Esodo 28:11

11 Scolpisci sopra quelle due pietre i nomi de’ figliuoli d’Israele, a lavoro di scultor di pietre, come s’intagliano i suggelli; falle intorniate di castoni d’oro.

Esodo 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.

Esodo 28:11 In-Context

9 Piglia ancora due pietre onichine, e scolpisci sopra esse i nomi de’ figliuoli d’Israele;

10 sei de’ nomi loro sopra una pietra, e gli altri sei nomi sopra l’altra pietra, secondo le lor nascite.

11 Scolpisci sopra quelle due pietre i nomi de’ figliuoli d’Israele, a lavoro di scultor di pietre, come s’intagliano i suggelli; falle intorniate di castoni d’oro.

12 E metti quelle due pietre sopra gli omerali dell’Efod, acciochè sieno pietre di ricordanza per i figliuoli d’Israele; porti Aaronne i nomi loro davanti al Signore, sopra le sue due spalle, per memoria.

13 E fai de’ castoni d’oro.