The Breastplate of Judgment
The orders for the breastplate were that it should be made
with skillful work, like the work of the ephod.
It was to be of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet of fine twined linen
fabric. Furthermore it was to be
doubled, and a span length long, and a span length wide. It was to be set in a setting of four rows of
stones, the first row of a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle; the second row
shall be an emerald, a sapphire and a diamond; the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; and the
fourth row a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper, all these stones were to be set in and
enclosed by gold.
The stones
were to have engraved on them the names of the twelve tribes of Israel , each
stone a tribe, engraved in the manner of a signet ring. Also were to be set on
the breastplates, chains at the end of braided works of pure gold. Also on the
breastplate were to be two rings of gold, and the two braided chains of gold
were to be placed into the two rings which were at the end of the breastplate;
and the other two ends of the two braided chains, were to be fastened in the
two settings, and put on the shoulder pieces of the ephod.
In addition
there were to be two rings of gold to be placed on the two ends of the
breastplate along the border on the inner side of the border. And two more
rings of gold were to be placed on the underside of the ephod on both sides
towards the front to couple with the other couplings on the outer side thereof.
Finally the
breastplate was to be bound by the rings to the ephod with laces of blue that
it may be visible above the girdle of the ephod that the breastplate may not
become unattached from the ephod.
And so it
was commanded that Aaron should bear the names of the names of the children of Israel in the
breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goes into the holy place, for a
memorial before the Lord continually.
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