Exodus 28:15-21
New English Translation
15 “You are to make a breastpiece for use in making decisions,[a] the work of an artistic designer; you are to make it in the same fashion as the ephod; you are to make it of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twisted linen. 16 It is to be square[b] when[c] doubled, nine inches[d] long and nine inches wide. 17 You are to set in it a setting for stones, four rows of stones, a row with a ruby, a topaz, and a beryl—the first row; 18 and the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire, and an emerald; 19 and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 20 and the fourth row, a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper.[e] They are to be enclosed in gold in their filigree settings. 21 The stones are to be for the names of the sons of Israel, twelve, according to the number of[f] their names. Each name according to the twelve tribes is to be like[g] the engravings of a seal.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Exodus 28:15 tn Heb “a breastpiece of decision” (חֹשֶׁן מִשְׁפָּט, khoshen mishpat; so NAB). The first word, rendered “breastpiece,” is of uncertain etymology. This item was made of material similar to the ephod. It had four rows of three gems on it, bearing the names of the tribes. In it were the urim and thummim. J. P. Hyatt refers to a similar object found in the Egyptian reliefs, including even the twisted gold chains used to hang it from the priest (Exodus [NCBC], 282).
- Exodus 28:16 tn Heb “four.”
- Exodus 28:16 tn “when” is added for clarification (U. Cassuto, Exodus, 375).
- Exodus 28:16 tn The word זֶרֶת (zeret) is half a cubit; it is often translated “span.”
- Exodus 28:20 sn U. Cassuto (Exodus, 375-76) points out that these are the same precious stones mentioned in Ezek 28:13 that were to be found in Eden, the garden of God. So the priest, when making atonement, was to wear the precious gems that were there and symbolized the garden of Eden when man was free from sin.
- Exodus 28:21 tn For clarity the words “the number of” have been supplied.
- Exodus 28:21 tn The phrase translated “the engravings of a seal” is an adverbial accusative of manner here.
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