Exodus 28:15-30
International Standard Version
The Breast Piece
15 “You are to make a breast piece to be worn by the high priest when he makes legal decisions.[a] It is to be skillfully worked, made like the work of the ephod from gold, blue, purple, and scarlet material, and from fine woven linen. 16 It is to be square when folded double, one hand span[b] long and one hand span wide.[c] 17 You are to mount on it a setting for four rows of stones. The first row is to contain carnelian,[d] topaz, and emerald; 18 the second row ruby,[e] sapphire, and crystal; 19 the third row jacinth, agate, and amethyst; 20 the fourth row beryl, onyx, and jasper, and they are to be set in gold filigree. 21 The stones are to correspond to the names of the sons of Israel, twelve stones[f] corresponding to their names. They are to be engraved like a signet,[g] each with the name of one of the twelve tribes.
22 “You are to make chains of pure gold, twisted like cords, for the breast piece. 23 You are to make two gold rings for the breast piece, and put the two rings on the two edges of the breast piece. 24 You are to put the two gold cords on the two gold rings at the edges of the breast piece, 25 and you are to attach the other two ends of the two cords to the filigree settings and attach them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod in front.
26 “You are to make two gold rings and attach them to the two edges of the breast piece, on the side of it that is toward the inner side of the ephod. 27 You are to make two gold rings and attach them in front on the lower part of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod close to the place where it’s joined, above the skillfully woven band of the ephod. 28 They are to fasten the rings on the breast piece to the rings on the ephod with a blue cord so it will rest[h] on the skillfully woven band of the ephod and so the breast piece won’t come loose from the ephod.
29 “Aaron is to carry the names of Israel’s sons on his heart on the breast piece to be worn by the high priest when he makes legal decisions,[i] that is, whenever he goes into the Holy Place in order to remember them continuously in the Lord’s presence. 30 You are to put the Urim and Thummim[j] into the breast piece of judgment, and they are to be on Aaron’s heart when he goes into the Lord’s presence. He is to carry the breast piece of decision[k] that depicts Israel’s sons[l] on his heart in the Lord’s presence continuously.”
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- Exodus 28:15 Lit. breast piece of judgment
- Exodus 28:16 I.e. about the distance between the outstretched thumb and little finger, or about nine inches
- Exodus 28:16 I.e. about the distance between the outstretched thumb and little finger, or about nine inches
- Exodus 28:17 The meaning of MT is uncertain.
- Exodus 28:18 Or turquoise
- Exodus 28:21 The Heb. lacks stones
- Exodus 28:21 Lit. the engravings of a seal (or signet ring)
- Exodus 28:28 Lit. be
- Exodus 28:29 Lit. breast piece of judgment
- Exodus 28:30 I.e. the jewel-encrusted breastplate worn by the high priest by which the will of God could be revealed; cf. Ezra 2:63, Neh 7:65
- Exodus 28:30 Lit. judgment
- Exodus 28:30 Lit. of judgment of Israel’s sons
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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