The Breastpiece

"Then, using the most careful workmanship, make a chestpiece to be used as God's oracle; use the same gold, blue, purple, and scarlet threads of fine-twined linen as you did in the ephod. This chestpiece is to be of two folds of cloth, forming a pouch. Attach to it four rows of stones: A ruby, a topaz, and an emerald shall be in the first row. The second row will be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. The third row will be an amber, an agate, and an amethyst. The fourth row will be an onyx, a beryl, and a jasper--all set in gold settings. Each stone will represent one of the tribes of Israel and the name of that tribe will be engraved upon it like a seal.

"Attach the top of the chestpiece to the ephod by means of two twisted cords of pure gold. One end of each cord is attached to golden rings placed at the outer top edge of the chestpiece. The other ends of the two cords are attached to the front edges of the two settings of the onyx stones on the shoulder of the ephod. Then make two more golden rings and place them on the two lower, inside edges of the chestpiece; also make two other golden rings for the bottom front edge of the ephod at the sash. Now attach the bottom of the chestpiece to the bottom rings of the ephod by means of blue ribbons; this will prevent the chestpiece from coming loose from the ephod. In this way Aaron shall carry the names of the tribes of Israel on the chestpiece over his heart (it is God's oracle) when he goes in to the Holy Place; thus Jehovah will be reminded of them continually. Insert into the pocket of the chestpiece the Urim and Thummim, to be carried over Aaron's heart when he goes in before Jehovah. Thus Aaron shall always be carrying the oracle over his heart when he goes in before the Lord."

Other Priestly Garments »

Urim and Thummim: What these looked like has been lost in antiquity. Possibly they were two stones that were marked in some way and used by the High Priest to determine God's "yes" or "no" on urgent matters.

TEXT SOURCE: (Exodus 28:15-30) The Children's Living Bible, ©1970 Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton Illinois 60187
TITLE SOURCE: The New Student Bible, ©1992 Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids Michigan 49530