Exodus 28 :: New International Version (NIV)

The Priestly Garments

(Exo 39:1–7 )

Exo 28:1“Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so they may serve me as priests.

Exo 28:2

Exo 28:2Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor.

Exo 28:3

Exo 28:3Tell all the skilled workers to whom I have given wisdom in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his consecration, so he may serve me as priest.

Exo 28:4

Exo 28:4These are the garments they are to make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban and a sash. They are to make these sacred garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so they may serve me as priests.

Exo 28:5

Exo 28:5Have them use gold, and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and fine linen.

The Ephod

Exo 28:6

Exo 28:6“Make the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen—the work of skilled hands.

Exo 28:7

Exo 28:7It is to have two shoulder pieces attached to two of its corners, so it can be fastened.

Exo 28:8

Exo 28:8Its skillfully woven waistband is to be like it—of one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen.

Exo 28:9

Exo 28:9“Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel

Exo 28:10

Exo 28:10in the order of their birth—six names on one stone and the remaining six on the other.

Exo 28:11

Exo 28:11Engrave 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

Exo 28:12

Exo 28:12and fasten them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. Aaron is to bear the names on his shoulders as a memorial before the LORD.

Exo 28:13

Exo 28:13Make gold filigree settings

Exo 28:14

Exo 28:14and two braided chains of pure gold, like a rope, and attach the chains to the settings.

The Breastpiece

(Exo 39:8–21 )

Exo 28:15

Exo 28:15“Fashion a breastpiece for making decisions—the work of skilled hands. Make it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen.

Exo 28:16

Exo 28:16It is to be square—a span[fn] long and a span wide—and folded double.

Exo 28:17

Exo 28:17Then mount four rows of precious stones on it. The first row shall be carnelian, chrysolite and beryl;

Exo 28:18

Exo 28:18the second row shall be turquoise, lapis lazuli and emerald;

Exo 28:19

Exo 28:19the third row shall be jacinth, agate and amethyst;

Exo 28:20

Exo 28:20the fourth row shall be topaz, onyx and jasper.[fn] Mount them in gold filigree settings.

Exo 28:21

Exo 28:21There are to be twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.

Exo 28:22

Exo 28:22“For the breastpiece make braided chains of pure gold, like a rope.

Exo 28:23

Exo 28:23Make two gold rings for it and fasten them to two corners of the breastpiece.

Exo 28:24

Exo 28:24Fasten the two gold chains to the rings at the corners of the breastpiece,

Exo 28:25

Exo 28:25and the other ends of the chains to the two settings, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front.

Exo 28:26

Exo 28:26Make two gold rings and attach them to the other two corners of the breastpiece on the inside edge next to the ephod.

Exo 28:27

Exo 28:27Make two more gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod, close to the seam just above the waistband of the ephod.

Exo 28:28

Exo 28:28The rings of the breastpiece are to be tied to the rings of the ephod with blue cord, connecting it to the waistband, so that the breastpiece will not swing out from the ephod.

Exo 28:29

Exo 28:29“Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the LORD.

Exo 28:30

Exo 28:30Also put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron’s heart whenever he enters the presence of the LORD. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the LORD.

Other Priestly Garments

(Exo 39:22–31 )

Exo 28:31

Exo 28:31“Make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth,

Exo 28:32

Exo 28:32with an opening for the head in its center. There shall be a woven edge like a collar[fn] around this opening, so that it will not tear.

Exo 28:33

Exo 28:33Make pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn around the hem of the robe, with gold bells between them.

Exo 28:34

Exo 28:34The gold bells and the pomegranates are to alternate around the hem of the robe.

Exo 28:35

Exo 28:35Aaron must wear it when he ministers. The sound of the bells will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the LORD and when he comes out, so that he will not die.

Exo 28:36

Exo 28:36“Make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: holy to the Lord.

Exo 28:37

Exo 28:37Fasten a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban; it is to be on the front of the turban.

Exo 28:38

Exo 28:38It will be on Aaron’s forehead, and he will bear the guilt involved in the sacred gifts the Israelites consecrate, whatever their gifts may be. It will be on Aaron’s forehead continually so that they will be acceptable to the LORD.

Exo 28:39

Exo 28:39“Weave the tunic of fine linen and make the turban of fine linen. The sash is to be the work of an embroiderer.

Exo 28:40

Exo 28:40Make tunics, sashes and caps for Aaron’s sons to give them dignity and honor.

Exo 28:41

Exo 28:41After you put these clothes on your brother Aaron and his sons, anoint and ordain them. Consecrate them so they may serve me as priests.

Exo 28:42

Exo 28:42“Make linen undergarments as a covering for the body, reaching from the waist to the thigh.

Exo 28:43

Exo 28:43Aaron 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 lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants.

See the NIV Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).

NIV Footnotes

(28:16)

That is, about 9 inches or about 23 centimeters

(28:20)

The precise identification of some of these precious stones is uncertain.

(28:32)

The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.

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For more information on this translation, see the NIV Preface.