Kohen’s Garments
28 “Bring your brother Aaron near with his sons from among Bnei-Yisrael, so that they may minister to Me as kohanim—Aaron and his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 2 You are to make holy garments for your brother Aaron, for splendor and for beauty. 3 You are to speak to all who are skilled, whom I have filled with a spirit of artistry, to make Aaron’s garments for consecrating him, so that he may minister to Me as a kohen. 4 These are the garments that they are to make: a breastplate, an ephod, a robe, a tunic of checkered work, a turban and a sash. They are to make holy garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so that he may minister to Me as a kohen. 5 They are to use the gold, blue, purple, scarlet and fine linen.
6 “They are to make the ephod of gold, blue, purple, scarlet and finely twisted linen, the work of the skillful craftsman. 7 It is to have two shoulder pieces stitched to the two ends, so that it may be joined together. 8 The skillfully woven band which is upon it, with which it is to be bound, is to be made like the design, and from the same piece of gold, blue, purple, scarlet and finely twisted linen.
9 “You are to take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of Bnei-Yisrael: 10 six of their names on one stone and the names of the remaining six on the other stone, in the order of their birth. 11 With the work of a gem cutter engraving a seal, etch the two stones, in the order of the names of Bnei-Yisrael. Make them enclosed in settings of gold. 12 Fasten the two stones upon the shoulder pieces of the ephod, to be memorial stones for Bnei-Yisrael. So Aaron is to bear their names before Adonai on his two shoulders as a reminder. 13 Fashion filigree settings of gold, 14 along with two chains of pure gold, of braided work, and you will attach the chains to the filigree settings.
15 “Make a breastplate of judgment, the work of a skillful craftsman. You are to make it like the design of the ephod—of gold, blue, purple, scarlet and finely twisted linen. 16 It is to be square and doubled over, a span in length and a span in width. 17 Set within it four rows of jewels: a row of ruby, topaz and emerald for the first row; 18 a turquoise, a sapphire and a diamond for the second row; 19 a jacinth, an agate and an amethyst for the third; 20 and a beryl, an onyx and a jasper for the fourth row. They are to be enclosed in gold filigree settings. 21 The stones are to be engraved in the order of the names of Bnei-Yisrael, twelve according to their names, like the etchings of a signet seal, one corresponding to each name of the twelve tribes.[a]
22 “Also you are to make, upon the breastplate, braided chains of wreathed work from pure gold. 23 Forge on the breastplate two rings of gold and fasten the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate. 24 Then attach the two wreathed chains of gold on the two rings at the ends of the breastplate. 25 The other two ends of the chains you are to place on the two settings, and put them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod in front. 26 So you are to make two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, on the edge of it that is toward the inner side of the ephod. 27 Also make two gold rings and place them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod underneath, in the front, close to where it is joined, above the artfully woven band of the ephod. 28 Then they will bind the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a blue thread, so that it may be on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and so that the breastplate will not come loose from it.
29 “Aaron will bear the names of Bnei-Yisrael in the breastplate of judgment on his heart, whenever he enters the holy place, as a continual memorial before Adonai. 30 Also put the Urim and the Thummim within the breastplate of judgment, so they will be on Aaron’s heart when he goes in before Adonai. Aaron will bear the judgment of Bnei-Yisrael on his heart before Adonai continually.
31 “You are to make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue. 32 It is to have a hole for the head in the center, and a binding of woven work around the hole, as a collar, so that it may not be torn. 33 On the hem of it you are to make pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet, all around the hem, with golden bells between them: 34 one golden bell and a pomegranate, then another golden bell and a pomegranate, on the hem of the robe all around. 35 It must be worn by Aaron whenever he ministers. The sound will be heard when he goes into the holy place before Adonai and when he comes out, so that he does not die.
36 “Also you are to make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engravings of a seal, ‘HOLY TO Adonai.’ 37 Attach it with a violet cord onto the turban, on the front of the turban. 38 So it will rest on Aaron’s forehead, so that Aaron will bear away the iniquity committed regarding the holy things, which Bnei-Yisrael set apart as all their holy gifts. It is to be always on his forehead, so that they may have favor before Adonai.
39 “You are to weave the tunic in checkered work of fine linen, make a turban of fine linen, and make a sash, the work of a color weaver. 40 For Aaron’s sons you are to make tunics, sashes and headwear for them—for splendor and for beauty. 41 Put them on Aaron your brother and on his sons with him, and anoint them, consecrate them, and sanctify them, so that they may minister to Me as kohanim.
42 “You are to make linen undergarments for them, to cover the skin of their nakedness, from the hips to the thighs. 43 They are to be worn by Aaron and his sons when they go into the Tent of Meeting or when they approach the altar to minister in the holy place, so that they do not become subject to guilt and die. It is to be a statute forever, to him and to his offspring after him.
Footnotes
- Exodus 28:21 cf. Rev. 21:12.