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.
2 And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for 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.
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.
5 And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and 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.
7 It shall have the two shoulderpieces thereof joined at the two edges thereof; and so it shall be joined together.
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.
9 And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of 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.
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.
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.
13 And thou shalt make ouches of gold;
14 And two chains of pure gold at the ends; of wreathed work shalt thou make them, and fasten the wreathed chains to the ouches.
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.
16 Foursquare it shall be being doubled; a span shall be the length thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof.
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.
18 And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.
19 And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.
20 And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their inclosings.
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.
22 And thou shalt make upon the breastplate chains at the ends of wreathed work of pure gold.
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.
24 And thou shalt put the two wreathed chains of gold in the two rings which are on the ends of the breastplate.
25 And the other two ends of the two wreathed chains thou shalt fasten in the two ouches, and put them on the shoulderpieces of the ephod before it.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
31 And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod all of blue.
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.
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:
34 A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about.
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.
36 And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
42 And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach:
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.
Exodus Chapter 28 of the King James Version (KJV) Holy Bible is a continuation of the instructions given by God to Moses for the construction of the tabernacle and the garments of the priests. This chapter specifically focuses on the garments of the high priest, Aaron, and his sons who were to serve as priests in the tabernacle. The main themes of this chapter include the importance of holiness, the role of the high priest, and the symbolism of the priestly garments. This chapter holds great significance for Christians as it foreshadows the coming of Jesus Christ as the ultimate high priest and mediator between God and man.
The first theme that is evident in Exodus Chapter 28 is the importance of holiness. God instructs Moses to make holy garments for Aaron and his sons, who were chosen to serve as priests in the tabernacle. These garments were to be made with fine linen, gold, and precious stones, and were to be worn only when they were ministering in the tabernacle. This emphasis on holiness reflects the nature of God, who is holy and requires His people to be holy as well (Leviticus 11:44). The garments of the priests were a symbol of their consecration and separation from the rest of the people, as they were chosen to represent the people before God.
For Christians, this theme of holiness is still relevant today. Just as the priests were called to be holy, Christians are also called to live a holy life (1 Peter 1:15-16). This means being set apart from the world and living according to God's standards. The garments of the priests serve as a reminder for Christians to strive for holiness in their daily lives.
The second theme in Exodus Chapter 28 is the role of the high priest. The high priest was the most important figure in the tabernacle, as he was the only one allowed to enter the Most Holy Place once a year to make atonement for the sins of the people (Leviticus 16:2). The garments of the high priest were specifically designed to reflect his role as the mediator between God and the people. The ephod, a garment worn over the shoulders, had two onyx stones on the shoulders with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel engraved on them. This symbolized the high priest carrying the people on his shoulders before God (Exodus 28:12).
The breastplate of judgment, which was worn over the ephod, had twelve precious stones, each representing one of the tribes of Israel. This symbolized the high priest carrying the people close to his heart as he entered the Most Holy Place (Exodus 28:29). The high priest also wore a turban with a gold plate on the front, which had the inscription "Holy to the Lord" (Exodus 28:36). This served as a reminder of the high priest's consecration to God and his role as the mediator between God and the people.
For Christians, the role of the high priest is fulfilled by Jesus Christ. He is the ultimate mediator between God and man, who offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world (Hebrews 9:11-14). The garments of the high priest in Exodus Chapter 28 foreshadow the role of Jesus as the high priest who carries His people on His shoulders and close to His heart.
The third theme in Exodus Chapter 28 is the symbolism of the priestly garments. Each garment and accessory worn by the priests had a specific meaning and significance. The ephod, breastplate, and turban were all made with fine linen, which symbolized purity and righteousness. The ephod was also adorned with gold, which symbolized the glory and majesty of God. The breastplate, with its twelve precious stones, symbolized the unity and representation of the twelve tribes of Israel before God.
The robe of the ephod, which was worn under the ephod, was made of blue fabric and had bells and pomegranates attached to the hem. The blue color symbolized the heavenly nature of God, while the bells and pomegranates represented the sound of God's voice and the fruitfulness of His people (Exodus 28:33-35). The tunic and turban were also made of fine linen and served as a symbol of the priests' purity and consecration to God.
For Christians, the symbolism of the priestly garments points to the person and work of Jesus Christ. He is the one who is pure and righteous, adorned with glory and majesty (Revelation 19:11-16). The blue robe with the bells and pomegranates foreshadows the voice of God and the fruitfulness of His people through the work of Jesus. The garments of the priests also serve as a reminder for Christians to clothe themselves with righteousness and purity, just as Jesus did.
Exodus Chapter 28 holds great significance for Christians as it foreshadows the coming of Jesus Christ as the ultimate high priest and mediator between God and man. The emphasis on holiness, the role of the high priest, and the symbolism of the priestly garments all point to the person and work of Jesus. As Christians, we are called to live a holy life, just as the priests were called to be holy. We are also reminded of the role of Jesus as our high priest, who carries us on His shoulders and close to His heart. The symbolism of the priestly garments serves as a reminder for us to clothe ourselves with righteousness and purity, just as Jesus did. Exodus Chapter 28 ultimately points to the redemptive work of Jesus and the importance of living a holy life in light of His sacrifice for our sins.
In conclusion, Exodus Chapter 28 of the KJV Holy Bible is a significant chapter that highlights the importance of holiness, the role of the high priest, and the symbolism of the priestly garments. These themes hold great meaning for Christians as they foreshadow the coming of Jesus Christ and His redemptive work on the cross. This chapter serves as a reminder for Christians to strive for holiness and to remember the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus, our high priest and mediator between God and man.
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