1 “ Then bring near to yourself Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the sons of Israel, to minister as priest to Me—Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.

“Take from among the people of Israel your brother Aaron and his sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, to work for Me as religious leaders.

2 Y ou shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty.

Make holy clothing for your brother Aaron, for honor and for beauty.

3 Y ou shall speak to all the skillful persons whom I have endowed with the spirit of wisdom, that they make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister as priest to Me.

Tell all the able workmen, whom I have given the spirit of wisdom, to make Aaron’s clothing to set him apart for My work. He will work for Me as a religious leader.

4 T hese are the garments which they shall make: a breastpiece and an ephod and a robe and a tunic of checkered work, a turban and a sash, and they shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons, that he may minister as priest to Me.

These are the clothes they will make: A breast-piece, a linen vest, a long piece of clothing, a long coat, a head-covering, and a wide belt. They will make holy clothing for your brother Aaron and his sons to work for Me as religious leaders.

5 T hey shall take the gold and the blue and the purple and the scarlet material and the fine linen.

They will use gold and blue and purple and red cloth and fine linen. The Linen Vest

6 “ They shall also make the ephod of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of the skillful workman.

“They will use gold and blue, purple and red cloth and fine linen to make the linen vest that holds the breast-piece. It will be the work of the able workman.

7 I t shall have two shoulder pieces joined to its two ends, that it may be joined.

It will have two shoulder pieces to join it at the two ends.

8 T he skillfully woven band, which is on it, shall be like its workmanship, of the same material: of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen.

The well-made belt on it will be made of the same gold and blue, purple and red cloth and fine linen.

9 Y ou shall take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel,

Take two onyx stones and cut on them the names of Israel’s sons.

10 s ix of their names on the one stone and the names of the remaining six on the other stone, according to their birth.

Put six of their names on one stone, and the six names of the others on the other stone, from the oldest to the youngest.

11 A s a jeweler engraves a signet, you shall engrave the two stones according to the names of the sons of Israel; you shall set them in filigree settings of gold.

As an able workman cuts words in a ring, cut the names of Israel’s sons on the two stones. Then set them into beautiful pieces of gold.

12 Y ou shall put the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, as stones of memorial for the sons of Israel, and Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord on his two shoulders for a memorial.

Put the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the linen vest, as stones for the family groups of Israel to be remembered. Aaron will carry their names on his two shoulders before the Lord, to be remembered.

13 Y ou shall make filigree settings of gold,

Make beautiful pieces of gold

14 a nd two chains of pure gold; you shall make them of twisted cordage work, and you shall put the corded chains on the filigree settings.

and two chains of pure gold. Make them like ropes are made. And put the chains on the pieces of gold. The Breast-Piece

15 “ You shall make a breastpiece of judgment, the work of a skillful workman; like the work of the ephod you shall make it: of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen you shall make it.

“Make a breast-piece to be used when judging. It is to be made by an able workman. Make it like the work of the linen vest, of gold, and blue, purple and red cloth and fine linen.

16 I t shall be square and folded double, a span in length and a span in width.

It will be as long as it is wide, with one half laid over the other. Make it as long and as wide as a man’s fingers can spread.

17 Y ou shall mount on it four rows of stones; the first row shall be a row of ruby, topaz and emerald;

Put four straight rows of stones on it. The first row will be a ruby, a topaz and an emerald.

18 a nd the second row a turquoise, a sapphire and a diamond;

The second row will be a turquoise, a sapphire and a diamond.

19 a nd the third row a jacinth, an agate and an amethyst;

The third row will be a jacinth, an agate and an amethyst.

20 a nd the fourth row a beryl and an onyx and a jasper; they shall be set in gold filigree.

And the fourth row will be a beryl, an onyx and a jasper. They will be set in beautiful pieces of gold.

21 T he stones shall be according to the names of the sons of Israel: twelve, according to their names; they shall be like the engravings of a seal, each according to his name for the twelve tribes.

There will be twelve stones, one for each name of the sons of Israel. The name of each family group will be cut on one of these special stones.

22 Y ou shall make on the breastpiece chains of twisted cordage work in pure gold.

Make chains for the breast-piece, like ropes of pure gold.

23 Y ou shall make on the breastpiece two rings of gold, and shall put the two rings on the two ends of the breastpiece.

And make two rings of gold and put them on the two ends of the breast-piece.

24 Y ou shall put the two cords of gold on the two rings at the ends of the breastpiece.

Join the two gold chains to the two rings at the ends of the breast-piece.

25 Y ou shall put the other two ends of the two cords on the two filigree settings, and put them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, at the front of it.

Join the other two ends of the two chains to the beautiful gold pieces that hold the two stones at the shoulders in the front.

26 Y ou shall make two rings of gold and shall place them on the two ends of the breastpiece, on the edge of it, which is toward the inner side of the ephod.

Make two rings of gold to put on the two ends of the breast-piece, on the inside, next to the linen vest.

27 Y ou shall make two rings of gold and put them on the bottom of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, on the front of it close to the place where it is joined, above the skillfully woven band of the ephod.

Then make two rings of gold and put them on the bottom of the two shoulder pieces of the linen vest in front, near where they join. They will be above the well-made belt of the linen vest.

28 T hey shall bind the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a blue cord, so that it will be on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastpiece will not come loose from the ephod.

Tie the rings of the breast-piece to the rings of the linen vest with a blue rope so the breast-piece may not come loose from the linen vest.

29 A aron shall carry the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgment over his heart when he enters the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually.

“Aaron will carry the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breast-piece of judging when he goes in the holy place, so they will be remembered before the Lord all the time. Other Religious Leaders’ Clothes

30 Y ou shall put in the breastpiece of judgment the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be over Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the Lord; and Aaron shall carry the judgment of the sons of Israel over his heart before the Lord continually.

“Put the Urim and the Thummim into the breast-piece over Aaron’s heart when he goes before the Lord. Aaron will carry the judging of the people of Israel over his heart before the Lord all the time.

31 “ You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue.

“Make the long piece of clothing all of blue.

32 T here shall be an opening at its top in the middle of it; around its opening there shall be a binding of woven work, like the opening of a coat of mail, so that it will not be torn.

There will be an opening at its top in the center. Around the opening it will be sewed like the opening on heavy battle clothes, so it may not be torn.

33 Y ou shall make on its hem pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet material, all around on its hem, and bells of gold between them all around:

Make pomegranates of blue and purple and red cloth to put all around the bottom of this clothing. And put bells of gold between them.

34 a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, all around on the hem of the robe.

Put a gold bell and a pomegranate, then a gold bell and a pomegranate, all the way around the bottom of this clothing.

35 I t shall be on Aaron when he ministers; and its tinkling shall be heard when he enters and leaves the holy place before the Lord, so that he will not die.

Aaron will wear it when he serves Me. The sound of the bells will be heard when he goes in the holy place and when he comes out so that he will not die.

36 “ You shall also make a plate of pure gold and shall engrave on it, like the engravings of a seal, ‘ Holy to the Lord.’

“Make a plate of pure gold and write on it, ‘Holy to the Lord.’

37 Y ou shall fasten it on a blue cord, and it shall be on the turban; it shall be at the front of the turban.

Put it to the front of the head covering with a blue rope.

38 I t shall be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall take away the iniquity of the holy things which the sons of Israel consecrate, with regard to all their holy gifts; and it shall always be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord.

It will be on Aaron’s forehead. Aaron will take away the sin of the holy things which the people of Israel set apart for the Lord as their holy gifts. It will always be on his forehead, so they may be received by the Lord.

39 “ You shall weave the tunic of checkered work of fine linen, and shall make a turban of fine linen, and you shall make a sash, the work of a weaver.

Make the long coat of fine linen, a head covering of fine linen, and a wide belt, the work of an able workman.

40 “ For Aaron’s sons you shall make tunics; you shall also make sashes for them, and you shall make caps for them, for glory and for beauty.

“Make long coats for Aaron’s sons. And make belts and head coverings for them, for honor and for beauty.

41 Y ou shall put them on Aaron your brother and on his sons with him; and you shall anoint them and ordain them and consecrate them, that they may serve Me as priests.

Dress your brother Aaron and his sons in them. Then pour oil on them, set them apart and make them holy, so they may serve Me as religious leaders.

42 Y ou shall make for them linen breeches to cover their bare flesh; they shall reach from the loins even to the thighs.

Make for them linen clothing to cover their flesh from their belts to their legs.

43 T hey shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they enter the tent of meeting, or when they approach the altar to minister in the holy place, so that they do not incur guilt and die. It shall be a statute forever to him and to his descendants after him.

Aaron and his sons will wear them when they go into the meeting tent, or when they go near the altar to serve in the holy place. Then they will not be guilty and die. It will be a law for him and for his children forever.