Shemot 28:11

11 With the work of a charash even (engraver in gemstones), like the engravings of a chotam (signet ring), shalt thou engrave the two avanim with the Shemot Bnei Yisroel; thou shalt make them to be set in mishbetzot zahav (filigrees of gold).

Shemot 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.

Shemot 28:11 In-Context

9 And thou shalt take two avnei shoham (onyx stones), and engrave on them the Shemot of the Bnei Yisroel:
10 Shisha of their Shemot on one even (stone), and the other Shemot of the shisha remaining on the other even (stone), according to toldot (in the order in which they were born).
11 With the work of a charash even (engraver in gemstones), like the engravings of a chotam (signet ring), shalt thou engrave the two avanim with the Shemot Bnei Yisroel; thou shalt make them to be set in mishbetzot zahav (filigrees of gold).
12 And thou shalt fasten the two avanim upon the Kitfot HaEphod for avnei zikaron (memorial stones) unto the Bnei Yisroel; and Aharon shall bear their Shemot before Hashem upon his two ketefayim for a zikaron.
13 And thou shalt make mishbetzot zahav (filigrees of gold);
The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.