Exodus 28:15-30

Exodus 28:15-30

[15] And thou shalt make  the breastplate  of judgment  with cunning  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  [16] Foursquare  it shall be being doubled;  a span  shall be the length  thereof, and a span  shall be the breadth  [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 wreathen  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  wreathen  chains of gold  in the two  rings  which are on the ends  of the breastplate.  [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.  [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  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. 

What does Exodus 28:15-30 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The breastplate was a pocket of material of the same fabric as the ephod. Twelve precious stones were fastened to the front of it, and two objects, the Urim and Thummim, which were probably stones also, lay within it.
The12jewels represented the12tribes. Each one was unique. God later called the Israelites His jewels ( Malachi 3:17). The high priest carried the tribes on his heart ( Exodus 28:30) as well as on his shoulders. The heart refers to the seat of feelings and affections in the Old Testament.
"The purpose of the breastpiece was "for making decisions" ( Exodus 28:15). The Urim and Thummim, deposited in the pouch, were sacred lots used as the "means of making decisions" ( Exodus 28:30). The word "Urim" begins with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet and "Thummim" begins with the last letter, so the lots were probably restricted to giving either positive or negative responses to questions asked of them. Strengthening that likelihood is the fact that the phrase "Urim and Thummim" is best translated into English as "curses and perfections," meaning that if "Urim" dominated when the lots were cast the answer would be no but if "Thummim" dominated the answer would be yes." [1]