These are the garments that they must make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a specially woven tunic,[a] a turban, and a sash. They are to make holy garments for your brother Aaron and his sons so that they may serve me as priests. They should use[b] gold; blue, purple, and scarlet yarn; and fine linen.

The Ephod

“They(A) are to make the ephod of finely spun linen embroidered[c] with gold, and with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn. It must have two shoulder pieces attached to its two edges so that it can be joined together. The artistically woven waistband that is on the ephod[d] must be of one piece,[e] according to the same workmanship of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely spun linen.

“Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of Israel’s sons: 10 six of their names on the first stone and the remaining six names on the second stone, in the order of their birth. 11 Engrave the two stones with the names of Israel’s sons as a gem cutter engraves a seal. Mount them, surrounded with gold filigree settings. 12 Fasten both stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the Israelites. Aaron will carry their names on his two shoulders before the Lord as a reminder.(B) 13 Fashion gold filigree settings 14 and two chains of pure gold; you will make them of braided cord work, and attach the cord chains to the settings.

The Breastpiece

15 “You(C) are to make an embroidered breastpiece for making decisions.[f] Make it with the same workmanship as the ephod; make it of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely spun linen. 16 It must be square and folded double, nine inches long and nine inches wide.[g] 17 Place a setting of gemstones[h] on it, four rows of stones:

The first row should be

a row of carnelian, topaz, and emerald;[i]

18 the second row,

a turquoise,[j] a lapis lazuli, and a diamond;[k]

19 the third row,

a jacinth,[l] an agate, and an amethyst;

20 and the fourth row,

a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper.

They should be adorned with gold filigree in their settings. 21 The twelve stones are to correspond to the names of Israel’s sons. Each stone must be engraved like a seal, with one of the names of the twelve tribes.

22 “You are to make braided chains[m] of pure gold cord work for the breastpiece. 23 Fashion two gold rings for the breastpiece and attach them to its two corners. 24 Then attach the two gold cords to the two gold rings at the corners of the breastpiece. 25 Attach the other ends of the two cords to the two filigree settings, and in this way attach them to the ephod’s shoulder pieces in the front. 26 Make two other gold rings and put them at the two other corners of the breastpiece on the edge that is next to the inner border of the ephod. 27 Make two more gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the ephod’s two shoulder pieces on its front, close to its seam,[n] and above the ephod’s woven waistband. 28 The artisans are to tie the breastpiece from its rings to the rings of the ephod with a cord of blue yarn, so that the breastpiece is above the ephod’s waistband and does not come loose from the ephod.

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Footnotes

  1. 28:4 Hb obscure
  2. 28:5 Lit receive
  3. 28:6 Or woven
  4. 28:8 Lit waistband of its ephod, which is on it
  5. 28:8 Lit piece with the ephod
  6. 28:15 Used for determining God’s will; Nm 27:21
  7. 28:16 Lit a span its length and a span its width
  8. 28:17 Many of these stones cannot be identified with certainty.
  9. 28:17 Or beryl
  10. 28:18 Or malachite, or garnet
  11. 28:18 Hb obscure; LXX, Vg read jasper
  12. 28:19 Hb obscure
  13. 28:22 The same chains mentioned in v. 14
  14. 28:27 The place where the shoulder pieces join the front of the ephod

These are the garments they are to make: a breastpiece,(A) an ephod,(B) a robe,(C) a woven tunic,(D) a turban(E) and a sash. They are to make these sacred garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so they may serve me as priests. Have them use gold, and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and fine linen.(F)

The Ephod(G)

“Make the ephod(H) of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen—the work of skilled hands. It is to have two shoulder pieces attached to two of its corners, so it can be fastened. Its skillfully woven waistband(I) is to be like it—of one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen.

“Take two onyx stones and engrave(J) on them the names of the sons of Israel 10 in the order of their birth—six names on one stone and the remaining six on the other. 11 Engrave the names of the sons of Israel on the two stones the way a gem cutter engraves a seal. Then mount the stones in gold filigree settings 12 and fasten them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. Aaron is to bear the names on his shoulders(K) as a memorial(L) before the Lord. 13 Make gold filigree settings 14 and two braided chains of pure gold, like a rope, and attach the chains to the settings.

The Breastpiece(M)

15 “Fashion a breastpiece(N) for making decisions—the work of skilled hands. Make it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. 16 It is to be square—a span[a] long and a span wide—and folded double. 17 Then mount four rows of precious stones(O) on it. The first row shall be carnelian, chrysolite(P) and beryl; 18 the second row shall be turquoise, lapis lazuli and emerald; 19 the third row shall be jacinth, agate and amethyst; 20 the fourth row shall be topaz, onyx and jasper.[b] Mount them in gold filigree settings. 21 There are to be twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel,(Q) each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.(R)

22 “For the breastpiece make braided chains of pure gold, like a rope. 23 Make two gold rings for it and fasten them to two corners of the breastpiece. 24 Fasten the two gold chains to the rings at the corners of the breastpiece, 25 and the other ends of the chains to the two settings, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front. 26 Make two gold rings and attach them to the other two corners of the breastpiece on the inside edge next to the ephod. 27 Make two more gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod, close to the seam just above the waistband of the ephod. 28 The rings of the breastpiece are to be tied to the rings of the ephod with blue cord, connecting it to the waistband, so that the breastpiece will not swing out from the ephod.

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 28:16 That is, about 9 inches or about 23 centimeters
  2. Exodus 28:20 The precise identification of some of these precious stones is uncertain.

18 Samuel served in the Lord’s presence(A)—this mere boy was dressed in the linen ephod.(B)

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18 But Samuel was ministering(A) before the Lord—a boy wearing a linen ephod.(B)

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