Exodus 28:15–43

The Breast-piece

¹⁵“Make a breast-piece for the High Priest to use in determining God’s will. It is to be made of the same materials as the ephod and with similar embroidery. ¹⁶It is to be square and folded double, 22 centimetres long and 22 centimetres wide. ¹⁷Mount four rows of precious stones on it; in the first row mount a ruby, a topaz, and a garnet; ¹⁸in the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond; ¹⁹in the third row, a turquoise, an agate, and an amethyst; ²⁰and in the fourth row, a beryl, a carnelian, and a jasper. These are to be mounted in gold settings. ²¹Each of these twelve stones is to have engraved on it the name of one of the sons of Jacob, to represent the tribes of Israel. ²²For the breast-piece make chains of pure gold, twisted like cords. ²³Make two gold rings and attach them to the upper corners of the breast-piece, ²⁴and fasten the two gold cords to the two rings. ²⁵Fasten the other two ends of the cords to the two settings, and in this way attach them in front to the shoulder straps of the ephod. ²⁶Then make two rings of gold and attach them to the lower corners of the breast-piece on the inside edge next to the ephod. ²⁷Make two more gold rings and attach them to the lower part of the front of the two shoulder straps of the ephod near the seam and above the finely woven belt. ²⁸Tie the rings of the breast-piece to the rings of the ephod with a blue cord, so that the breast-piece rests above the belt and does not come loose.

²⁹“When Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will wear this breast-piece engraved with the names of the tribes of Israel, so that I, the Lord, will always remember my people. ^30*Put the Urim and Thummim^c in the breast-piece, so that Aaron will carry them when he comes into my holy presence. At such times he must always wear this breast-piece, so that he can determine my will for the people of Israel.

The Other Priestly Garments

³¹“The robe that goes under the ephod is to be made entirely of blue wool. ³²It is to have a hole for the head, and this hole is to be reinforced with a woven binding to keep it from tearing. ^33–34All round its lower hem put pomegranates of blue, purple, and red wool, alternating with gold bells. ³⁵Aaron is to wear this robe when he serves as priest. When he comes into my presence in the Holy Place or when he leaves it, the sound of the bells will be heard, and he will not be killed.

³⁶“Make an ornament of pure gold and engrave on it ‘Dedicated to the Lord’. ³⁷Tie it to the front of the turban with a blue cord. ³⁸Aaron is to wear it on his forehead, so that I, the Lord, will accept all the offerings that the Israelites dedicate to me, even if the people commit some error in offering them.

³⁹“Weave Aaron’s shirt of fine linen and make a turban of fine linen and also a sash decorated with embroidery.

⁴⁰“Make shirts, sashes, and caps for Aaron’s sons, to provide them with dignity and beauty. ⁴¹Put these clothes on your brother Aaron and his sons. Then ordain them and dedicate them by anointing them with olive oil, so that they may serve me as priests. ⁴²Make linen shorts for them, reaching from the waist to the thighs, so that they will not expose themselves. ⁴³Aaron and his sons must always wear them when they go into the Tent of my presence or approach the altar to serve as priests in the Holy Place, so that they will not be killed for exposing themselves. This is a permanent rule for Aaron and his descendants.