Exodus 28:21

Translation
King James Version
And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes.
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KJV (with Strong's)
And the stones H68 shall be with the names H8034 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478, twelve H8147 H6240, according to their names H8034, like the engravings H6603 of a signet H2368; every one H376 with his name H8034 shall they be according to the twelve H8147 H6240 tribes H7626.
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Complete Jewish Bible
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.
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Berean Standard Bible
The twelve stones are to correspond to the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.
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American Standard Version
And the stones shall be according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names; like the engravings of a signet, every one according to his name, they shall be for the twelve tribes.
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World English Bible Messianic
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.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
And the stones shall be according to the names of the children of Israel, twelue, according to their names, grauen as signets, euerye one after his name, and they shall bee for the twelue tribes.
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Young's Literal Translation
and the stones are according to the names of the sons of Israel, twelve, according to their names, openings of a signet, each by his name are they for the twelve tribes.
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See also
Revelation 7:4Revelation 7:8Revelation 21:121 Kings 18:31Luke 22:30James 1:1
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In the KJVVerse 2,315 of 31,102

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SUMMARY

Exodus 28:21 meticulously describes the engraving of the names of the twelve tribes of Israel onto the twelve precious stones of the high priestly breastplate. This divine instruction profoundly underscores the High Priest's essential representative role, as he perpetually bore the identity and concerns of the entire nation into God's presence. Furthermore, it powerfully signifies God's unwavering commitment to and intimate remembrance of His covenant people, much like an indelible and authoritative mark on a signet seal.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse is situated within a highly detailed block of instructions in Exodus (chapters 25-31 and 35-40) concerning the construction of the Tabernacle and the sacred vestments for the Aaronic priesthood. Immediately preceding this specific instruction, God provides the precise specifications for the breastplate itself, also known as the "breastplate of judgment" Exodus 28:15, detailing its materials, dimensions, and the setting of the twelve precious stones. These stones were to be arranged in four rows of three, with each stone uniquely designated to represent one of the twelve tribes. The breastplate was designed to be worn over the ephod, a complex priestly garment, and was intended to house the Urim and Thummim, mysterious objects used by the High Priest to discern God's will for the nation Exodus 28:30. The engraving of the tribal names on the breastplate's stones complements the similar engravings on two onyx stones affixed to the ephod's shoulder pieces Exodus 28:9-12, thereby reinforcing the High Priest's comprehensive and continuous role as the representative of all Israel before Yahweh.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: In the ancient Near East, signet rings or seals were far more than mere adornments; they held profound legal, personal, and authoritative significance. They served as instruments to authenticate documents, confirm ownership, and signify identity, authority, or an unalterable decree. The imagery of an "engraving of a signet" (Hebrew: chotam) would have conveyed to the Israelites a deep, permanent, and official mark, one that could not be easily altered or erased. This cultural understanding underscored the enduring and authoritative nature of the divine command regarding the inscription. The practice of bearing tribal or family names on significant objects was known, but here, the divine mandate elevates it to a sacred act with covenantal implications. The choice of precious stones, rather than common materials, further emphasized the immense value and importance God placed on each tribe and, by extension, each individual within the nation of Israel, reflecting a culture where symbols and objects carried profound meaning, especially in religious and covenantal contexts.
  • Key Themes: This verse significantly contributes to several overarching themes within Exodus and the broader Pentateuch. It highlights the theme of Divine Presence and Access, as the High Priest, bearing the names of Israel, entered into the sacred space of God's dwelling. It powerfully emphasizes Representation and Mediation, illustrating the High Priest's crucial role as the intercessor and advocate for the entire nation. The meticulous detail of the engraving underscores God's Covenant Faithfulness and Remembrance, demonstrating His intimate knowledge and unwavering commitment to each segment of His chosen people. Finally, the use of precious stones and permanent engraving speaks to the Value and Identity of God's People, affirming their unique and cherished status in His eyes.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Signet (Hebrew, chôwthâm', H2368): This term (H2368) refers to a signature-ring, seal, or signet. In ancient cultures, a signet was used to make an authentic, official impression, often in wax or clay, on documents or property. The engraving on a signet was typically deep and permanent, signifying authority, ownership, and an unchangeable decree. When applied to the names on the breastplate, it conveys that God's recognition and remembrance of His people are not superficial or temporary, but deeply etched, official, and enduring.
  • Engravings (Hebrew, pittûwach', H6603): This word (H6603), derived from the passive participle of the verb "to engrave" or "to carve," denotes sculpture, specifically in low or high relief or even intaglio. It emphasizes the skilled and precise nature of the inscription. This is not merely writing or painting, but a deep, indelible etching, reinforcing the idea that the identity and representation of the tribes before God were firmly established and unalterable.
  • Israel (Hebrew, Yisrâʼêl', H3478): This symbolic name (H3478), meaning "he will rule as God," was given to Jacob and subsequently to his posterity, representing the entire covenant nation. Its inclusion on the breastplate stones signifies that the High Priest bore the collective identity and individual names of God's chosen people, emphasizing their unique status and relationship with the Divine.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names": This foundational clause explicitly states the primary purpose of the twelve precious stones set upon the breastplate: each is to be inscribed with the name of one of the twelve tribes, the descendants of Jacob (Israel). The repetition of "twelve, according to their names" underscores the comprehensive and individualized representation of the entire nation, ensuring that no tribe or segment of God's people is omitted or forgotten in the High Priest's ministry before God.
  • "[like] the engravings of a signet": This pivotal simile describes the manner and quality of the inscription. It is not a superficial mark, but a deep, permanent, and authoritative engraving, precisely like the impression made by a royal or official seal. This signifies the indelible nature of God's remembrance of His people and the enduring validity of the High Priest's representative role, implying divine authentication and unchangeable decree.
  • "every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes": This concluding phrase serves as a powerful reiteration and reinforcement of the preceding instructions, providing absolute clarity regarding the individual and complete representation of each of the twelve tribes. It confirms that each stone corresponds uniquely to a specific tribal name, solidifying the concept of a distinct yet unified representation of the entirety of Israel before the Lord.

Literary Devices

Exodus 28:21 is rich in its use of literary devices to convey profound theological meaning. Symbolism is paramount, with the twelve precious stones serving as potent symbols of the twelve tribes of Israel, highlighting their inherent value, unique identity, and collective unity before God. The breastplate itself functions as a powerful symbol of divine representation, intercession, and judgment. The phrase "like the engravings of a signet" operates as a vivid simile, drawing a direct comparison between the permanence and authority of the names inscribed on the stones and the indelible mark of an official, royal seal. This simile elevates the significance of the inscription, implying that God's remembrance and acknowledgment of His people are as firm, unchangeable, and legally binding as a sovereign decree. Furthermore, the deliberate repetition of "twelve" and "names" throughout the verse effectively emphasizes the comprehensive and individual representation of each tribe, ensuring that the entirety of Israel is accounted for, cherished, and brought into God's sacred presence.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

This verse profoundly communicates several foundational theological truths. It underscores the theme of Divine Representation, where the High Priest, bearing the names of all Israel, serves as the nation's divinely appointed intercessor and advocate before God. This act signifies God's meticulous care and constant remembrance of His people, not as an undifferentiated mass, but as distinct individuals united in a sacred covenant relationship. The permanence implied by the "engravings of a signet" powerfully speaks to God's unwavering faithfulness and the enduring, unchangeable nature of His covenant with Israel. It also highlights the preciousness and inherent value God places on His chosen people, with each tribe, and by extension, each individual, being represented by a unique and valuable gem, signifying their cherished status in His divine economy.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Exodus 28:21 offers immense comfort, profound assurance, and a call to action for believers today. Just as the High Priest carried the names of Israel, representing them continually before God in the earthly sanctuary, so too does our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ, bear us—His redeemed people—upon His heart in the true heavenly sanctuary. This glorious truth reminds us that we are individually known, deeply valued, and constantly remembered by God. Our identity in Christ is not fleeting or superficial but eternally "engraved" in His divine memory, secured by His perfect sacrifice and His ongoing, ceaseless intercession. This should inspire a profound sense of belonging, security, and peace, knowing that our High Priest ever lives to make intercession for us, advocating for our needs and presenting us blameless before the Father. Furthermore, this passage serves as a powerful call to intercessory prayer, inviting us to emulate the High Priest's example by diligently bringing the needs and names of others before God's throne, participating in the divine work of advocacy and bearing one another's burdens in prayer.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does the imagery of your name being "engraved" on God's heart, through Christ, impact your sense of personal value and security in your relationship with Him?
  • In what specific ways does Christ's continuous role as our High Priest, bearing our names before God, encourage you in times of doubt, struggle, or spiritual weariness?
  • Considering the High Priest's example of bearing the names of Israel, how can this concept deepen and expand your own prayer life for others, both individually and collectively?

FAQ

What is the significance of "twelve" stones and "twelve tribes"?

Answer: The number twelve holds profound symbolic significance in biblical numerology, consistently representing completeness, divine governmental order, and the totality of God's people, particularly in relation to Israel. The twelve stones, each meticulously engraved with the name of one of Jacob's sons (who became the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel), signify that the High Priest represented the entirety of the nation—every family, clan, and individual within it—before God. This emphasizes the collective identity, unity, and comprehensive inclusion of God's covenant people in His sight.

What does "like the engravings of a signet" mean in a practical sense?

Answer: In ancient times, a signet was a personal seal, often incorporated into a ring, used to make an impression in soft clay or wax. This impression served to authenticate documents, secure property, or signify ownership, authority, and an unalterable decree. The engraving on a signet was deep, precise, and permanent, designed to last and convey absolute authority. Therefore, "like the engravings of a signet" means that the names on the breastplate stones were not lightly etched or easily erased; rather, they were deeply, permanently, and officially inscribed, signifying an enduring, authoritative, and unbreakable mark of God's covenant relationship with Israel.

Did the breastplate have other functions besides bearing the names of the tribes?

Answer: Yes, the breastplate, also explicitly called the "breastplate of judgment" Exodus 28:15, had other crucial functions beyond simply bearing the tribal names. It was specifically designed to hold the Urim and Thummim Exodus 28:30, mysterious objects whose precise nature is debated but were used by the High Priest to discern God's will and provide divine guidance for the nation in matters of national importance. This function highlights the High Priest's multifaceted role not only as a representative and intercessor but also as a mediator of divine revelation and judgment.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Exodus 28:21 finds its ultimate, glorious, and perfect fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest. Just as the Aaronic high priest carried the names of the twelve tribes on his heart into the earthly Holy Place, Jesus, having entered the true and eternal heavenly sanctuary, continually bears His redeemed people before the very presence of God Hebrews 9:24. The permanence of the "engravings of a signet" beautifully foreshadows the unshakeable security of believers in Christ; our names are not merely written, but eternally etched into the Lamb's Book of Life Revelation 21:27, signifying an unbreakable, everlasting covenant relationship. Christ's intercession for us is not temporary or limited but perpetual and effective Hebrews 7:25, ensuring that every individual who belongs to Him is continually remembered, perfectly advocated for, and eternally cherished by the Father. He is the ultimate representative, perfectly embodying and presenting His redeemed people before God, securing their access, standing, and acceptance through His finished work on the cross and His ongoing ministry in heaven Hebrews 10:19-22.

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Commentary on Exodus 28 verses 15–30

The most considerable of the ornaments of the high priest was this breast-plate, a rich piece of cloth, curiously wrought with gold and purple, etc., two spans long and a span broad, so that, being doubled, it was a span square, Exo 28:16. This was fastened to the ephod with wreathen chains of gold (Exo 28:13, Exo 28:14, Exo 28:22, etc.) both at top and bottom, so that the breast-plate might not be loosed from the ephod, Exo 28:28. The ephod was the garment of service; the breast-plate of judgment was an emblem of honour: these two must by no means be separated. If any man will minister unto the Lord, and do his will, he shall know his doctrine. In this breast-plate,

I. The tribes of Israel were recommended to God's favour in twelve precious stones, Exo 28:17-21, Exo 28:19. Some question whether Levi had a precious stone with his name or no. If not, Ephraim and Manasseh were reckoned distinct, as Jacob had said they should be, and the high priest himself, being head of the tribe of Levi, sufficiently represented that tribe. If there was a stone for Levi, as is intimated by this, that they were engraven according to their birth (Exo 28:10), Ephraim and Manasseh were one in Joseph. Aaron was to bear their names for a memorial before the Lord continually, being ordained for men, to represent them in things pertaining to God, herein typifying our great high priest, who always appears in the presence of God for us. 1. Though the people were forbidden to come near, and obliged to keep their distance, yet by the high priest, who had their names on his breast-plate, they entered into the holiest; so believers, even while they are here on this earth, not only enter into the holiest, but by faith are made to sit with Christ in heavenly places, Eph 2:6. 2. The name of each tribe was engraven in a precious stone, to signify how precious, in God's sight, believers are, and how honourable, Isa 43:4. They shall be his in the day he makes up his jewels, Mal 3:17. How small and poor soever the tribe was, it was a precious stone in the breast-plate of the high priest; thus are all the saints dear to Christ, and his delight is in them as the excellent ones of the earth, however men may esteem them as earthen pitchers, Lam 4:2. 3. The high priest had the names of the tribes both on his shoulders and on his breast, intimating both the power and the love with which our Lord Jesus intercedes for those that are his. He not only bears them up upon his heart, as the expression here is (Exo 28:29), carries them in his bosom (Isa 40:11), with the most tender affection. How near should Christ's name be to our hearts, since he is pleased to lay our names so near his! and what a comfort it is to us, in all our addresses to God, that the great high priest of our profession has the names of all his Israel upon his breast before the Lord for a memorial, presenting them to God as the people of his choice, who were to be made accepted in the beloved! Let not any good Christians fear that God has forgotten them, nor question his being mindful of them upon all occasions, when they are not only engraven upon the palms of his hands (Isa 49:16), but engraven upon the heart of the great intercessor. See Sol 8:6.

II. The urim and thummim, by which the will of God was made known in doubtful cases, were put in this breast-plate, which is therefore called the breast-plate of judgment, Exo 28:30. Urim and thummim signify light and integrity; many conjectures there are among the learned what they were; we have no reason to think they were any thing that Moses was to make more than what was before ordered, so that either God made them himself, and gave them to Moses, for him to put into the breast-plate, when other things were prepared (Lev 8:8), or no more is meant than a declaration of the further use of what was already ordered to be made. I think the words may be read thus, And thou shalt give, or add, or deliver, to the breast-plate of judgment, the illuminations and perfections, and they shall be upon the heart of Aaron; that is, "He shall be endued with a power of knowing and making known the mind of God in all difficult doubtful cases, relating either to the civil or ecclesiastical state of the nation." Their government was a theocracy: God was their King, the high priest was, under God, their ruler, the urim and thummim were his cabinet-council; probably Moses wrote upon the breast-plate, or wove into it, these words, Urim and Thummim, to signify that the high priest, having on him this breast-plate, and asking counsel of God in any emergency relating to the public, should be directed to take those measures, and give that advice, which God would own. If he was standing before the ark (but without the veil) probably he received instructions from off the mercy-seat, as Moses did (Exo 25:22); thus, it should seem, Phinehas did, Jdg 20:27, Jdg 20:28. If he was at a distance from the ark, as Abiathar was when he enquired of the Lord for David (Sa1 23:6, etc.), then the answer was given either by a voice from heaven or rather by an impulse upon the mind of the high priest, which last is perhaps intimated in that expression, He shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart. This oracle was of great use to Israel; Joshua consulted it (Num 27:21), and, it is likely, the judges after him. It was lost in the captivity, and never regained after, though, it should seem, it was expected, Ezr 2:63. But it was a shadow of good things to come, and the substance is Christ. He is our oracle; by him God in these last days makes known himself and his mind to us, Heb 1:2; Joh 1:18. Divine revelation centres in him, and comes to us through him; he is the light, the true light, the faithful witness, the truth itself, and from him we receive the Spirit of truth, who leads into all truth. The joining of the breast-plate to the ephod denotes that his prophetical office was founded in his priesthood; and it was by the merit of his death that he purchased this honour for himself and this favour for us. It was the Lamb that had been slain that was worthy to take the book and to open the seals, Rev 5:9.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 15–30. Public domain.
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TertullianAD 220
AGAINST MARCION 4.13.3-4
But why was it that [Christ] chose twelve apostles, and not some other number? In truth, I might from this very point conclude of my Christ that he was foretold not only by the words of prophets but by the embodied language of facts. For of this number I find figurative hints up and down the Creator’s dispensation in the twelve springs of Elim; in the twelve gems of Aaron’s priestly vestment;5 and in the twelve stones appointed by Joshua to be taken out of the Jordan and set up for the ark of the covenant.
Ambrose of MilanAD 397
Exposition of the Christian Faith 2, INTRODUCTION 4
Of these twelve, as of twelve precious stones, is the pillar of our faith built up. For these are the precious stones—sardius, jasper, smaragd, chrysolite, and the rest—woven into the robe of holy Aaron, even of him who bears the likeness of Christ, that is, of the true Priest. [These] stones [are] set in gold and inscribed with the names of the sons of Israel, twelve stones close joined and fitting one into another, for if any should sunder or separate them, the whole fabric of the faith falls in ruins.
Cyril of AlexandriaAD 444
LETTER 55.28
And on the breast of the high priest were certain stones hanging, twelve in number, in the midst of which were placed two other stones, manifestation and truth. By means of a riddle through these the chorus of the holy apostles is clearly signified being, as it were, in a circle around Emmanuel, who is manifestation and truth. For he manifested the truth by having taken away the worship of God in shadows and in types.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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