The Priestly Garments

28 “Have Aaron(A) your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu,(B) Eleazar and Ithamar,(C) so they may serve me as priests.(D) Make sacred garments(E) for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor.(F) Tell all the skilled workers(G) to whom I have given wisdom(H) in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his consecration, so he may serve me as priest. These are the garments they are to make: a breastpiece,(I) an ephod,(J) a robe,(K) a woven tunic,(L) a turban(M) 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.(N)

The Ephod(O)

“Make the ephod(P) 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(Q) 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(R) 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(S) as a memorial(T) 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(U)

15 “Fashion a breastpiece(V) 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(W) on it. The first row shall be carnelian, chrysolite(X) 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,(Y) each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.(Z)

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.

29 “Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place,(AA) he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the Lord. 30 Also put the Urim and the Thummim(AB) in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron’s heart whenever he enters the presence of the Lord. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord.

Other Priestly Garments(AC)

31 “Make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth, 32 with an opening for the head in its center. There shall be a woven edge like a collar[c] around this opening, so that it will not tear. 33 Make pomegranates(AD) of blue, purple and scarlet yarn around the hem of the robe, with gold bells between them. 34 The gold bells and the pomegranates are to alternate around the hem of the robe. 35 Aaron must wear it when he ministers. The sound of the bells will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the Lord and when he comes out, so that he will not die.

36 “Make a plate(AE) of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: holy to the Lord.(AF) 37 Fasten a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban; it is to be on the front of the turban. 38 It will be on Aaron’s forehead, and he will bear the guilt(AG) involved in the sacred gifts the Israelites consecrate, whatever their gifts may be. It will be on Aaron’s forehead continually so that they will be acceptable(AH) to the Lord.

39 “Weave the tunic(AI) of fine linen and make the turban(AJ) of fine linen. The sash is to be the work of an embroiderer. 40 Make tunics, sashes and caps for Aaron’s sons(AK) to give them dignity and honor.(AL) 41 After you put these clothes(AM) on your brother Aaron and his sons, anoint(AN) and ordain them. Consecrate them so they may serve me as priests.(AO)

42 “Make linen undergarments(AP) as a covering for the body, reaching from the waist to the thigh. 43 Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the tent of meeting(AQ) or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place,(AR) so that they will not incur guilt and die.(AS)

“This is to be a lasting ordinance(AT) for Aaron and his descendants.

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.
  3. Exodus 28:32 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.

Garments for the Priesthood(A)

28 “Now take (B)Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister to Me as (C)priest, Aaron and Aaron’s sons: (D)Nadab, Abihu, (E)Eleazar, and Ithamar. And (F)you shall make [a]holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. So (G)you shall speak to all who are gifted artisans, (H)whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments, to consecrate him, that he may minister to Me as priest. And these are the garments which they shall make: (I)a breastplate, (J)an [b]ephod, (K)a robe, (L)a skillfully woven tunic, a turban, and (M)a sash. So they shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons, that he may minister to Me as priest.

The Ephod

“They shall take the gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and the fine linen, (N)and they shall make the ephod of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, artistically worked. It shall have two shoulder straps joined at its two edges, and so it shall be joined together. And the [c]intricately woven band of the ephod, which is on it, shall be of the same workmanship, made of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen.

“Then you shall take two onyx (O)stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel: 10 six of their names on one stone and six names on the other stone, in order of their (P)birth. 11 With the work of an (Q)engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, you shall engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel. You shall set them in settings of gold. 12 And you shall put the two stones on the shoulders of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. So (R)Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord on his two shoulders (S)as a memorial. 13 You shall also make settings of gold, 14 and you shall make two chains of pure gold like braided cords, and fasten the braided chains to the settings.

The Breastplate(T)

15 (U)“You shall make the breastplate of judgment. Artistically woven according to the workmanship of the ephod you shall make it: of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, you shall make it. 16 It shall be doubled into a square: a span shall be its length, and a span shall be its width. 17 (V)And you shall put settings of stones in it, four rows of stones: The first row shall be a [d]sardius, a topaz, and an emerald; this shall be the first row; 18 the second row shall be a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond; 19 the third row, a [e]jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 20 and the fourth row, a [f]beryl, an [g]onyx, and a jasper. They shall be set in gold settings. 21 And the stones shall have the names of the sons of Israel, twelve according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, each one with its own name; they shall be according to the twelve tribes.

22 “You shall make chains for the breastplate at the end, like braided cords of pure gold. 23 And you shall make two rings of gold for the breastplate, and put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate. 24 Then you shall put the two braided chains of gold in the two rings which are on the ends of the breastplate; 25 and the other two ends of the two braided chains you shall fasten to the two settings, and put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod in the front.

26 “You shall make two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, on the edge of it, which is on the inner side of the ephod. 27 And two other rings of gold you shall make, and put them on the two shoulder straps, underneath the ephod toward its front, right at the seam above the [h]intricately woven band of the ephod. 28 They shall bind the breastplate by means of its rings to the rings of the ephod, using a blue cord, so that it is above the intricately woven band of the ephod, and so that the breastplate does not come loose from the ephod.

29 “So Aaron shall (W)bear the names of the sons of Israel on the breastplate of judgment over his heart, when he goes into the holy place, as a memorial before the Lord continually. 30 And (X)you shall put in the breastplate of judgment the [i]Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be over Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the Lord. So Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel over his heart before the Lord continually.

Other Priestly Garments(Y)

31 (Z)“You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue. 32 There shall be an opening for his head in the middle of it; it shall have a woven binding all around its opening, like the opening in a coat of mail, so that it does not tear. 33 And upon its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet, all around its hem, and bells of gold between them all around: 34 a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe all around. 35 And it shall be upon Aaron when he ministers, and its sound will be heard when he goes into the holy place before the Lord and when he comes out, that he may not die.

36 (AA)“You shall also make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet:

HOLINESS TO THE LORD.

37 And you shall put it on a blue cord, that it may be on the turban; it shall be on the front of the turban. 38 So it shall be on Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may (AB)bear the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel hallow in all their [j]holy gifts; and it shall always be on his forehead, that they may be (AC)accepted before the Lord.

39 “You shall (AD)skillfully weave the tunic of fine linen thread, you shall make the turban of fine linen, and you shall make the sash of woven work.

40 (AE)“For Aaron’s sons you shall make tunics, and you shall make sashes for them. And you shall make [k]hats for them, for glory and (AF)beauty. 41 So you shall put them on Aaron your brother and on his sons with him. You shall (AG)anoint them, (AH)consecrate them, and [l]sanctify them, that they may minister to Me as priests. 42 And you shall make (AI)for them linen trousers to cover their [m]nakedness; they shall [n]reach from the waist to the thighs. 43 They shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they come into the tabernacle of meeting, or when they come near (AJ)the altar to minister in the holy place, that they (AK)do not incur [o]iniquity and die. (AL)It shall be a statute forever to him and his descendants after him.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 28:2 sacred
  2. Exodus 28:4 Ornamented vest
  3. Exodus 28:8 ingenious work of
  4. Exodus 28:17 Or ruby
  5. Exodus 28:19 Or amber
  6. Exodus 28:20 Or yellow jasper
  7. Exodus 28:20 Or carnelian
  8. Exodus 28:27 ingenious work of
  9. Exodus 28:30 Lit. Lights and the Perfections
  10. Exodus 28:38 sacred
  11. Exodus 28:40 headpieces or turbans
  12. Exodus 28:41 set them apart
  13. Exodus 28:42 bare flesh
  14. Exodus 28:42 Lit. be
  15. Exodus 28:43 guilt