Exodus 28:10

10 six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the remaining six on the second stone, according to their births;

Exodus 28:10 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 28:10

Six of their names on one stone
The names of the six eldest on the stone upon the right shoulder:

and the other six names of the rest on the other stone:
the names of the six youngest on the stone upon the left shoulder; for these stones, as afterwards said, were put on the shoulders of the priests,

according to their birth;
the order of it; so that upon the first stone were engraven the names of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, and Naphtali; and on the second stone the names of Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin; and so they are disposed by Jarchi, with whom Josephus agrees F1; though some Jewish writers, and particularly Maimonides F2, place them otherwise; but this seems most agreeable to the letter and sense of the text.


FOOTNOTES:

F1 Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 3. c. 7. sect. 5.)
F2 Hilchot Cele Hamikdash, ut supra. (c. 9. sect. 9.)

Exodus 28:10 In-Context

8 `And the girdle of his ephod which [is] on him, according to its work, is of the same, of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen.
9 `And thou hast taken the two shoham stones, and hast opened on them the names of the sons of Israel;
10 six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the remaining six on the second stone, according to their births;
11 the work of an engraver in stone, openings of a signet, thou dost open the two stones by the names of the sons of Israel; turned round, embroidered [with] gold, thou dost make them.
12 `And thou hast set the two stones on the shoulders of the ephod -- stones of memorial to the sons of Israel -- and Aaron hath borne their names before Jehovah, on his two shoulders, for a memorial.
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.