The Breastpiece

(Exodus 39:8–21)

15 You are also to make a breastpiece of judgment with the same workmanship as the ephod. Construct it with gold, with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and with finely spun linen. 16 It must be square when folded over double, a span long and a span wide.[fn]

17 And mount on it a setting of gemstones, four rows of stones:[fn]

• In the first row there shall be a ruby, a topaz, and an emerald;
• 18 in the second row a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond;
• 19 in the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst;
• 20 and in the fourth row a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper.

Mount [these stones] in gold filigree settings. 21 The twelve stones are to correspond to the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.

22 For the breastpiece, make braided chains like cords of pure gold. 23 You are also to make two gold rings and fasten them to the two corners of the breastpiece. 24 Then fasten the two gold chains to the two gold rings at the corners of the breastpiece, 25 and fasten the other ends of the two chains to the two filigree settings, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front.

26 Make two [more] gold rings and attach them to the other two corners of the breastpiece, on the inside edge next to the ephod.

27 Make two [additional] gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, on its front, near its seam just above its woven waistband. 28 The rings of the breastpiece shall be tied to the rings of the ephod with a cord of blue yarn, so that the breastpiece is above the waistband of the ephod and does not swing out from the ephod.

29 Whenever [Aaron] enters the Holy [Place], [he] shall bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of judgment, as a continual reminder before the LORD.

30 And place the Urim and Thummim[fn] in the breastpiece of judgment, so that they will also be over Aaron’s heart whenever he comes before the LORD. Aaron will continually carry the judgment of the sons of Israel over his heart before the LORD.