Exodus 28:15-30

The Breastpiece

15 You are also to make a breastpiece of judgment with the same workmanship as the ephod. Construct it with gold, with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and with finely spun linen. ¹

16 It must be square when folded over double, a span long and a span wide. ^[a]

17 And mount on it a setting of gemstones, four rows of stones: ^[b] In the first row there shall be a ruby, a topaz, and an emerald;

18 in the second row a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond;

19 in the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst;

20 and in the fourth row a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. Mount these stones in gold filigree settings.

21 The twelve stones are to correspond to the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.

22 For the breastpiece, make braided chains like cords of pure gold.

23 You are also to make two gold rings and fasten them to the two corners of the breastpiece.

24 Then fasten the two gold chains to the two gold rings at the corners of the breastpiece,

25 and fasten the other ends of the two chains to the two filigree settings, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front.

26 Make two more gold rings and attach them to the other two corners of the breastpiece, on the inside edge next to the ephod.

27 Make two additional gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, on its front, near its seam just above its woven waistband.

28 The rings of the breastpiece shall be tied to the rings of the ephod with a cord of blue yarn, so that the breastpiece is above the waistband of the ephod and does not swing out from the ephod.

29 Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he shall bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of judgment, as a continual reminder before the LORD.

30 And place the Urim and Thummim ^[c] in the breastpiece of judgment, so that they will also be over Aaron’s heart whenever he comes before the LORD. Aaron will continually carry the judgment of the sons of Israel over his heart before the LORD.

Exodus 28:15-30 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

• 1. (Exodus 39:8–21)

Footnotes

• [a] The breastpiece, when folded over, was approximately 9 inches or 22.9 centimeters in both length and width.
• [b] The precise identification of some of these gemstones is uncertain.
• [c] Literally Lights and Perfections