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.
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- 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.
Exodus 28:15-30
Lexham English Bible
15 And you will make a breast piece of judgment, a work of a skilled craftsman; you will make it like the work of the ephod; you will make it of gold, blue and purple and crimson yarns, and finely twisted linen. 16 It will be squared, doubled, a span its length and a span its width. 17 And you will fill it with stone mounting, four rows of stone, a row of carnelian, topaz, and emerald is the first row; 18 and the second row is a malachite, a sapphire, and a moonstone; 19 and the third row is a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 20 and the fourth row is a turquoise and an onyx and a jasper. Their settings will be woven with gold. 21 The stones will be according to the names of the Israelites,[a] twelve according to their names, with seal engravings, each according to its name they will be for the twelve tribes.
22 “And you will make on the breast piece braided chains, a work of pure gold ornamental cord. 23 And you will make on the breast piece two gold rings, and you will put the two rings on the two edges of the breast piece. 24 And you will put the two gold ornamental cords on the two rings on the edges of the breast piece. 25 And you will put the two ends of the two ornamental cords on the two filigree settings, and you will put them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front of it. 26 And you will make two gold rings, and you will place them on the two ends of the breast piece, on its edge that is on the other side[b] of the ephod, to the inside.[c] 27 And you will make two rings and put them on the two shoulder pieces of the ephod below at its front near its seam above the waistband of the ephod. 28 And they will tie the breast piece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a blue cord to be on the waistband of the ephod, and the breast piece will not come loose from the ephod. 29 And Aaron will bear the names of the Israelites[d] in the breast piece of judgment on his heart, when he comes to the sanctuary, for a remembrance before Yahweh continually. 30 And you will put the Urim and the Thummim on the breast piece of judgment, and they will be on the heart of Aaron when he comes before Yahweh, and Aaron will bear the judgment of the Israelites[e] on his heart before Yahweh continually.
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- Exodus 28:21 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Exodus 28:26 Literally “beyond”
- Exodus 28:26 Literally “houseward,” “to house,” meaning “inward”
- Exodus 28:29 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Exodus 28:30 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
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