Exodus 28:9-19

9 And thou shalt take the two stones, the stones of emerald, and thou shalt grave on them the names of the children of Israel.

10 Six names on the first stone, and the other six names on the second stone, according to their births.

11 the work of the stone-engraver's art; as the graving of a seal thou shalt engrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel.

12 And thou shalt put the two stones on the shoulders of the shoulder-piece: they are memorial-stones for the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel before the Lord on his two shoulders, a memorial for them.

13 And thou shalt make circlets of pure gold;

14 and thou shalt make two fringes of pure gold, variegated with flowers wreathen work; and thou shalt put the wreathen fringes on the circlets, fastening them on their shoulder-pieces in front.

15 And thou shalt make the oracle of judgment, the work of the embroiderer: in keeping with the ephod, thou shalt make it of gold, and blue and purple, and spun scarlet, and fine linen spun.

16 Thou shalt make it square: it shall be double; of a span the length of it, and of a span the breadth.

17 And thou shalt interweave with it a texture of four rows of stone; there shall be a row of stones, a sardius, a topaz, and emerald, the first row.

18 And the second row, a carbuncle, a sapphire, and a jasper.

19 And the third row, a ligure, an agate, an amethyst:

Exodus 28:9-19 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. little shields.