Exodus 28

1 Have your brother Aaron come to you, along with his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. They of all the Israelites are to serve me as priests.

“Next, have your brother Aaron brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, to serve Me as priests.

2 You are to have holy clothing made for your brother Aaron to make him look splendid and dignified.

Make holy garments for your brother Aaron, to give him glory and splendor.

3 You are to give instructions to all the skilful workers, to those who have received from me their abilities, as to how to make clothing for Aaron's dedication, so that he can serve me as priest.

You are to instruct all the skilled craftsmen, whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom, to make garments for Aaron’s consecration, so that he may serve Me as priest.

4 These are the clothes for them to make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a pleated tunic, a turban, and a sash. These are the holy clothes they shall make for your brother Aaron and his sons so that they can serve me as priests.

These are the garments that they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban, and a sash. They are to make these holy garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so that they may serve Me as priests.

5 The workers are to use gold thread, together with blue, purple, and crimson thread, and finely-spun linen.

They shall use gold, along with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and fine linen.

6 They are to make the ephod of finely-woven linen embroidered with gold, and with blue, purple, and crimson thread, skillfully worked.

They are to make the ephod of finely spun linen embroidered with gold, and with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn.

7 Two shoulder pieces are to be attached to the front and back pieces.

It shall have two shoulder pieces attached at two of its corners, so it can be fastened.

8 The waistband of the ephod is to be one piece made in the same way, using gold thread, with blue, purple, and crimson thread, and with finely-woven linen.

And the skillfully woven waistband of the ephod must be of one piece, of the same workmanship—with gold, with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and with finely spun linen.

9 Engrave on two onyx stones the names of the Israelite tribes,

Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel:

10 six names on one stone and six on the other, in birth order.

six of their names on one stone and the remaining six on the other, in the order of their birth.

11 Engrave the names on the two stones the same way a jeweler engraves a personal seal. Then place the stones in ornamental gold settings.

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 Attach both stones to the shoulder pieces of the ephod as reminders for the Israelite tribes. Aaron is to wear their names on his two shoulders to remind the Israelites that he represents them when he goes into the Lord's presence.

Fasten both stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. Aaron is to bear their names on his two shoulders as a memorial before the LORD.

13 Make ornamental gold settings

Fashion gold filigree settings

14 and two braided chains of pure gold, and fasten these chains to the settings.

and two chains of pure gold, made of braided cord work; and attach these chains to the settings.

15 You are also to make a breastpiece for decisions in the same skilful way as the ephod, to be used in determining the Lord's will. Make it using gold thread, with blue, purple, and crimson thread, and with finely-woven linen.

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 has to be square when folded, measuring around nine inches in length and width.

It must be square when folded over double, a span long and a span wide.

17 Attach an arrangement of precious stones in four rows as follows. In the first row carnelian, peridot, and emerald.

And mount on it a setting of gemstones, four rows of stones: In the first row there shall be a ruby, a topaz, and an emerald;

18 In the second row turquoise, lapis lazuli, and sardonyx.

in the second row a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond;

19 In the third row jacinth, agate, and amethyst.

in the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst;

20 In the fourth row topaz, beryl, and jasper. Place these stones in ornamental gold settings.

and in the fourth row a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. Mount these stones in gold filigree settings.

21 Each of the twelve stones will be engraved like a personal seal with the name of one of the twelve Israelites tribes and will represent them.

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 Make cords of braided chains from pure gold to attach the breastpiece.

For the breastpiece, make braided chains like cords of pure gold.

23 Make two gold rings and fasten them to the two top corners of the breastpiece.

You are also to make two gold rings and fasten them to the two corners of the breastpiece.

24 Attach the two gold chains to the two gold rings on the corners of the breastpiece,

Then fasten the two gold chains to the two gold rings at the corners of the breastpiece,

25 and then fasten the opposite ends of the two chains to the ornamental gold settings on the shoulder pieces of the front side of the ephod.

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 two lower corners of the breastpiece, on the inside edge next to the ephod.

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 more gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the two shoulder pieces of the front side of the ephod, near where it joins its woven waistband.

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 Tie the rings of the breastpiece to the rings of the ephod with a cord of blue thread, so that the breastpiece won't come loose from the ephod.

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 Like this, whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will wear the names of the Israelite tribes over his heart on the breastpiece, as a constant reminder before the Lord.

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 Place the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece of decision, so that they too will be over Aaron's heart whenever he comes into the Lord's presence. Aaron will continually carry the means of gaining decisions over his heart before the Lord.

And place the Urim and Thummim 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.

31 Make the robe that goes with the ephod exclusively from blue cloth,

You are to make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth,

32 with an opening in the middle at the top. Stitch a woven collar around the opening to strengthen it so it won't tear.

with an opening at its top in the center. Around the opening shall be a woven collar with an opening like that of a garment, so that it will not tear.

33 Make pomegranates using blue, purple, and crimson thread and attach them all the way around its hem, with gold bells between them,

Make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn all the way around the lower hem, with gold bells between them,

34 having the gold bells and the pomegranates alternate.

alternating the gold bells and pomegranates around the lower hem of the robe.

35 Aaron is to wear the robe whenever he serves, and the sound it makes will be heard when he enters or leaves the sanctuary as he goes into the Lord's presence, so that he won't die.

Aaron must wear the robe whenever he ministers, and its sound will be heard when he enters or exits the sanctuary before the LORD, so that he will not die.

36 Make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it like a seal, “Holy to the Lord.”

You are to make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD.

37 Attach it to the front of the turban using a blue cord.

Fasten to it a blue cord to mount it on the turban; it shall be on the front of the turban.

38 Aaron will wear it on his forehead, so that he may take responsibility for the guilt of the offerings the Israelites make, and this applies to all their holy gifts. It must always remain on his forehead in order that the people are accepted in the Lord's presence.

And it will be worn on Aaron’s forehead, so that he may bear the iniquity of the holy things that the sons of Israel consecrate with regard to all their holy gifts. It shall always be on his forehead, so that they may be acceptable before the LORD.

39 Weave the tunic with finely-spun linen and make the turban of the same material, and also make sash and have it embroidered.

You are to weave the tunic with fine linen, make the turban of fine linen, and fashion an embroidered sash.

40 Make tunics, sashes, and headdresses for Aaron's sons, so that they will look splendid and dignified.

Make tunics, sashes, and headbands for Aaron’s sons, to give them glory and splendor.

41 Put these clothes on your brother Aaron and his sons and then anoint them and ordain them. Dedicate them so that they can serve me as priests.

After you put these garments on your brother Aaron and his sons, anoint them, ordain them, and consecrate them so that they may serve Me as priests.

42 Make linen undershorts to cover their bare bodies, reaching from waist to thigh.

Make linen undergarments to cover their bare flesh, extending from waist to thigh.

43 Aaron and his sons are to wear them when they enter the Tent of Meeting or when they approach the altar to serve in the Holy Place, so that they will not bring guilt on themselves and die. This is a law for Aaron and his descendants forever.

Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they will not incur guilt and die. This is to be a permanent statute for Aaron and his descendants.