Exodus 28:11

11 An engraver should engrave the names of the sons of Isra'el on the two stones as he would engrave a seal. Mount the stones in gold settings,

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 Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Isra'el -
10 six of their names on one stone and the six remaining names on the other, in the order of their birth.
11 An engraver should engrave the names of the sons of Isra'el on the two stones as he would engrave a seal. Mount the stones in gold settings,
12 and put the two stones on the shoulder-pieces of the vest as stones calling to mind the sons of Isra'el. Aharon is to carry their names before ADONAI on his two shoulders as a reminder.
13 "Make gold squares
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.