Exodus 28:15-30
Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Breastpiece
15 “You(A) are to make an embroidered breastpiece for making decisions.[a] Make it with the same workmanship as the ephod; make it of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely spun linen. 16 It must be square and folded double, nine inches long and nine inches wide.[b] 17 Place a setting of gemstones[c] on it, four rows of stones:
The first row should be
a row of carnelian, topaz, and emerald;[d]
18 the second row,
a turquoise,[e] a sapphire,[f] and a diamond;[g]
19 the third row,
a jacinth,[h] an agate, and an amethyst;
20 and the fourth row,
a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper.
They should be adorned with gold filigree in their settings. 21 The 12 stones are to correspond to the names of Israel’s sons. Each stone must be engraved like a seal, with one of the names of the 12 tribes.
22 “You are to make braided chains[i] of pure gold cord work for the breastpiece. 23 Fashion two gold rings for the breastpiece and attach them to its two corners. 24 Then attach the two gold cords to the two gold rings at the corners of the breastpiece. 25 Attach the other ends of the two cords to the two filigree settings, and in this way attach them to the ephod’s shoulder pieces in the front. 26 Make two other gold rings and put them at the two other corners of the breastpiece on the edge that is next to the inner border of the ephod. 27 Make two more gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the ephod’s two shoulder pieces on its front, close to its seam,[j] and above the ephod’s woven waistband. 28 The craftsmen are to tie the breastpiece from its rings to the rings of the ephod with a cord of blue yarn, so that the breastpiece is above the ephod’s waistband and does not come loose from the ephod.
29 “Whenever he enters the sanctuary, Aaron is to carry the names of Israel’s sons over his heart on the breastpiece for decisions, as a continual reminder before the Lord. 30 Place the Urim and Thummim(B) in the breastpiece for decisions, so that they will also be over Aaron’s heart whenever he comes before the Lord. Aaron will continually carry the means of decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Exodus 28:15 Used for determining God’s will; Nm 27:21
- Exodus 28:16 Lit a span its length and a span its width
- Exodus 28:17 Many of these stones cannot be identified with certainty.
- Exodus 28:17 Or beryl
- Exodus 28:18 Or malachite, or garnet
- Exodus 28:18 Or lapis lazuli
- Exodus 28:18 Hb obscure; LXX, Vg read jasper
- Exodus 28:19 Hb obscure
- Exodus 28:22 The same chains mentioned in v. 14
- Exodus 28:27 The place where the shoulder pieces join the front of the ephod
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.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 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
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