Exodus 28:11

11 by the work of a graver, and by the painting of a man that adorneth with gems, thou shalt grave those stones with the names of the sons of Israel; and thou shalt enclose and compass with gold. (by the work of an engraver, and by the painting of a man who adorneth with gems, thou shalt engrave those stones with the names of the sons of Israel; and thou shalt enclose and encompass them with gold.)

Exodus 28:11 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 28:11

With the work of an engraver in stone
Not in common but precious stones: Moses was not to do this himself, as it could not be supposed he should, but he was to employ an engraver, whose business it was, and one that was capable of doing it in a professional manner:

[like] the engravings of a signet shall thou engrave the two stones
with the names of the children of Israel:
as in signets or seals, by which impressions are made on wax, the letters or figures are cut deep, that they might on the wax stand out; so it seems the letters of the names of the children of Israel were cut in these stones: this shows that engraving on precious stones is very old, and the ancients indeed are said to excel in this art:

thou shalt make them to be set in ouches of gold;
in beazils or sockets, such as precious stones in rings are set in; these with the stones in them served as buttons to fasten together the hinder and fore part of the ephod on the shoulder pieces of it.

Exodus 28:11 In-Context

9 And thou shalt take two stones of onyx, and thou shalt grave in them the names of the sons of Israel, (And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and thou shalt engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel,)

10 six names in one stone, and six others in the tother stone, by the order of their birth; (six names on one stone, and six names on the other stone, in their birth order;)

11 by the work of a graver, and by the painting of a man that adorneth with gems, thou shalt grave those stones with the names of the sons of Israel; and thou shalt enclose and compass with gold. (by the work of an engraver, and by the painting of a man who adorneth with gems, thou shalt engrave those stones with the names of the sons of Israel; and thou shalt enclose and encompass them with gold.)

12 And thou shalt set those stones in ever either side of the cloak on the shoulders, (as) a memorial to the sons of Israel; and Aaron shall bear the names of them before the Lord on ever either shoulder, for remembering. (And thou shalt fasten those stones on the two shoulder straps of the ephod, as a reminder of the twelve tribes of Israel; Aaron shall carry their names before the Lord on both shoulders, so that I shall remember them.)

13 And thou shalt make (two) hooks (out) of (pure) gold,