Exodus 28:15-28

15 "1You shall make a breastpiece of judgment, the work of a skillful workman; like the work of the ephod you shall make it: of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen you shall make it.
16 "It shall be square and folded double, a span in length and a span in width.
17 "You shall mount * on it four rows of stones; the first row shall be a row of ruby, topaz and emerald;
18 and the second row a turquoise, a sapphire and a diamond;
19 and the third row a jacinth, an agate and an amethyst;
20 and the fourth row a beryl and an onyx and a jasper; they shall be set in gold filigree.
21 "The stones shall be according to the names of the sons of Israel: twelve *, according to their names; they shall be like the engravings of a seal, each 2according to his name for the twelve * tribes.
22 "You shall make on the breastpiece chains of twisted cordage work in pure gold.
23 "You shall make on the breastpiece two rings of gold, and shall put the two rings on the two ends of the breastpiece.
24 "You shall put the two cords of gold on the two rings at the ends of the breastpiece.
25 "You shall put the other two ends of the two cords on the two filigree settings, and put them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, at the front of it.
26 "You shall make two rings of gold and shall place them on the two ends of the breastpiece, on the edge of it, which is toward the inner side of the ephod.
27 "You shall make two rings of gold and put them on the bottom of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, on the front of it close to the place where it is joined, above * the skillfully woven band of the ephod.
28 "They shall bind the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a blue cord, so that it will be on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastpiece will not come loose from the ephod.

Exodus 28:15-28 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.

Cross References 2

  • 1. Exodus 39:8-21
  • 2. Revelation 7:4-8; Revelation 21:12

Footnotes 8

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