Exodus 28:13-23

13 And thou shalt make (two) hooks (out) of (pure) gold,
14 and two little chains of cleanest gold, cleaving to themselves together, which little chains thou shalt set in the hooks. (and two little chains out of pure gold, which shall be twisted like ropes, and which thou shalt fasten to the hooks.)
15 Also thou shalt make the rational of doom by work of diverse colours, after the weaving of the cloak on the shoulder(s), of gold, jacinth, and purple, of red silk twice-dyed, and of bis folded again. (And thou shalt make the breast-piece of judgement like the weaving of the ephod, out of gold, and jacinth, and purple, and red silk twice-dyed, and finely woven linen, and embroider it.)
16 It shall be four-cornered, and double; it shall have the measure of a palm of an hand, as well in the length, as in breadth. (It shall be square, and folded over double; its measurements, the length as well as the breadth, shall be the palm of a hand.)
17 And thou shalt set therein four orders of stones; in the first order shall be the stone sardius, topaz, and smaragdus; (And thou shalt fasten to it four rows of stones; in the first row shall be stones of sardius, topaz, and emerald;)
18 in the second order shall be carbuncle, sapphire, and jasper; (in the second row shall be carbuncle, sapphire, and jasper;)
19 in the third order shall be ligure, agate, and amethyst; (in the third row shall be ligure, agate, and amethyst;)
20 and in the fourth order shall by crystallite, onyx, and beryl; these shall be closed in gold, by their orders, (and in the fourth row shall by crystallite, onyx, and beryl; they shall all be enclosed in gold, and in their proper order,)
21 and shall have the names of the sons of Israel; these shall be graved with twelve names; all the stones by themselves, with the names of all the sons by themselves, by [the] twelve lineages. (and shall have on them the names of the sons of Israel; yea, they shall be engraved with their twelve names; each of the stones shall have the name of one of the sons, to represent the twelve tribes of Israel.)
22 Thou shalt make in the rational chains cleaving to themselves together of purest gold, (Thou shalt make chains for the breast-piece out of pure gold, which shall be twisted like ropes,)
23 and thou shalt make two golden rings, which thou shalt set in ever either highness of the rational. (and thou shalt make two gold rings, which thou shalt fasten to the upper corners of the breast-piece.)

Exodus 28:13-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 28

This chapter informs us of the servants God would have to minister to him in the house, or tabernacle, he had ordered to be made, even Aaron and his sons, Ex 28:1 of the garments they were to wear in their service, Ex 28:2-5 and first of the garments of the high priest, and particularly of the ephod, with the girdle, on the shoulder pieces of which were to be two onyx stones, with the names of the children of Israel engraved on them, Ex 28:6-14, and that of the breastplate of judgment, with the Urim and Thummum in it, Ex 28:15-30 and of the robe of the ephod, Ex 28:31-35, and of the mitre, Ex 28:36-39 and then of the garments of the common priests, Ex 28:40-43.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.