Exodus 28:29

29 “In this way, Aaron will carry the names of the tribes of Israel on the sacred chestpiece over his heart when he goes into the Holy Place. This will be a continual reminder that he represents the people when he comes before the LORD .

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Exodus 28:29 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 28:29

And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in
the breastplate of judgment upon his heart
Their names being engraven on the stones, and the stones put into the breastplate of judgment, and this breastplate hanging down upon the breast and heart of Aaron, he was a representative of the twelve tribes of Israel, as Christ his antitype is the representative of the whole Israel of God; and who lie near the heart of Christ, are set as a seal upon it, are engraven on the palms of his hands, and carried in his bosom, and whom he always presents to his divine Father, and are accepted in him: he represented them in eternity, and in time; in his sufferings and death, in his burial and resurrection from the dead, when they were crucified, buried, and raised with him; and he represents them now in heaven, where they sit together in heavenly places in him, as it here follows in the type:

when he goeth in unto the holy place;
to trim the lamps and offer incense, and especially when he went into the most holy place once a year:

for a memorial before the Lord continually;
for a memorial to himself, to pray for them when he appeared before the Lord, to put the Lord in remembrance of his covenant with them, and promises to them, (See Gill on Exodus 28:12) (See Gill on Isaiah 43:26), the Targum of Jonathan is, "for a good memorial": not a memorial for evil, but for good.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Exodus 28:29 In-Context

27 And make two more gold rings and attach them to the front of the ephod, below the shoulder-pieces, just above the knot where the decorative sash is fastened to the ephod.

28 Then attach the bottom rings of the chestpiece to the rings on the ephod with blue cords. This will hold the chestpiece securely to the ephod above the decorative sash.

30 Insert the Urim and Thummim into the sacred chestpiece so they will be carried over Aaron’s heart when he goes into the LORD ’s presence. In this way, Aaron will always carry over his heart the objects used to determine the LORD ’s will for his people whenever he goes in before the LORD .

31 “Make the robe that is worn with the ephod from a single piece of blue cloth,

Footnotes 1

[a]. Hebrew the chestpiece for decision; also in 28:30 . See 28:15 .

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