15 'And thou hast made a breastplate of judgment, work of a designer; according to the work of the ephod thou dost make it; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen thou dost make it; 16 it is square, doubled, a span its length, and a span its breadth. 17 'And thou hast set in it settings of stone, four rows of stone; a row of sardius, topaz, and carbuncle 'is' the first row; 18 and the second row 'is' emerald, sapphire, and diamond; 19 and the third row 'is' opal, agate, and amethyst; 20 and the fourth row 'is' beryl, and onyx, and jasper; embroidered with gold are they in their settings, 21 and the stones are according to the names of the sons of Israel, twelve, according to their names, openings of a signet, each by his name are they for the twelve tribes. 22 'And thou hast made on the breastplate wreathed chains, work of thick bands, of pure gold; 23 and thou hast made on the breastplate two rings of gold, and hast put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate; 24 and thou hast put the two thick bands of gold on the two rings at the ends of the breastplate; 25 and the two ends of the two thick bands thou dost put on the two embroidered things, and thou hast put 'them' on the shoulders of the ephod over-against its face. 26 'And thou hast made two rings of gold, and hast set them on the two ends of the breastplate, on its border, which 'is' over-against the ephod within; 27 and thou hast made two rings of gold, and hast put them on the two shoulders of the ephod, beneath, over-against its front, over-against its joining, above the girdle of the ephod, 28 and they bind the breastplate by its rings unto the rings of the ephod with a ribbon of blue, to be above the girdle of the ephod, and the breastplate is not loosed from the ephod. 29 'And Aaron hath borne the names of the sons of Israel in the breastplate of judgment, on his heart, in his going in unto the sanctuary, for a memorial before Jehovah continually. 30 'And thou hast put unto the breastplate of judgment the Lights and the Perfections, and they have been on the heart of Aaron, in his going in before Jehovah, and Aaron hath borne the judgment of the sons of Israel on his heart before Jehovah continually.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 28:15-30
Commentary on Exodus 28:15-30
(Read Exodus 28:15-30)
The chief ornament of the high priest, was the breastplate, a rich piece of cloth, curiously worked. The name of each tribe was graven in a precious stone, fixed in the breastplate, to signify how precious, in God's sight, believers are, and how honourable. How small and poor soever the tribe was, it was as a precious stone in the breastplate of the high priest; thus are all the saints dear to Christ, however men esteem them. The high priest had the names of the tribes, both on his shoulders and on his breast, which reminds us of the power and the love with which our Lord Jesus pleads for those that are his. He not only bears them up in his arms with almighty strength, but he carries them in his bosom with tender affection. What comfort is this to us in all our addresses to God! The Urim and Thummim, by which the will of God was made known in doubtful cases, were put in this breastplate. Urim and Thummim signify light and integrity. There are many conjectures what these were; the most probable opinion seems to be, that they were the twelve precious stones in the high priest's breastplate. Now, Christ is our Oracle. By him God, in these last days, makes known himself and his mind to us, Hebrews 1:1,2; John 1:18. He is the true Light, the faithful Witness, the Truth itself, and from him we receive the Spirit of Truth, who leads into all truth.