Exodus 28:15-30
Evangelical Heritage Version
The Chest Pouch
15 You shall make a chest pouch to be used for making decisions, the work of a skillful craftsman. You shall make it with the same workmanship as the vest. Make it from gold and from blue, purple, and scarlet material and from fine woven linen. 16 It is to be square when it is folded, nine inches by nine inches. 17 You shall arrange settings for precious stones on it, four rows of stones: The first row is to be carnelian, diamond, and jacinth; 18 the second row agate, sapphire,[a] and emerald; 19 the third row beryl, jasper, and ruby; 20 and the fourth row topaz, onyx, and turquoise.[b] They are to be mounted in gold settings. 21 There are to be twelve stones corresponding to the names of the sons of Israel. Each one shall be like an engraved seal, each with the name of one of the twelve tribes.
22 You shall make braided chains of pure gold as cords for the pouch. 23 Make two gold rings for the pouch, and attach the two rings to the top corners of the pouch. 24 Put the two braided chains of gold into the two rings at the top corners of the pouch. 25 Attach the other ends of the two braided chains to the two settings, and then attach them to the shoulder straps on the front of the vest. 26 Make two rings of gold, and put them on the two lower corners of the pouch, on its inside edge, which is toward the vest. 27 Make two more gold rings, and attach them to the two shoulder straps of the vest in the front, close to the bottom where it is joined to the band of the vest. 28 Tie the rings on the pouch to the rings on the vest with a blue cord, so that the pouch is right next to the band of the vest, so that the pouch does not swing out from the vest. 29 Whenever he goes into the Holy Place, Aaron shall wear the pouch for making decisions, which bears the names of the sons of Israel, over his heart as a constant memorial before the Lord. 30 You shall put the Urim and the Thummim[c] into the pouch for making decisions, and they shall be over Aaron’s heart whenever he goes before the Lord. Aaron shall bear the means of making decisions for the people of Israel on his heart before the Lord continually.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Exodus 28:18 Perhaps lapis lazuli
- Exodus 28:20 The specific identification of these gems is uncertain, and translations vary widely. This translation uses names of recognizable modern gemstones even if they might not have the same mineral makeup as the ancient gemstones. The Jewish commentator Ibn Ezra writes, “We have no way to identify what they are, having no tradition to rely on.”
- Exodus 28:30 The meanings of Urim and Thummim are uncertain, perhaps Lights and Perfections. Others suggest Cursed and Blameless. Whatever the objects were, they seem to have been used to obtain “yes” or “no” answers from the Lord.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.