Exodus 28:12-22

12 "You shall put the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, as stones of memorial for the sons of Israel, and Aaron shall ¹bear their names before the LORD on his two shoulders ²for a memorial.

13 "³You shall make filigree settings of gold,

14 and two chains of pure gold; you shall make them of twisted cordage work, and you shall put the corded chains on the filigree settings.

15 "⁴You shall make a breastpiece of judgment, the work of a skillful workman; like the work of the ephod you shall make it: of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen you shall make it.

16 "It shall be square and folded double, a span in length and a span in width.

17 "You shall mount * on it four rows of stones; the first row shall be a row of ruby, topaz and emerald;

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

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

20 and the fourth row a beryl and an onyx and a jasper; they shall be set in gold filigree.

21 "The stones shall be according to the names of the sons of Israel: twelve *, according to their names; they shall be like the engravings of a seal, each ⁵according to his name for the twelve * tribes.

22 "You shall make on the breastpiece chains of twisted cordage work in pure gold.

Exodus 28:12-22 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 28:29; Exodus 39:6
• 2. Exodus 39:7; Leviticus 24:7; Numbers 31:54; Joshua 4:7; 1 Corinthians 11:24
• 3. Exodus 39:16-18
• 4. Exodus 39:8-21
• 5. Revelation 7:4-8; Revelation 21:12

Footnotes

• [a] Or "pouch"
• [b] Or "violet"
• [c] Lit "its"
• [d] Lit "its"
• [e] Lit "fill in a setting of stones, four rows of stones"
• [f] Lit "interwoven with gold in their settings"
• [g] Or "pouch," and so through v 30