Exo 28:15-29 | KD | STEP | The second ornament consisted of the choshen or breastplate . Chosen mishpat , λογειο͂ν τῶν κρίσεωον (lxx), rationale judicii (Vulg.). חשׁן probably signifies an ornament ( Arab. pulcher fuit; Ges. ); and the appended word mishpat , right, decision of right, points to its purpose (see at ). This breastplate was to be a woven fabric of the same material and the same kind of work as the ephod. “ Foured shall it be, doubled (laid together), a span (half a cubit) its length, and a span its breadth .” The woven cloth was to be laid together double like a kind of pocket, of the length and breadth of half a cubit, i.e., the quarter of a square cubit.

‏ Exodus 28:15-29

The second ornament consisted of the choshen or breastplate. Chosen mishpat, λογειο͂ν τῶν κρίσεωον (lxx), rationale judicii (Vulg.). חשׁן probably signifies an ornament (Arab. pulcher fuit; Ges.); and the appended word mishpat, right, decision of right, points to its purpose (see at Exo 28:30). This breastplate was to be a woven fabric of the same material and the same kind of work as the ephod. “Foured shall it be, doubled (laid together), a span (half a cubit) its length, and a span its breadth.” The woven cloth was to be laid together double like a kind of pocket, of the length and breadth of half a cubit, i.e., the quarter of a square cubit. Exo 28:17-19

“And fill thereon (put on it) a stone-setting, four rows of stones,” i.e., fix four rows of set jewels upon it. The stones, so far as their names can be determined with the help of the ancient versions, the researches of L. de Dieu (animadv. ad Ex 28) and Braun (vestit. ii. c. 8-10), and other sources pointed out in Winer’s R. W. (s. v. Edensteine), were the following: - In the first or upper row, odem (σάρδιος), i.e., our cornelian, of a blood-red colour; pitdah, τοπάζιον, the golden topaz; bareketh, lit., the flashing, σμάραγδος, the emerald, of a brilliant green. In the second row, nophek, ἄνθραξ, carcunculus, the ruby or carbuncle, a fire-coloured stone; sappir, the sapphire, of a sky-blue colour; jahalom, ἴασπις according to the lxx, but this is rather to be found in the jaspeh, - according to the Graec., Ven., and Pers., to Aben Ezra, etc., the diamond, and according to others the onyx, a kind of chalcedony, of the same colour as the nail upon the human finger through which the flesh is visible. In the third row, lesehm, λιγύριον, lugurius, i.e., according to Braun and others, a kind of hyacinth, a transparent stone chiefly of an orange colour, but running sometimes into a reddish brown, at other times into a brownish or pale red, and sometimes into an approach to a pistachio green; shevo, ἀχάτης, a composite stone formed of quartz, chalcedony, cornelian, flint, jasper, etc., and therefore glittering with different colours; and achlaham, ἀμέθυστος, amethyst, a stone for the most part of a violet colour. In the fourth row, tarshish, χρυσόλιθος, chrysolite, a brilliant stone of a golden colour, not like what is now called a chrysolite, which is of a pale green with a double refraction; shoham, beryl (see at Gen 2:12); and jaspeh, no doubt the jasper, an opaque stone, for the most part of a dull red, often with cloudy and flame-like shadings, but sometimes yellow, red, brown, or some other colour. Exo 28:20

“Gold borders shall be on their settings” (see at Exo 28:11 and Exo 28:13). The golden capsules, in which the stones were “filled,” i.e., set, were to be surrounded by golden ornaments, which not only surrounded and ornamented the stones, but in all probability helped to fix them more firmly and yet more easily upon the woven fabric. Exo 28:21

“And the stones shall be according to the names of the sons of Israel, twelve according to their names; seal-engraving according to each one’s name shall be for the twelve tribes.” (On אישׁ before על־שׁמו see at Gen 15:10.) Exo 28:22-25

To bind the choshen to the ephod there were to be two close, corded chains of pure gold, which are described here in precisely the same manner as in Exo 28:14; so that Exo 28:22 is to be regarded as a simple repetition of Exo 28:14, not merely because these chains are only mentioned once in the account of the execution of the work (Exo 39:15), but because, according to Exo 28:25, these chains were to be fastened upon the rosettes notice in Exo 28:14, exactly like those described in Exo 28:13. These chains, which are called cords or strings at Exo 28:24, were to be attached to two golden rings at the two (upper) ends of the choshen, and the two ends of the chains were to be put, i.e., bound firmly to the golden settings of the shoulder-pieces of the ephod (Exo 28:13), upon the front of it (see at Exo 26:9 and Exo 25:37). Exo 28:26

Two other golden rings were to be “put at the two ends of the choshen, at its edge, which is on the opposite side (see at Exo 25:37) of the ephod inwards,” i.e., at the two ends or corners of the lower border of the choshen, upon the inner side - the side turned towards the ephod. Exo 28:27-28

Two golden rings were also to be put “upon the shoulder-pieces of the ephod underneath, toward the fore-part thereof, near the joining above the girdle of it,” and to fasten the choshen from its (lower) rings to the (lower) rings of the ephod with threads of hyacinth, that it might be over the girdle (above it), and not move away (יזּח Niphal of זחח, in Arabic removit), i.e., that it might keep its place above the girdle and against the ephod without shifting. Exo 28:29

In this way Aaron was to bear upon his breast the names of the sons of Israel engraved upon this breastplate, as a memorial before Jehovah, whenever he went into the sanctuary.