Sinai & The Law

They are to use gold; blue, purple and scarlet yarn; and fine linen.

"They are to make the ritual vest of gold, of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely woven linen, crafted by a skilled artisan.

Attached to its front and back edges are to be two shoulder-pieces that can be fastened together.

Its decorated belt is to be of the same workmanship and materials - gold; blue, purple and scarlet yarn; and finely woven linen.

Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Isra'el -

six of their names on one stone and the six remaining names on the other, in the order of their birth.

An engraver should engrave the names of the sons of Isra'el on the two stones as he would engrave a seal. Mount the stones in gold settings,

and put the two stones on the shoulder-pieces of the vest as stones calling to mind the sons of Isra'el. Aharon is to carry their names before ADONAI on his two shoulders as a reminder.

"Make gold squares

and two chains of pure gold, twisted like cords; attach the cord-like chains to the squares.

"Make a breastplate for judging. Have it crafted by a skilled artisan; make it like the work of the ritual vest - make it of gold; blue, purple and scarlet yarn; and finely woven linen.

When folded double it is to be square - a hand-span by a hand-span.

Put on it settings of stones, four rows of stones: the first row is to be a carnelian, a topaz and an emerald;

the second row a green feldspar, a sapphire and a diamond;

the third row an orange zircon, an agate and an amethyst;

and the fourth row a beryl, an onyx and a jasper. They are to be mounted in their gold settings.

The stones will correspond to the names of the twelve sons of Isra'el; they are to be engraved with their names as a seal would be engraved, to represent the twelve tribes.

"On the breastplate, make two pure gold chains twisted like cords.

Also for the breastplate, make two gold rings; and put the gold rings on the two ends of the breastplate.

Put the two twisted gold chains in the two rings at the two ends of the breastplate;

attach the other two ends of the twisted chains to the front of the shoulder-pieces of the ritual vest.

Make two gold rings and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, at its edge, on the side facing in toward the vest.

Also make two gold rings and attach them low on the front part of the vest's shoulder-pieces, near the join, above the vest's decorated belt.

Then bind the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the vest with a blue cord, so that it can be on the vest's decorated belt, and so that the breastplate won't swing loose from the vest.

Aharon will carry the names of the sons of Isra'el on the breastplate for judging, over his heart, when he enters the Holy Place, as a continual reminder before ADONAI.