Exodus

Describes how Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt and slavery, and how they receive laws from God.

Chapter 28

1 And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.

*Choose your brother Aaron and his sons from the people of Israel to serve as priests for me. These sons are Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

2 And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty.

*"You will create special clothes for your brother Aaron to wear for honor and beauty."

3 And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.

*"Tell everyone with a smart and skilled heart, who I have given wisdom's spirit to, to create Aaron's clothes for his dedication. This will let him serve me as a priest."

4 And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.

*They should make these clothes: a chest piece, a vest, a robe, a decorated shirt, a headpiece, and a belt. These will be sacred clothes for Aaron and his children. They will wear them to serve as priests for me.

5 And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen.

*They will get gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen.

6 And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work.

*They will create the ephod using gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen, all skillfully made.

7 It shall have the two shoulderpieces thereof joined at the two edges thereof; and so it shall be joined together.

*The two shoulder parts will be connected at the edges, making them one piece.

8 And the curious girdle of the ephod, which is upon it, shall be of the same, according to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.

*The curious belt of the ephod must match its design. It should be made of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine woven fabric.

9 And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel:

*You shall get two precious stones called onyx and write on them the names of all the children of Israel.

10 Six of their names on one stone, and the other six names of the rest on the other stone, according to their birth.

*Six names on one stone, and the other six names on the other stone, based on when they were born.

11 With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel: thou shalt make them to be set in ouches of gold.

*Like an artist carving on stone, you will carefully etch the names of the Israeli children onto the two stones. Then, you'll attach these stones to gold settings.

12 And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD upon his two shoulders for a memorial.

*You will place the two stones on the ephod's shoulders as a reminder for the Israelites' children. Aaron will carry their names before the Lord on his shoulders, always remembering them.

13 And thou shalt make ouches of gold;

*And you shall create golden rings.

14 And two chains of pure gold at the ends; of wreathen work shalt thou make them, and fasten the wreathen chains to the ouches.

*Make two gold chains shaped like circles, with twisted designs. Attach these chains to the ends of the main piece.

15 And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shalt thou make it.

*And you shall create a judgment plate with skillful craftsmanship; design it similar to the ephod; make it from gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen, woven together.

16 Foursquare it shall be being doubled; a span shall be the length thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof.

*It will be perfectly square, twice as big; a unit of length will be its size, and a unit of length will be its width.

17 And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the first row.

*And you should put four rows of stones in it, with the first row having a red stone (sardius), a yellow stone (topaz), and a black stone (carbuncle). This is the first row.

18 And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.

*The second row has an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.

19 And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.

*And the third row has a blue stone, a red-purple stone, and a purple stone.

20 And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their inclosings.

*In the fourth row, there is a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They will be placed in gold within their frames.

21 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.

*The stones will have the names of the 12 tribes of Israel, and each stone will represent a tribe, just like the markings on a seal; everyone's name will be on their respective stone for the 12 tribes.

22 And thou shalt make upon the breastplate chains at the ends of wreathen work of pure gold.

*You shall create gold chains on the breastplate, attached to the ends of the twisted design.

23 And thou shalt make upon the breastplate two rings of gold, and shalt put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate.

*You shall make two gold rings on the breastplate and attach them to the two ends of it.

24 And thou shalt put the two wreathen chains of gold in the two rings which are on the ends of the breastplate.

*You will place the two golden twisted chains in the two rings that are at the ends of the chestpiece.

25 And the other two ends of the two wreathen chains thou shalt fasten in the two ouches, and put them on the shoulderpieces of the ephod before it.

*Attach the other ends of the two twisted chains to the two holes, then place them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod in front.

26 And thou shalt make two rings of gold, and thou shalt put them upon the two ends of the breastplate in the border thereof, which is in the side of the ephod inward.

*Make two gold rings and attach them to the ends of the breastplate's border, on the side of the ephod inside.

27 And two other rings of gold thou shalt make, and shalt put them on the two sides of the ephod underneath, toward the forepart thereof, over against the other coupling thereof, above the curious girdle of the ephod.

*Make two more golden rings and attach them to the sides of the ephod below, in front, near the middle, facing the other connection, above the intricate belt of the ephod.

28 And they shall bind the breastplate by the rings thereof unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it may be above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate be not loosed from the ephod.

*They will attach the breastplate using its rings to the ephod's rings with a blue lace. This will keep the breastplate above the decorative belt of the ephod and ensure it doesn't come loose from the ephod.

29 And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually.

*Aaron will wear a special stone with the names of the Israeli people on it over his heart when entering the sacred area. This is to always remember and honor them in front of God.

30 And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart, when he goeth in before the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually.

*You will place the Urim and Thummim in the judgment breastplate. They will be on Aaron's chest when he goes in front of God. Aaron will carry the Israelites' judgment before the Lord all the time.

31 And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod all of blue.

*And you shall create the ephod's garment entirely from blue material.

32 And there shall be an hole in the top of it, in the midst thereof: it shall have a binding of woven work round about the hole of it, as it were the hole of an habergeon, that it be not rent.

*And there will be a hole at the top, in the center: it will have a woven border around the hole, like the hole of a vest, so it doesn't tear.

33 And beneath upon the hem of it thou shalt make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, round about the hem thereof; and bells of gold between them round about:

*Under the bottom edge, add blue, purple, and red pomegranates. Around this edge, put golden bells between the pomegranates.

34 A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about.

*A golden bell and a pomegranate are on the edge of the clothing all around.

35 And it shall be upon Aaron to minister: and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the LORD, and when he cometh out, that he die not.

*Aaron must serve in the holy place. People will hear his bell as he enters and leaves so he doesn't accidentally die.

36 And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.

*Make a gold plate with carved words "Holy to the Lord" like a seal's design.

37 And thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre; upon the forefront of the mitre it shall be.

*And you should place it on a blue lace so it's on the mitre; on the front part of the mitre is where it belongs.

38 And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.

*The verse says that a symbol should be placed on Aaron's forehead. This will help him carry the mistakes made with sacred items given by the people of Israel during their special offerings. The symbol will always stay on his forehead so that their offerings are accepted by God.

39 And thou shalt embroider the coat of fine linen, and thou shalt make the mitre of fine linen, and thou shalt make the girdle of needlework.

*And you shall decorate the linen garment, and you shall create the head covering from fine linen, and you shall make the belt with woven designs.

40 And for Aaron’s sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and for beauty.

*Make coats for Aaron's sons, and give them belts, and also hats. Do this for their honor and attractiveness.

41 And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office.

*You should place them on Aaron, your brother, and his sons too. Then anoint and set them apart for their special job as priests to serve me.

42 And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach:

*You shall create linen pants to cover their private parts, extending from the waist to the upper leg.

43 And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come in unto the tabernacle of the congregation, or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place; that they bear not iniquity, and die: it shall be a statute for ever unto him and his seed after him.

*And Aaron and his sons must wear them when they enter the meeting tent or approach the altar to serve in the holy area. This way, they don't commit wrongdoing and die. This rule lasts forever for them and their descendants.

read summary

Back to Chapters

Back to Books

* work in progress, there will be mistakes