Exodus 28:15-30
Exodus 28:15-30: The Breastplate of Judgment These verses explain how to make the high priest's special breastplate, called the “breastplate of judgment.” It was a beautiful, square piece of cloth decorated with twelve precious stones. Each stone had the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. The breastplate was attached tightly to the ephod so it would not move. This garment showed honor for the priest’s work and symbolized God’s people being close to His heart. The breastplate also included the Urim and Thummim, special means God used to guide Israel in important decisions. All these details pointed forward to Jesus Christ, who always remembers and represents His people before God (Exodus 28:15-30 a).v. 15: God commands that the breastplate be made with skill, out of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen. It had to match the beautiful work of the ephod . v. 16: The breastplate was to be square when folded, measuring a span both in length and width. This made it the right size to hold the stones and fit over the priest’s chest . v. 17: Four rows of precious stones were set in the breastplate. The first row had a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle . v. 18: The second row had an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond . v. 19: The third row held a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst . v. 20: The fourth row contained a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. All the stones were set in gold settings, making the breastplate very beautiful and valuable . v. 21: Each stone was engraved with the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. This showed that every tribe was precious to God, no matter how small or weak (Exodus 28:21; Isaiah 43:4 b; Malachi 3:17; Lamentations 4:2 c). v. 22: The breastplate was fastened with two braided chains of pure gold, making it secure and adding to its beauty . v. 23: Two gold rings were made for the ends of the breastplate to attach the chains . v. 24: The two gold chains were put through the rings at the ends of the breastplate . v. 25: The other ends of these chains were fastened to gold settings on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, so the breastplate hung in front . v. 26: Two more gold rings were made for the lower inside corners of the breastplate, next to the ephod . v. 27: Two more rings were made on the lower front part of the ephod, above its special belt, to help tie the breastplate close to the ephod . v. 28: The breastplate was tied to the ephod with a blue cord, so it stayed in place and was never loose. This showed that the priest’s work and honor must always go together . v. 29: When Aaron went into the holy place, he would carry the names of the tribes of Israel on his heart as a memorial before the Lord. This was a sign of how Jesus, our High Priest, always remembers and loves His people when He stands before God (Exodus 28:29; Isaiah 40:11 d; Ephesians 2:6 e). v. 30: God told Moses to put the Urim and Thummim in the breastplate. These were special objects used to learn God’s will in difficult situations. The high priest would carry them on his heart, showing that he represented the people when seeking God’s guidance. This pointed to Christ, who fully reveals God’s will to us and speaks for us before God (Exodus 28:30; Hebrews 1:2 f; John 1:18 g).
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