"You shall make a breastpiece of judgment, in skilled work. In the style of the ephod you shall make it--of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen shall you make it. It shall be square and doubled, a span its length and a span its breadth. You shall set in it four rows of stones. A row of sardius, topaz, and carbuncle shall be the first row; and the second row an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond; and the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; and the fourth row a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They shall be set in gold filigree. There shall be twelve stones with their names according to the names of the sons of Israel. They shall be like signets, each engraved with its name, for the twelve tribes. You shall make for the breastpiece twisted chains like cords, of pure gold. And you shall make for the breastpiece two rings of gold, and put the two rings on the two edges of the breastpiece. And you shall put the two cords of gold in the two rings at the edges of the breastpiece. The two ends of the two cords you shall attach to the two settings of filigree, and so attach it in front to the shoulder pieces of the ephod. You shall make two rings of gold, and put them at the two ends of the breastpiece, on its inside edge next to the ephod. And you shall make two rings of gold, and attach them in front to the lower part of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, at its seam above the skillfully woven band of the ephod. And they shall bind the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, so that it may lie on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, so that the breastpiece shall not come loose from the ephod. So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgment on his heart, when he goes into the Holy Place, to bring them to regular remembrance before the LORD.
Exodus 28:15-29
The spiritual application of the instruction concerning the breastplate is likewise full of comfort and assurance, nor does it merely repeat the message of the ephod. Once again the names of the children of Israel are written, but this time one on each of the twelve jewels set in the breastplate. Here, the names are represented as lying on the heart of the high priest, and this speaks to us of the personal love and care that Christ has for His people. All are precious to Him, we are meant to understand, and each with a different, unique preciousness, as is signified by the differing stones. We add two comments from brother ministers on this passage which are worthy of careful thought, the first by George Philip: 'Thus the names of the people lay on the heart of the high priest as well as on his shoulders as he ministered before God on their behalf. Strength alone can be a cold and comfortless thing, but strength that has a heart of compassion and care is a mighty shelter indeed. The word judgment here (15) does not signify punishment, but rather God's verdict, utterance or guidance to the people. We have a Saviour and great High Priest touched with the feeling (that is more than knowledge or understanding) of our own infirmities, and He will make His will known to His people.' That is surely enough food for thought for one day, and we shall leave the second comment for the next Note.