Êxodo 28

ARC · Chapter 28/40

1Depois tu farás chegar a ti teu irmão Aarão, e seus filhos com elle, do meio dos filhos de Israel, para me administrarem o officio sacerdotal: a saber, Aarão, Nadab e Abihu, Eleazar e Ithamar, os filhos de Aarão.

2E farás vestidos sanctos a Aarão teu irmão, para gloria e ornamento.

3Fallarás tambem a todos os que são sabios de coração, a quem eu tenho enchido do espirito da sabedoria, que façam vestidos a Aarão para sanctifical-o; para que me administre o officio sacerdotal.

4Estes pois são os vestidos que farão: um peitoral, e um ephod, e um manto, e uma tunica bordada, uma mitra, e um cinto: farão pois sanctos vestidos a Aarão teu irmão, e a seus filhos, para me administrarem o officio sacerdotal.

5E tomarão o oiro, e o azul, e a purpura, e o carmezim, e o linho fino,

6E farão o ephod de oiro, e de azul, e de purpura, e de carmezim, e de linho fino torcido, de obra esmerada.

7Terá duas hombreiras, que se unam ás suas duas pontas, e assim se unirá.

8E o cinto de obra esmerada do seu ephod, que estará sobre elle, será da sua mesma obra, do mesmo, de oiro, de azul, e de purpura, e de carmezim, e de linho fino torcido.

9E tomarás duas pedras sardonicas, e lavrarás n'ellas os nomes dos filhos de Israel,

10Seis dos seus nomes n'uma pedra, e os outros seis nomes na outra pedra, segundo as suas gerações;

11Conforme á obra do lapidario, como o lavor de sêllos lavrarás estas duas pedras, com os nomes dos filhos de Israel: engastadas ao redor em oiro as farás.

12E porás as duas pedras nas hombreiras do ephod, por pedras de memoria para os filhos de Israel: e Aarão levará os seus nomes sobre ambos os seus hombros, para memoria diante do Senhor.

13Farás tambem engastes de oiro,

14E duas cadeiasinhas de oiro puro: de egual medida, de obra de fieira as farás: e as cadeiasinhas de fieira porás nos engastes.

15Farás tambem o peitoral do juizo de obra esmerada, conforme á obra do ephod o farás: de oiro, de azul, e de purpura, e de carmezim, e de linho fino torcido o farás.

16Quadrado e dobrado, será de um palmo o seu comprimento, e de um palmo a sua largura;

17E o encherás de pedras de engaste, com quatro ordens de pedras: a ordem de uma sardia, de um topazio, e de um carbunculo: esta será a primeira ordem:

18E a segunda ordem será de uma esmeralda, de uma saphira, e de um diamante:

19E a terceira ordem será de um jacinto, de uma agatha, e de uma amethista:

20E a quarta ordem será de uma turqueza, e de uma sardonica, e de um jaspe; engastadas em oiro serão nos seus engastes.

21E serão aquellas pedras segundo os nomes dos filhos de Israel, doze segundo os seus nomes: serão esculpidas como sêllos, cada uma com o seu nome, para as doze tribus.

22Tambem farás ao peitoral cadeiasinhas de egual medida da obra de trança de oiro puro.

23Tambem farás ao peitoral dois anneis de oiro, e porás os dois anneis nas extremidades do peitoral.

24Então metterás as duas cadeiasinhas de fieira d'oiro nos dois anneis, nas extremidades do peitoral:

25E as duas pontas das duas cadeiasinhas de fieira metterás nos dois engastes, e as porás nas hombreiras do ephod, defronte d'elle.

26Farás tambem dois anneis d'oiro, e os porás nas duas extremidades do peitoral, na sua borda que estiver junto ao ephod por dentro.

27Farás tambem dois anneis d'oiro, que porás nas duas hombreiras do ephod, abaixo, defronte d'elle, defronte da sua juntura, sobre o cinto d'obra esmerada do ephod.

28E ligarão o peitoral com os seus anneis aos anneis do ephod por cima com um cordão d'azul, para que esteja sobre o cinto d'obra esmerada do ephod; e nunca se separará o peitoral do ephod.

29Assim Aarão levará os nomes dos filhos d'Israel no peitoral do juizo sobre o seu coração, quando entrar no sanctuario, para memoria diante do Senhor continuamente.

30Tambem porás no peitoral do juizo Urim e Thummim, para que estejam sobre o coração de Aarão, quando entrar diante do Senhor: assim Aarão levará o juizo dos filhos de Israel sobre o seu coração diante do Senhor continuamente.

31Tambem farás o manto do ephod, todo azul.

32E o collar da cabeça estará no meio d'elle: este collar terá uma borda d'obra tecida ao redor: como collar de saia de malha será n'elle, para que se não rompa.

33E nas suas bordas farás romãs d'azul, e de purpura, e de carmezim, ao redor das suas bordas; e campainhas d'oiro no meio d'ellas ao redor.

34Uma campainha d'oiro, e uma romã, outra campainha d'oiro, e outra romã, haverá nas bordas do manto ao redor,

35E estará sobre Aarão quando ministrar, para que se ouça o seu sonido, quando entrar no sanctuario diante do Senhor, e quando sair, para que não morra.

36Tambem farás uma lamina d'oiro puro, e n'ella gravarás á maneira de gravuras de sellos: Sanctidade ao Senhor.

37E atal-a-has com um cordão d'azul, de maneira que esteja na mitra; sobre a frente da mitra estará.

38E estará sobre a testa de Aarão, para que Aarão leve a iniquidade das coisas sanctas, que os filhos d'Israel sanctificarem em todas as offertas de suas coisas sanctas; e estará continuamente na sua testa, para que tenham acceitação perante o Senhor.

39Tambem farás tunica de linho fino: tambem farás uma mitra de linho fino: mas o cinto farás d'obra de bordador.

40Tambem farás tunicas aos filhos de Aarão, e far-lhes-has cintos: tambem lhes farás tiaras, para gloria e ornamento.

41E vestirás com elles a Aarão teu irmão, e tambem seus filhos: e os ungirás e consagrarás, e os sanctificarás, para que me administrem o sacerdocio.

42Faze-lhes tambem calções de linho, para cobrirem a carne nua: serão dos lombos até ás pernas.

43E estarão sobre Aarão e sobre seus filhos, quando entrarem na tenda da congregação, ou quando chegarem ao altar para ministrar no sanctuario, para que não levem iniquidade, e morram; isto será estatuto perpetuo para elle e para a sua semente depois d'elle.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

The sacred garments that Aaron and his sons would wear as priests are described in detail, including the ephod, the breastplate with twelve precious stones representing the tribes of Israel, and the gold plate inscribed 'Holiness to the Lord.'

Explanation

This chapter sets out the high priest's garments in rich detail, each element carrying profound symbolic meaning. The breastplate, engraved with twelve precious stones bearing the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, meant that Aaron literally carried the whole people 'upon his heart' whenever he entered God's presence, a powerful image of priestly representation and intercession. The gold plate on his forehead, engraved with the words 'Holiness to the Lord,' allowed the priest himself to 'bear the iniquity of the holy things' offered by the people, ensuring their acceptance before God despite the inevitable imperfections of human rites. The Urim and Thummim, briefly mentioned (v. 30), were objects used to discern God's will in important decisions, though their exact form remains uncertain to this day. This entire set of garments shows that mediating between God and the people demanded careful preparation, visible dignity, and deep spiritual responsibility.

Fun facts

  • The twelve precious stones of the breastplate, each representing a tribe of Israel, are taken up symbolically again in the book of Revelation (21:19-20), where twelve similar precious stones form the foundations of the New Jerusalem, linking this ancient priestly symbol to a prophetic vision of the end of the age.
  • The exact meaning of the Urim and Thummim (v. 30), used to seek divine guidance in important decisions, is still debated by scholars today, with no consensus on their exact physical form, though their use is mentioned in other texts such as Numbers 27:21 and 1 Samuel 28:6, showing their continued importance in Israel's religious life.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Êxodo 28:1Here begins the appointment of Aaron, Moses’s brother, and his sons to the office of priests, the only ones authorized to carry out the rituals inside the tabernacle. From this point on, the priesthood in Israel would be restricted to this family, Aaron’s descendants.
  2. Êxodo 28:2The high priest’s garments were not ordinary clothes: they had to convey dignity and beauty, visually marking the difference between Aaron and the rest of the people.
  3. Êxodo 28:3Making these garments was the task of especially skilled craftsmen, described as having received that talent directly from God.
  4. Êxodo 28:4Lists the six main pieces of the priestly garb: breastplate, ephod, robe, embroidered tunic, turban, and sash, each detailed in the following verses.
  5. Êxodo 28:5The same materials used in building the tabernacle, gold and the colored fabrics, also made up the priestly garments, linking the priest to the sanctuary itself.
  6. Êxodo 28:6The ephod, a kind of vest, was the most elaborate piece, woven with threads of gold interlaced with the colored fabrics and fine linen.
  7. Êxodo 28:7Two shoulder straps connected the front and back of the ephod, joining the piece into a single structure.
  8. Êxodo 28:8The ephod’s waistband, made with the same materials and technique as the main piece, held the vest firmly to the priest’s body.
  9. Êxodo 28:9Two precious stones were to be engraved with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, a piece that symbolically carried the whole people.
  10. Êxodo 28:10The twelve names were divided equally between the two stones, six on each side, probably following the birth order of Jacob’s sons.
  11. Êxodo 28:11The engraving on the stones followed the technique used for personal identification seals, common in the ancient world, and each stone was framed in gold.
  12. Êxodo 28:12Two precious stones, one on each shoulder of the priestly vest (the ephod), bore the engraved names of the twelve tribes of Israel, six on each stone. The idea was that, on entering the sanctuary to serve, Aaron would literally carry the whole people on his shoulders before God.
  13. Êxodo 28:13Gold settings were to be prepared specifically to fix these engraved stones on the shoulders of the ephod.
  14. Êxodo 28:14Chains of pure gold, braided like interwoven threads, fastened the stones to the settings on the shoulders of the piece.
  15. Êxodo 28:15The “breastplate of judgment” was a square piece of embroidered fabric, fastened over the high priest’s chest, with twelve precious stones, one for each tribe. It was called “of judgment” because it also held the Urim and the Thummim, used to seek decisions in God’s name.
  16. Êxodo 28:16The breastplate was square and folded in half, forming a kind of pouch, about 9 inches on each side.
  17. Êxodo 28:17The breastplate’s first row of precious stones included sardius, topaz, and carbuncle, each representing one of the twelve tribes.
  18. Êxodo 28:18The second row carried emerald, sapphire, and diamond, continuing the sequence of twelve different stones.
  19. Êxodo 28:19The third row included ligure, agate, and amethyst, keeping the pattern of three stones per row.
  20. Êxodo 28:20The fourth and final row carried beryl, onyx, and jasper, completing the twelve precious stones set in gold.
  21. Êxodo 28:21Each of the twelve stones bore the engraved name of a tribe of Israel, like a personal seal, reinforcing the same symbolic idea as the shoulder stones.
  22. Êxodo 28:22The breastplate also received chains of braided gold, following the same technique used for the chains on the ephod’s shoulders.
  23. Êxodo 28:23Two gold rings at the breastplate’s upper corners served as attachment points to fasten the piece to the rest of the garb.
  24. Êxodo 28:24The braided gold chains passed through these two rings, connecting the breastplate to the ephod’s structure.
  25. Êxodo 28:25The other ends of these chains were fastened to the shoulder-stone settings, on the front of the ephod.
  26. Êxodo 28:26Two more gold rings, placed at the bottom of the breastplate, held the piece more firmly against the body, on the inner side of the ephod.
  27. Êxodo 28:27Two more rings, placed at the bottom of the ephod’s shoulder straps, near the waistband, completed the breastplate’s fastening system.
  28. Êxodo 28:28A blue cord tied the breastplate’s rings to the ephod’s rings, ensuring the piece would never come loose or swing during the priestly service.
  29. Êxodo 28:29Whenever he entered the sanctuary, Aaron would symbolically carry the names of the whole people of Israel close to his heart, through the breastplate.
  30. Êxodo 28:30The Urim and the Thummim were two objects, with no exact description in the Bible of their shape, kept inside the high priest’s breastplate and used as a kind of sacred lot to seek answers from God on important decisions. The text does not explain how they worked in practice, only that they stayed with the breastplate, near Aaron’s heart.
  31. Êxodo 28:31The robe worn underneath the ephod was made entirely of a single blue fabric, without the mix of colors seen in the other pieces.
  32. Êxodo 28:32The robe’s head opening had a reinforced, woven border, similar to the collar of a coat of mail, to keep the fabric from tearing with use.
  33. Êxodo 28:33Along the hem of the high priest’s robe, small pomegranate-shaped ornaments (the fruit) alternated with little gold bells. It was a decorative detail, but it also had a practical function, explained in the next verse.
  34. Êxodo 28:34All around the hem of the robe, embroidered pomegranates and gold bells alternated continuously, a decorative pattern whose function is explained in verse 35.
  35. Êxodo 28:35The sound of the bells signaled that the priest was moving through the sacred space while carrying out the ritual correctly. The rule treated entering the sanctuary without following the procedures as something risky; the constant sound was, in a way, a guarantee that everything was being done as it should.
  36. Êxodo 28:36A small plate of pure gold, engraved like a seal, bore the inscription ‘HOLINESS TO THE LORD,’ the most visible piece identifying the priestly office.
  37. Êxodo 28:37This plate was tied with a blue cord to the front of the high priest’s turban, staying clearly visible on his forehead.
  38. Êxodo 28:38This plate’s function was spiritual: it represented Aaron’s intercession, covering any imperfection in the holy offerings brought by the people.
  39. Êxodo 28:39The inner tunic and the turban were made of plain fine linen, while the sash received a more elaborate embroidered finish.
  40. Êxodo 28:40Aaron’s sons, the ordinary priests, also received garments of their own, simpler than the high priest’s, but still dignified and ornamented.
  41. Êxodo 28:41The consecration ceremony included putting on these clothes, anointing with oil, and formally setting apart Aaron and his sons for priestly service.
  42. Êxodo 28:42This undergarment was required specifically to keep the priests from being physically exposed while climbing the altar’s steps during the rituals, as the next verse makes clear. It was a practical requirement of decency within the sacred service.
  43. Êxodo 28:43These garments, including the linen breeches already mentioned, were mandatory during any service in the sanctuary, on pain of severe punishment.

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