Exodus 28:15-30

Good News Translation

The Breastpiece^(A)

¹⁵ “Make a breastpiece for the High Priest to use in determining God's will. It is to be made of the same materials as the ephod and with similar embroidery. ¹⁶ It is to be square and folded double, 9 inches long and 9 inches wide. ¹⁷ Mount four rows of precious stones on it; in the first row mount a ruby, a topaz, and a garnet; ¹⁸ in the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond; ¹⁹ in the third row, a turquoise, an agate, and an amethyst; ²⁰ and in the fourth row, a beryl, a carnelian, and a jasper. These are to be mounted in gold settings. ²¹ Each of these twelve stones is to have engraved on it the name of one of the sons of Jacob, to represent the tribes of Israel. ²² For the breastpiece make chains of pure gold, twisted like cords. ²³ Make two gold rings and attach them to the upper corners of the breastpiece, ²⁴ and fasten the two gold cords to the two rings. ²⁵ Fasten the other two ends of the cords to the two settings, and in this way attach them in front to the shoulder straps of the ephod. ²⁶ Then make two rings of gold and attach them to the lower corners of the breastpiece on the inside edge next to the ephod. ²⁷ Make two more gold rings and attach them to the lower part of the front of the two shoulder straps of the ephod, near the seam and above the finely woven belt. ²⁸ Tie the rings of the breastpiece to the rings of the ephod with a blue cord, so that the breastpiece rests above the belt and does not come loose.

²⁹ “When Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will wear this breastpiece engraved with the names of the tribes of Israel, so that I, the Lord, will always remember my people. ^30 (B)Put the Urim and Thummim^[a] in the breastpiece, so that Aaron will carry them when he comes into my holy presence. At such times he must always wear this breastpiece, so that he can determine my will for the people of Israel.