Exodus 28
1 “Summon your [older] brother Aaron and his sons—Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. ([Set them apart/They are the ones whom I have chosen]) from [the rest of] the Israeli people, in order that they can serve me [by being] priests.
And thou shalt let come near unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may be a priest unto me; Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Elazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron.
2 [Tell the people to] make beautiful clothes for Aaron, clothes that are [suitable for one who] has this dignified and sacred [work].
And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, for glory and for ornament.
3 Talk to all the skilled workmen, those to whom I have given special ability. [Tell them] to make clothes for Aaron, for him to wear when he is (set apart/dedicated) [to become] a priest to serve me.
And thou shalt speak unto all that are wisehearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make garments for Aaron, to sanctify him, that he may be a priest unto me.
4 These are the clothes that they are to make: A sacred pouch for Aaron to wear over his chest, a sacred apron, a robe, an embroidered tunic/gown, a (turban/cloth to wrap around his head), and a sash/waistband. These are the clothes that your [older] brother Aaron and his sons must wear as they serve me [by doing the work that] priests do.
And these are the garments which they shall make: a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a checkered coat, a mitre, and a girdle; and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and for his sons, to be a priest unto me.
5 The skilled workmen must use fine linen and blue, purple, and red yarn/thread to make these clothes.”
And they shall take the gold, and the blue, and purple, and scarlet yarn, and the linen.
6 “The skilled workmen must make the sacred apron from fine linen, and skillfully embroider it with blue, purple, and red yarn/thread.
And they shall make the ephod, of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet yarn, and twisted linen, of weaver's work.
7 It must have two shoulder straps, to join the front part to the back part.
Two shoulder-pieces shall it have joined at the two edges thereof; by which it shall be joined together.
8 A carefully-woven sash, which must be made from the same materials as the sacred apron, must be [sewn] onto the sacred apron.
And the belt for girding, which is upon it, shall be of the same make, out of the same piece with itself; of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet yarn, and twisted linen.
9 [A skilled workman] must take two [expensive] onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the twelve sons of Jacob.
And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the children of Israel:
10 He must engrave the names in the order in which Jacob’s sons were born. He must engrave six names on one stone, and the other six names on the other stone.
Six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the remaining six on the other stone, according to the order of their birth.
11 A gem-cutter should engrave these names on the stones. Then he should enclose the stones in (settings/tiny gold frames).
With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engraving of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel; fitted in settings of gold shalt thou make them.
12 Then he should fasten the stones onto the shoulder straps [of the sacred apron], to represent the twelve Israeli tribes. In that way, Aaron will carry the names of the tribes on his shoulders in order that [I], Yahweh, will never forget [my people] (OR, in order that [he will always] remember that [those tribes belong to] Yahweh).
And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulder-pieces of the ephod as stones of memorial unto the children of Israel; and Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord upon his two shoulders for a memorial.
13 The settings for the stones must be made from gold.
And thou shalt make casings of gold;
14 [Tell them to] make two tiny chains that are braided like cords, and fasten the chains to the settings.”
And two chains of pure gold, with knots at the ends, of wreathed work shalt thou make them, and thou shalt fasten the wreathed chains to the casings.
15 “[Tell the skilled workman to] make a sacred pouch for Aaron to wear over his chest. [He will use the things he puts into the pouch] to determine [my answers to the questions he asks]. It must be made of the same materials as the sacred apron, and embroidered in the same way.
And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment, of weaver's work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet yarn, and of twisted linen, shalt thou make it.
16 It is to be square, and the material must be folded double, so that it is (9 in./22 cm.) on each side.
Four-square shall it be, double; a span in length, and a span in breadth.
17 [The skilled workman must] fasten four rows of valuable stones onto the pouch. In the first row he must put a [red] ruby, a [yellow] topaz, and a [red] garnet.
And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row, a sardius, a topaz, and an emerald; this shall be the first row.
18 In the second row he must put a [green] emerald, a [blue] sapphire, and a [clear/white] diamond.
And the second row, a carbuncle, a sapphire, and a diamond.
19 In the third row he must put a [red] jacinth, a [white] agate, and a [purple] amethyst.
And the third row, an opal, a turquoise, and an amethyst.
20 In the fourth row he must put a [yellow] beryl, a [red] carnelian, and a [green] jasper.
And the fourth row, a chrysolite, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be fitted in golden casings when they are set in.
21 A gem-cutter should engrave on each of these twelve stones the name of one of the sons of Jacob. These names will represent the twelve Israeli tribes.
And the stones shall be according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names; [engraved] with the engraving of a signet, every one according to his name, shall they be for the twelve tribes.
22 The two [chains] that are made from pure gold and braided like cords are for [attaching] the sacred pouch [to the sacred apron].
And thou shalt make on the breastplate chains with knots at the ends, of wreathed work, of pure gold.
23 [The workman must] make two gold rings, and attach them to the upper corners of the sacred pouch.
And thou shalt make on the breastplate two rings of gold, and shalt put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate.
24 [He must make] two gold cords, and fasten one end of each cord to one of the rings.
And thou shalt put the two wreathed chains of gold in the two rings, on the ends of the breastplate.
25 He must fasten the other end of each cord to the two settings [that enclose the stones]. In that way, the sacred pouch will be attached to the shoulder straps of the sacred apron.
And the [other] two ends of the two wreathed chains thou shalt fasten on the two casings, and put them on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod on the outside thereof.
26 Then [he must] make two more gold rings, and attach them to the lower corners of the sacred pouch, on the inside edges, next to the sacred apron.
And thou shalt make two rings of gold, and thou shalt put them on the two ends of the breastplate on its border, which is on the opposite side of the ephod, inward.
27 [He must] make two more gold rings, and attach them to the lower part of the front of the shoulder straps, near to where [the shoulder straps] are joined [to the sacred apron], just above the carefully-woven sash/waistband.
And thou shalt make two more rings of gold, and shalt put them on the two shoulder-pieces of the ephod underneath, toward its front part, close by its seam, above the girdle of the ephod.
28 The skilled workman must tie the rings on the sacred pouch to the rings on the sacred apron with a blue cord, so that the sacred pouch is above the sash/waistband and does not come loose from the sacred apron.
And they shall fasten the breastplate by its rings unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it may remain on the girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate be not loosed from the ephod.
29 In that way, Aaron will have the names of the twelve Israeli tribes in the sacred pouch close to his chest when he enters the Holy Place. This will remind him that I, Yahweh, [will never forget my people] (OR, [that he represents my people when he talks to me, Yahweh]).
And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually.
30 Put into the sacred pouch the two things that the priest will use to determine my answers to the questions he asks. In that way, they will be close to his chest when he enters [the Holy Place to talk] to me. He will use them to find out what is my will for the Israeli people.”
And thou shalt put into the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goeth in before the Lord; and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the Lord continually.
31 “[Tell the workmen to] use only blue [cloth] to make the robe that is to be worn underneath the priest’s sacred apron.
And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod altogether of blue woolen yarn.
32 It is to have an opening through which [the priest] can put his head. They must sew a border around this opening, to keep the material from tearing.
And there shall be an opening in the top of it, in the midst thereof; it shall have a binding of woven work, round about its opening, as it is on the opening of a habergeon, so shall it be thereon, that it be not rent.
33 At the lower edge on the robe, they must fasten [decorations that look like] pomegranate fruit. They must be [woven from] blue, purple, and red yarn/thread.
And thou shalt make on its lower hem pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet yarn, round about its lower hem; and bells of gold between them round about:
34 Between each of these decorations, they must fasten a tiny gold bell.
A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, on the lower hem of the robe round about.
35 When Aaron enters the Holy Place [in the Sacred Tent] to do his work as a priest and when he leaves the Sacred Tent, the bells will ring [as he walks]. As a result, he will not die [because of disobeying my instructions].
And it shall be upon Aaron when he ministereth; and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in into the holy place before the Lord, and when he cometh out, that he die not.
36 “[Tell them to] make a tiny ornament of pure gold, and tell a (skilled workman/gem-cutter) to engrave on it the words, ‘Dedicated to Yahweh.’
And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engraving of a signet, Holy unto the Lord.
37 They should fasten this ornament to the front of the turban by a blue cord.
And thou shalt fasten it on a lace of blue, and it shall be upon the mitre; upon the front of the mitre shall it be.
38 Aaron must always wear this on his forehead. In that way, Aaron himself will show [that he accepts] the guilt if the Israeli people offer [their sacrifices] to me in a way that is not correct, and I, Yahweh, will accept their sacrifices.
And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead; and Aaron shall atone for the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be upon his forehead always, that they may be received in favor before the Lord.
39 “[Tell them to] weave the long-sleeved tunic/gown from fine linen. Also, they must make from fine linen a turban and a sash/waistband, and embroider [designs on it].
And thou shalt make the coat of linen checkered, and thou shalt make a mitre of linen, and a girdle shalt thou make of embroiderer's work.
40 “[Tell them to] make beautiful long-sleeved tunics/gowns, sashes, and caps for Aaron’s sons. Make ones that will be suitable for those who have this dignified work.
And for Aaron's sons shalt thou make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles; and bonnets thou shalt make for them, for glory and for ornament.
41 Put these clothes on your [older] brother Aaron and on his sons. Then (set them apart/dedicate them) for this work by anointing them [with olive oil], in order that they may serve me [by being] priests.
And thou shalt clothe therewith Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and thou shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may be priests unto me.
42 Also [tell them to] make linen undershorts for them. The undershorts should extend from their waists to their thighs, in order that no one can see their private parts.
And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs shall they reach.
43 Aaron and his sons must always wear those undershorts when they enter the Sacred Tent or when they come near to the altar to offer sacrifices in the Holy Place. If they do not obey this command, I will cause them to die. Aaron and all his male descendants must obey this rule forever.”
And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come in unto the tabernacle of the congregation, or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place; that they bear not iniquity, and die; a statute for ever shall it be for him and for his seed after him.
