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The Second Book of Moses: Exodus

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- Chapter 28 -

1
“Also, join to yourself your brother Aaron, with his sons from the midst of the sons of Israel, so that they may exercise the priesthood for me: Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
2
And you shall make a holy vestment for Aaron, your brother, with glory and elegance.
3
And you shall speak to all the wise of heart, whom I have filled with the spirit of prudence, so that they may make the vestments of Aaron, in which, having been sanctified, he may minister to me.
4
Now these shall be the vestments that they shall make: A breastplate and an ephod, a tunic and a close-fit linen garment, a headdress and a wide belt. They shall make the holy vestments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so that they may exercise the priesthood for me.(a)
5
And they shall receive gold, and hyacinth, and purple, and twice-dyed scarlet, and fine linen.

The Ephod

(Exodus 39:1–7)
6
Then they shall make the ephod of gold, and hyacinth, and purple, and twice-dyed scarlet, and fine twisted linen, wrought with diverse colors.
7
It shall have two edges joined at the top on both sides, so that they may respond as one.
8
Likewise, the weaving and all the detail work shall be of gold, and hyacinth, and purple, and twice-dyed scarlet, and fine twisted linen.
9
And you shall take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel:
10
six names on one stone, and the remaining six on the other, according to the order of their birth.
11
By the work of a sculptor and the skill of a jeweler, you shall engrave them with the names of the sons of Israel, enclosed and encompassed with gold.(b)
12
And you shall place them on both sides of the ephod, as a memorial to the sons of Israel. And Aaron shall carry their names before the Lord, upon both shoulders, as a remembrance.
13
You shall also make hooks of gold,
14
and two little chains of the purest gold, linked to one another, which you shall insert into the hooks.

The Breastpiece

(Exodus 39:8–21)
15
Likewise, you shall make the breastplate of judgment, wrought with diverse colors according to the weaving of the ephod: of gold, hyacinth and purple, and twice-dyed scarlet, and fine twisted linen.(c)
16
It shall have four corners and be doubled. It shall have the measure of the palm of a hand, both in length and in width.(d)
17
And you shall set within it four rows of stones. In the first row, there shall be a sardius stone, and a topaz, and an emerald.
18
In the second, there shall be a garnet, a sapphire, and a jasper.
19
In the third, there shall be a zircon, an agate, and an amethyst.
20
In the fourth, there shall be a chrysolite, an onyx, and a beryl. They shall be set in gold by their rows.
21
And these shall have the names of the sons of Israel. With twelve names shall they be engraved: each stone with one name from the twelve tribes.
22
You shall make chains of the purest gold, linked one to another, on the breastplate,
23
and two rings of gold, which you shall place at both ends of the breastplate.
24
And the golden chains, you shall join to the rings, which are at its edges.
25
And the ends of the chains themselves, you shall couple with two hooks, on both sides of the ephod, which looks toward the breastplate.
26
You shall also make two rings of gold, which you shall place at the ends of the breastplate, at the borders which are away from the region of the ephod and which look toward its back.
27
And then you shall also make two other rings of gold, which are to be suspended on both sides at the bottom of the ephod, which looks out opposite the face of the lower juncture, so that the breastplate can be fitted to the ephod.
28
And it shall be drawn tight to the rings of the breastplate, by the rings of the ephod, with a hyacinth band, so that the well-constructed juncture will remain in place, and the breastplate and the ephod will not be able to be separated from one another.
29
And Aaron shall carry the names of the sons of Israel on the breastplate of judgment upon his chest, when he enters into the Sanctuary, as a memorial in the presence of the Lord in eternity.
30
Then you shall place in the breastplate of judgment, Doctrine and Truth, which shall then be upon Aaron’s chest, when he enters before the Lord. And he shall wear the judgment of the sons of Israel on his chest, in the sight of the Lord always.(e)

Additional Priestly Garments

(Exodus 39:22–31)
31
And you shall make the tunic for the ephod entirely of hyacinth,
32
and the head will be above its middle, with a hem woven around it, just as is usually made at the end parts of a garment, so that it may not be easily broken.
33
Yet truly, beneath it, at the base of the same tunic, all around, you shall make something like pomegranates, from hyacinth, and purple, and twice-dyed scarlet, with little bells set in their midst.(f)
34
So then, there shall be a little golden bell and a pomegranate, and again another golden bell and a pomegranate.
35
And Aaron will be vested with it during the office of his ministry, so that the sound may be heard when he enters and exits the Sanctuary, in the sight of the Lord, and so that he may not die.
36
And you shall make a plate of the purest gold, in which you shall engrave, with the skill of a sculptor, ‘Holy to the Lord.’
37
And you shall fasten it with a band of hyacinth, and it shall be upon the headdress,
38
hanging in front of the high priest. And Aaron shall carry the iniquities of that which the sons of Israel have offered and sanctified, in all their gifts and donations. But the plate will always be at his forehead, so that the Lord may be well pleased with them.
39
And you shall draw the tunic tight with fine linen, and you shall make a headdress of fine linen, and a wide belt, wrought with embroidery.
40
Furthermore, for the sons of Aaron, you shall prepare linen tunics, and wide belts as well as headdresses, with glory and elegance.
41
And with all these you shall vest your brother Aaron, and his sons with him. And you shall consecrate all their hands, and you shall sanctify them, so that they may exercise the priesthood for me.
42
You shall also make linen undergarments, in order to cover the flesh of their nakedness, from the kidneys all the way to the thighs.
43
And Aaron and his sons will use them when they enter the tabernacle of the testimony, and when they approach toward the altar, in order to minister in the sanctuary, lest, being guilty of iniquity, they may die. It shall be a law forever for Aaron, and for his offspring after him.”

Footnotes

(a)28:4 The superhumerale or ephod was the ancient predecessor or prefigure of the Catholic scapular.(Conte)
(b)28:11 In this context, the word ‘cælatura’ refers to the process of engraving and the skill by which it is done, not to the engraving itself. Thus the rough work was to be done by a sculptor, but completed (in the finer details of the work) by a jeweler.(Conte)
(c)28:15 The rational of judgment:This part of the priest’s attire, which he wore at his breast, was called the rational of judgment; partly because it admonished both priest and people of their duty to God, by carrying the names of all their tribes in his presence; and by the Urim and the Thummim, that is, doctrine and truth, which were written upon it; and partly because it gave divine answers and oracles, as if it were rational and endowed with judgment.(Challoner)
(d)28:16 It starts out as a square, with equal sides, but then it is folded (doubled) to be twice as high as it is wide, having about the proportions and the size of the palm of a hand.(Conte)
(e)28:30 Doctrine and Truth:Hebrew, Urim and Thummim: illuminations and perfections. These words, written on the rational, seem to signify the light of doctrine and the integrity of life, with which the priests of God ought to approach him.(Challoner)
(f)28:33 The phrase ‘mala punica’ refers to ‘apples (or fruits) of Punicia (i.e. Carthage)’. Carthage apples are pomegranates.(Conte)
1
“Bring Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, near to you from among the children of Israel, that he may minister to me in the priest’s office: Aaron, with Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.
2
You shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty.
3
You shall speak to all who are wise-hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they make Aaron’s garments to sanctify him, that he may minister to me in the priest’s office.
4
These are the garments which they shall make: a breastplate, an ephod, a robe, a fitted tunic, a turban, and a sash. They shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons, that he may minister to me in the priest’s office.
5
They shall use the gold, and the blue, and the purple, and the scarlet, and the fine linen.

The Ephod

(Exodus 39:1–7)
6
“They shall make the ephod of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the skillful workman.
7
It shall have two shoulder straps joined to the two ends of it, that it may be joined together.
8
The skillfully woven band, which is on it, shall be like its work and of the same piece; of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen.
9
You shall take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the children of Israel.
10
Six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the six that remain on the other stone, in the order of their birth.
11
With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, you shall engrave the two stones, according to the names of the children of Israel. You shall make them to be enclosed in settings of gold.
12
You shall put the two stones on the shoulder straps of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel. Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD on his two shoulders for a memorial.
13
You shall make settings of gold,
14
and two chains of pure gold; you shall make them like cords of braided work. You shall put the braided chains on the settings.

The Breastpiece

(Exodus 39:8–21)
15
“You shall make a breastplate of judgment, the work of the skillful workman; like the work of the ephod you shall make it; of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, you shall make it.
16
It shall be square and folded double; a span (a) shall be its length, and a span its width.
17
You shall set in it settings of stones, four rows of stones: a row of ruby, topaz, and beryl shall be the first row;
18
and the second row a turquoise, a sapphire,(b) and an emerald;
19
and the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst;
20
and the fourth row a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper. They shall be enclosed in gold in their settings.
21
The stones shall be according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names; like the engravings of a signet, everyone according to his name, they shall be for the twelve tribes.
22
You shall make on the breastplate chains like cords, of braided work of pure gold.
23
You shall make on the breastplate two rings of gold, and shall put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate.
24
You shall put the two braided chains of gold in the two rings at the ends of the breastplate.
25
The other two ends of the two braided chains you shall put on the two settings, and put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod in its forepart.
26
You shall make two rings of gold, and you shall put them on the two ends of the breastplate, on its edge, which is toward the side of the ephod inward.
27
You shall make two rings of gold, and shall put them on the two shoulder straps of the ephod underneath, in its forepart, close by its coupling, above the skillfully woven band of the ephod.
28
They shall bind the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it may be on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastplate may not swing out from the ephod.
29
Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment on his heart, when he goes in to the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually.
30
You shall put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be on Aaron’s heart, when he goes in before the LORD. Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel on his heart before the LORD continually.

Additional Priestly Garments

(Exodus 39:22–31)
31
“You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue.
32
It shall have a hole for the head in the middle of it. It shall have a binding of woven work around its hole, as it were the hole of a coat of mail, that it not be torn.
33
On its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, all around its hem; with bells of gold between and around them:
34
a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, around the hem of the robe.
35
It shall be on Aaron to minister: and its sound shall be heard when he goes in to the holy place before the LORD, and when he comes out, that he not die.
36
“You shall make a plate of pure gold, and engrave on it, like the engravings of a signet, ‘HOLY TO THE LORD.’
37
You shall put it on a lace of blue, and it shall be on the sash. It shall be on the front of the sash.
38
It shall be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall make holy in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.
39
You shall weave the tunic with fine linen. You shall make a turban of fine linen. You shall make a sash, the work of the embroiderer.
40
“You shall make tunics for Aaron’s sons. You shall make sashes for them. You shall make headbands for them, for glory and for beauty.
41
You shall put them on Aaron your brother, and on his sons with him, and shall anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister to me in the priest’s office.
42
You shall make them linen pants to cover their naked flesh. They shall reach from the waist even to the thighs.
43
They shall be on Aaron and on his sons, when they go in to the Tent of Meeting, or when they come near to the altar to minister in the holy place, that they don’t bear iniquity, and die. This shall be a statute forever to him and to his offspring after him.

Footnotes

(a)28:16 A span is the length from the tip of a man’s thumb to the tip of his little finger when his hand is stretched out (about half a cubit, or 9 inches, or 22.8 cm.)
(b)28:18 or, lapis lazuli
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