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The Breastplate(A)

They made the breastplate as creatively as they made the ephod. It was made out of gold, violet, purple, and bright red yarn, and of fine linen yarn. It was folded in half and was 9 inches square. 10 They fastened four rows of precious stones on it. In the first row they put red quartz, topaz, and emerald. 11 In the second row they put turquoise, sapphire, and crystal. 12 In the third row they put jacinth, agate, and amethyst. 13 In the fourth row they put beryl, onyx, and gray quartz. The stones were mounted in gold settings. 14 They corresponded to the 12 sons of Israel, by name, each stone engraved (like a signet ring) with the name of one of the 12 tribes.

15 For the breastplate they made chains out of pure gold, twisted like ropes. 16 They made two gold settings and two gold rings and attached the two rings to the ⌞top⌟ two corners of the breastplate. 17 They fastened the two gold ropes to the rings at the ⌞top⌟ corners of the breastplate. 18 They fastened the other ends of the ropes to the two settings on the shoulder straps of the ephod ⌞so that the breastplate hung⌟ in front of it. 19 They made two gold rings and fastened them to the other two corners of the breastplate on the inside edge next to the ephod. 20 They made two ⌞more⌟ gold rings and fastened them to the bottom of the shoulder straps on the front of the ephod. This was close to the seam just above the belt of the ephod. 21 Then they fastened the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a violet cord. So the breastplate was attached just above the belt of the ephod and was held in place. They followed the Lord’s instructions to Moses.

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The Breastpiece(A)

They fashioned the breastpiece(B)—the work of a skilled craftsman. They made it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. It was square—a span[a] long and a span wide—and folded double. 10 Then they mounted four rows of precious stones on it. The first row was carnelian, chrysolite and beryl; 11 the second row was turquoise, lapis lazuli and emerald; 12 the third row was jacinth, agate and amethyst; 13 the fourth row was topaz, onyx and jasper.[b] They were mounted in gold filigree settings. 14 There were twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.(C)

15 For the breastpiece they made braided chains of pure gold, like a rope. 16 They made two gold filigree settings and two gold rings, and fastened the rings to two of the corners of the breastpiece. 17 They fastened the two gold chains to the rings at the corners of the breastpiece, 18 and the other ends of the chains to the two settings, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front. 19 They made two gold rings and attached them to the other two corners of the breastpiece on the inside edge next to the ephod. 20 Then they made two more gold rings and attached them to the bottom of the shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod, close to the seam just above the waistband of the ephod. 21 They tied the rings of the breastpiece to the rings of the ephod with blue cord, connecting it to the waistband so that the breastpiece would not swing out from the ephod—as the Lord commanded Moses.

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 39:9 That is, about 9 inches or about 23 centimeters
  2. Exodus 39:13 The precise identification of some of these precious stones is uncertain.