its top in the middle of it; around the edge of its opening there shall be 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 purple and scarlet material, all around on 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 [u]when he ministers; and its sound shall be heard when he comes into the holy place before Yahweh and when he goes out, so that he will not die.

36 “You shall also make (Q)a plate of pure gold and shall engrave on it, like the engravings of a signet, ‘(R)Holy to Yahweh.’ 37 You shall [v]fasten it on a [w]blue cord, and it shall be on the turban; it shall be at the front of the turban. 38 It shall be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall [x](S)take away the iniquity of the holy things which the sons of Israel set apart as holy, with regard to all their holy gifts; and it shall continually be on his forehead, that (T)they may be accepted before Yahweh.

39 “You shall weave (U)the tunic of checkered work of fine linen, and you shall make a turban of fine linen, and you shall make a sash, the work of a [y]weaver.

40 “For Aaron’s sons you shall make (V)tunics; you shall also make sashes for them, and you shall make [z](W)caps for them, for glory and for beauty. 41 You shall put them on Aaron your brother and on his sons with him; and you shall (X)anoint them and [aa]ordain them and set them apart as holy, that they may minister to Me as priests. 42 You shall make for them (Y)linen undergarments to cover their bare flesh; they shall [ab]reach from the loins even to the thighs. 43 They shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they come into the tent of meeting or (Z)when they approach the altar to minister in the holy place, so that they do not incur [ac]guilt and die. (AA)It shall be a perpetual statute to him and to his seed after him.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 28:3 Or skillful
  2. Exodus 28:3 Artistic skill
  3. Exodus 28:4 Or pouch
  4. Exodus 28:5 Or violet
  5. Exodus 28:6 Or violet
  6. Exodus 28:8 Lit from it
  7. Exodus 28:8 Or violet
  8. Exodus 28:11 Lit Work of a craftsman of stone
  9. Exodus 28:15 Or pouch
  10. Exodus 28:15 Or violet
  11. Exodus 28:16 A span was approx. 9 in. or 23 cm
  12. Exodus 28:16 Lit its
  13. Exodus 28:16 A span was approx. 9 in. or 23 cm
  14. Exodus 28:17 Lit fill in a setting of stones, four rows of stones
  15. Exodus 28:20 Lit interwoven with gold in their settings
  16. Exodus 28:22 Or pouch, so through v 30
  17. Exodus 28:28 Or violet
  18. Exodus 28:30 Lit lights and perfections
  19. Exodus 28:31 Or violet
  20. Exodus 28:32 Or for his head
  21. Exodus 28:35 Lit for ministering
  22. Exodus 28:37 Lit place
  23. Exodus 28:37 Or violet
  24. Exodus 28:38 Or bear
  25. Exodus 28:39 A weaver in colors; lit variegator
  26. Exodus 28:40 Lit headgear
  27. Exodus 28:41 Lit fill their hand
  28. Exodus 28:42 Lit be
  29. Exodus 28:43 Or iniquity

The Priests' Garments

28 “Then bring near to you (A)Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the people of Israel, to serve me as priests—Aaron and Aaron's sons, (B)Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. (C)And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. You shall speak to all the (D)skillful, whom I have filled with a spirit of skill, that they make Aaron's garments to consecrate him for my priesthood. These are the garments that they shall make: a (E)breastpiece, an (F)ephod, (G)a robe, (H)a coat of checker work, (I)a turban, and (J)a sash. They shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons to serve me as priests. They shall receive (K)gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen.

(L)“And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and of fine twined linen, skillfully worked. It shall have two shoulder pieces attached to its two edges, so that it may be joined together. And the (M)skillfully woven band on it shall be made like it and be of one piece with it, of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen. You shall take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel, 10 six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the remaining six on the other stone, in the order of their birth. 11 As a jeweler engraves signets, so shall you engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel. You shall enclose them in settings of gold filigree. 12 And you shall set the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, as stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel. And (N)Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord on his two shoulders (O)for remembrance. 13 You shall make settings of gold filigree, 14 and two chains of pure gold, twisted like cords; and you shall attach the corded chains to the settings.

15 (P)“You shall make a breastpiece of judgment, in skilled work. In the style of the ephod you shall make it—of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen shall you make it. 16 It shall be square and doubled, a span[a] its length and a span its breadth. 17 (Q)You shall set in it four rows of stones. A row of sardius,[b] topaz, and carbuncle shall be the first row; 18 and the second row an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond; 19 and 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 There shall be twelve stones with their names according to the names of the sons of Israel. They shall be like signets, each engraved with its name, for the twelve tribes. 22 You shall make for the breastpiece twisted chains like cords, of pure gold. 23 And you shall make for the breastpiece two rings of gold, and put the two rings on the two edges of the breastpiece. 24 And you shall put the two cords of gold in the two rings at the edges of the breastpiece. 25 The two ends of the two cords you shall attach to the two settings of filigree, and so attach it in front to the shoulder pieces of the ephod. 26 You shall make two rings of gold, and put them at the two ends of the breastpiece, on its inside edge next to the ephod. 27 And you shall make two rings of gold, and attach them in front to the lower part of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, at its seam above the (R)skillfully woven band of the ephod. 28 And they shall bind the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, so that it may lie on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, so that the breastpiece shall not come loose from the ephod. 29 (S)So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgment on his heart, when he goes into the Holy Place, to bring them to regular (T)remembrance before the Lord. 30 And in the breastpiece of judgment (U)you shall put the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be on Aaron's heart, when he goes in before the Lord. Thus Aaron shall bear the judgment of the people of Israel on his heart before the Lord regularly.

31 (V)“You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue. 32 It shall have an opening for the head in the middle of it, with a woven binding around the opening, like the opening in a garment,[c] so that it may not tear. 33 On its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet yarns, around its hem, with bells of gold between them, 34 a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, around the hem of the robe. 35 And 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 (W)a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet, (X)‘Holy to the Lord.’ 37 And you shall fasten it on the turban by a cord of blue. It shall be on the front of the turban. 38 It shall be on Aaron's forehead, and Aaron shall (Y)bear any guilt from the holy things that the people of Israel consecrate as their holy gifts. It shall regularly be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord.

39 “You shall weave the coat in checker work of fine linen, and you shall make a turban of fine linen, and you shall make a sash embroidered with needlework.

40 (Z)“For Aaron's sons you shall make coats and sashes and caps. You shall make them (AA)for glory and beauty. 41 And you shall put them on Aaron your brother, and on his sons with him, and shall (AB)anoint them and ordain them and (AC)consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. 42 You shall make for them (AD)linen undergarments to cover their naked flesh. They shall reach from the hips to the thighs; 43 and they shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they go into the tent of meeting or when they come near the altar to minister in the Holy Place, lest they (AE)bear guilt and die. (AF)This shall be a statute forever for him and for his offspring after him.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 28:16 A span was about 9 inches or 22 centimeters
  2. Exodus 28:17 The identity of some of these stones is uncertain
  3. Exodus 28:32 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain; possibly coat of mail