Exodus 28:5-14 · Bible study
Exodus 28:5-14 Commentary: The High Priest's Ephod and Its Significance
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the theological meaning of the ephod's materials, the onyx stones, and how Aaron bore Israel's names before the Lord.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The ephod's materials and onyx stones symbolize the high priest's role as representative mediator, bearing Israel before God.
- Key words: ephod (H0646), onyx (H7718), memorial (H2146), bear/carry (H5375).
- Main debate: Whether the memorial stones serve to remind God (anthropomorphic language) or to remind the priest and people of their covenant relationship.
- Theological theme: Mediation and representation; typology of Christ as the ultimate High Priest who carries His people.
- Best use: Teaching on priestly intercession, Christ's high priesthood, and the dignity of worship.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
5They shall use gold, along with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and fine linen.
6They are to make the ephod of finely spun linen embroidered with gold, and with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn.
7It shall have two shoulder pieces attached at two of its corners, so it can be fastened.
8And the skillfully woven waistband of the ephod must be of one piece, of the same workmanship—with gold, with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and with finely spun linen.
9Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel:
10six of their names on one stone and the remaining six on the other, in the order of their birth.
11Engrave the names of the sons of Israel on the two stones the way a gem cutter engraves a seal. Then mount the stones in gold filigree settings.
12Fasten both stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. Aaron is to bear their names on his two shoulders as a memorial before the LORD.
13Fashion gold filigree settings
14and two chains of pure gold, made of braided cord work; and attach these chains to the settings.
WEB World English Bible 2000
5They shall use the gold, and the blue, and the purple, and the scarlet, and the fine linen.
6“They shall make the ephod of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the skillful workman.
7It shall have two shoulder straps joined to the two ends of it, that it may be joined together.
8The skillfully woven band, which is on it, shall be like its work and of the same piece; of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen.
9You shall take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the children of Israel.
10Six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the six that remain on the other stone, in the order of their birth.
11With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, you shall engrave the two stones, according to the names of the children of Israel. You shall make them to be enclosed in settings of gold.
12You shall put the two stones on the shoulder straps of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel. Aaron shall bear their names before Yahweh on his two shoulders for a memorial.
13You shall make settings of gold,
14and two chains of pure gold; you shall make them like cords of braided work. You shall put the braided chains on the settings.
KJV King James Version 1769
5And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen.
6And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work.
7It shall have the two shoulderpieces thereof joined at the two edges thereof; and so it shall be joined together.
8And the curious girdle of the ephod, which is upon it, shall be of the same, according to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.
9And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel:
10Six of their names on one stone, and the other six names of the rest on the other stone, according to their birth.
11With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel: thou shalt make them to be set in ouches of gold.
12And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord upon his two shoulders for a memorial.
13And thou shalt make ouches of gold;
14And two chains of pure gold at the ends; of wreathen work shalt thou make them, and fasten the wreathen chains to the ouches.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
5And they shall take the gold, and the blue, and the purple, and the scarlet, and the fine linen.
6And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the skilful workman.
7It shall have two shoulder-pieces joined to the two ends thereof, that it may be joined together.
8And the skilfully woven band, which is upon it, wherewith to gird it on, shall be like the work thereof and of the same piece; of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.
9And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel:
10six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the six that remain on the other stone, according to their birth.
11With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones, according to the names of the children of Israel: thou shalt make them to be inclosed in settings of gold.
12And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before Jehovah upon his two shoulders for a memorial.
13And thou shalt make settings of gold,
14and two chains of pure gold; like cords shalt thou make them, of wreathen work: and thou shalt put the wreathen chains on the settings.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
5`And they take the gold, and the blue, and the purple, and the scarlet, and the linen,
6and have made the ephod of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen, work of a designer;
7it hath two shoulders joining at its two ends, and it is joined.
8`And the girdle of his ephod which is on him, according to its work, is of the same, of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen.
9`And thou hast taken the two shoham stones, and hast opened on them the names of the sons of Israel;
10six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the remaining six on the second stone, according to their births;
11the work of an engraver in stone, openings of a signet, thou dost open the two stones by the names of the sons of Israel; turned round, embroidered with gold, thou dost make them.
12`And thou hast set the two stones on the shoulders of the ephod--stones of memorial to the sons of Israel--and Aaron hath borne their names before Jehovah, on his two shoulders, for a memorial.
13`And thou hast made embroidered things of gold,
14and two chains of pure gold, wreathed work thou dost make them, work of thick bands, and thou hast put the thick chains on the embroidered things.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
5And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined byssus,
6and shall make the ephod of gold, blue, and purple, scarlet and twined byssus, of artistic work.
7It shall have two shoulder-pieces joined at the two ends thereof, where it is joined together.
8And the girdle of the ephod, which is upon it, shall be of the same, according to its work of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet and twined byssus.
9And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the children of Israel:
10six of their names on the one stone, and the six names of the rest on the other stone, according to their birth.
11According to the work of an engraver in stone, as the engravings of a seal, shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel; surrounded by enclosures of gold shalt thou make them.
12And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulder-pieces of the ephod [as] stones of memorial for the children of Israel; and Aaron shall bear their names before Jehovah upon his two shoulders for a memorial.
13And thou shalt make enclosures of gold;
14and two chains of pure gold; of laced work shalt thou make them, of wreathen work, and fasten the wreathen chains to the enclosures.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
5And they shall take gold, and violet, and purple, and scarlet twice dyed, and fine linen.
6And they shall make the ephod of gold, and violet, and purple, and scarlet twice dyed, and fine twisted linen, embroidered with divers colours.
7It shall have the two edges joined in the top on both sides, that they may be closed together.
8The very workmanship also, and all the variety of the work, shall be of gold, and violet, and purple, and scarlet twice dyed, and fine twisted linen.
9And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and shalt grave on them the names of the children of Israel:
10Six names on one stone, and the other six on the other, according to the order of their birth.
11With the work of an engraver, and the graving of a jeweller, thou shalt engrave them with the names of the children of Israel, set in gold and compassed about:
12And thou shalt put them in both sides of the ephod, a memorial for the children of Israel. And Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord upon both shoulders, for a remembrance.
13Thou shalt make also hooks of gold.
14And two little chains of the purest gold, linked one to another, which thou shalt put into the hooks.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Exodus 28:5
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that the ephod's materials, gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen, deliberately echo the tabernacle curtains (Exodus 26:1; Cambridge Bible), linking the high priest's garment to the dwelling place of God. The two onyx stones on the shoulders, engraved with the names of Israel's twelve tribes, serve as "stones of memorial" (v.12). Adam Clarke explains that the high priest bears their names before the Lord as a reminder, speaking "after the manner of men," God is put in mind of His people. John Calvin goes further, seeing here a type of Christ: "our High Priest is said to bear us on His shoulders," lifting us who are weak and prostrate. The shared conviction is that the ephod visually and symbolically declares the priest's representative role: he carries the people into God's presence.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The high priest's ephod, with its costly materials and engraved stones, visibly demonstrates his role as representative of Israel before God, a role ultimately fulfilled in Christ.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose of the memorial stones | All agree the stones functioned to keep the people before the Lord during priestly ministry. | Some see it as reminding God of His people (Clarke, speaking 'after the manner of men'); others emphasize that it reminded the priest and the people of their representative role (Calvin). |
| Ephod's form and length | It was an outer garment worn by the high priest, supported by shoulder straps. | Length, some describe it as reaching to the loins (Kimchi, via Gill) or to the thighs; the precise shape is not universally agreed but does not affect theological meaning. |
| Christological typology | Many Christian traditions see the high priest's ephod as prefiguring Christ's intercessory work. | How directly the ephod prefigures Christ, Calvin and Reformed tradition strongly affirm typology; others caution against excessive allegorizing, focusing on the historical priestly function. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The ephod was the outer garment of the high priest, a close-fitting, sleeveless vest reaching to the loins or thighs (Gill, citing Kimchi). Its materials, gold thread, blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and fine linen, were the same as those used for the tabernacle curtains (Exodus 26:1), but with gold interwoven to make it more splendid. The gold was beaten into thin plates and cut into threads that were worked into the fabric (Exodus 39:3). Blue dye came from the Murex trunculus snail, purple from Murex brandaris, and scarlet from the dried bodies of the coccus ilicis insect (Lexicon H8144). Fine linen (shesh) was prized Egyptian byssus.
The two onyx stones (shoham) were engraved with the names of Israel's sons, six on each stone "in the order of their birth" (v.10). Seal engraving on precious stones was an established art in both Egypt and Babylonia from early dynasties (Cambridge Bible; Ellicott). The stones were set in gold filigree settings (mishbetsoth, "strait places" or sockets, Clarke) and placed on the shoulder straps of the ephod (v.12). The ephod had a woven band (cheshev) of the same material, serving as a girdle to fasten it (v.8). These elaborate details were commanded "for glory and for beauty" (Exodus 28:2), signifying the dignity of the priestly office and the honor due to God in worship.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this passage. In verse 7, the Samaritan Pentateuch and Septuagint read "It shall have two shoulder straps joined to it" rather than the Masoretic Text's reading, but this does not alter the meaning. The Hebrew text is well established.
Reception History
This passage has been read throughout church history as pointing to Christ. Calvin, drawing on 1 Peter 2:5, saw the ephod's stones as prefiguring Christ bearing the church on His shoulders. Jewish tradition in the Talmud explored the ephod's details as part of the high priest's intercessory role. Early Christian writers like Clement of Alexandria saw the priestly garments as types of Christ's holiness. In modern scholarship, the passage is valued for its contribution to understanding Israel's worship and the theology of mediation.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Materials: Holiness Expressed in Excellence. Gold, blue, purple, scarlet, fine linen, the same costly substances as the tabernacle, show that the worship of God deserves the best human craftsmanship.
- The Stones: Representation and Intercession. Aaron bore the names of Israel on his shoulders, symbolizing his role as mediator. This points to Christ, who carries His people before the Father (Calvin).
- The Chains: Connection and Unity. The gold chains (v.14) attached the breastplate to the ephod, integrating judgment and intercession, a picture of the comprehensive work of the High Priest.
Five-point outline
- Divine Instruction: God directs every detail of priestly worship.
- Human Skill: The "skillful workman" reflects God's gift of wisdom (Exodus 28:3).
- The Onyx Stones: Each tribe individually remembered and carried.
- The Memorial: Aaron's bearing before Yahweh is a constant reminder of covenant faithfulness.
- Christological Fulfillment: Christ, our High Priest, carries the true Israel on His shoulders (Ephesians 2:6).
Illustration hooks
- A CEO wears a lapel pin with the company logo; the high priest's stones are more personal, the names of people.
- A parent wears a bracelet etched with children's names, a tangible reminder of those they love and represent.
- A midwife writes each baby's name on her arm during delivery, carrying them symbolically through labor.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does God specify such expensive materials for the high priest's garment?
- How does the high priest bearing Israel's names give us confidence in Christ's intercession?
- What does it mean for us today to be "carried" by our High Priest?
Leading a Discussion
This passage describes the high priest's ephod in careful detail, reminding us that worship is intentional and that God desires to be approached through a mediator. The ephod reveals that those who lead worship stand in the place of the people, carrying their names into God's presence.
Discussion questions
- What stands out to you about the materials used for the ephod? Why those specific colors and substances?
- Why do you think God wanted the names of Israel engraved on the high priest's shoulders? What does this say about His character?
- How does this passage connect to the New Testament teaching that Christ is our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16)?
- What does it mean for us that Christ "bears" us? How does that shape your view of prayer?
- How can we show honor to God in our own acts of worship, whether in church or daily life?
- The ephod was made by "skillful workmen", what does this teach about using our talents for God's glory?
- How does this passage deepen your understanding of intercessory prayer as bringing others before the Lord?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 25:3 | This is the offering which you shall take from them: gold, silver, bronze, |
| Exodus 25:4 | blue, purple, scarlet, fine linen, goats’ hair, |
| Exodus 39:2 | He made the ephod of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen. |
| Exodus 39:3 | They beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in with the blue, the purple, the scarlet, and the fine linen, the work of the skillful workman. |
| Exodus 26:1 | “Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, with cherubim. You shall make them with the work of a skillful workman. |
| Exodus 39:7 | He put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel, as Yahweh commanded Moses. |
| Exodus 39:4 | They made shoulder straps for it, joined together. It was joined together at the two ends. |
| Exodus 28:27 | You shall make two rings of gold, and shall put them on the two shoulder straps of the ephod underneath, in its forepart, close by its coupling, above the skillfully woven band of the ephod. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke distinguishes between the ephod's "chesheb" (embroidered work) and the "abnet" (girdle), noting uncertainty whether the connecting piece was embroidered or a plain sash. He argues the art of engraving signets on stones reached a perfection never rivaled and likely originated with the Hebrews
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin sees the engraved names on the high priest's shoulders as a type of Christ bearing His people. He argues this shows believers have no inherent ability to reach heaven; Christ alone lifts them up. Their confidence comes from being His burden, not from proud self-exaltation.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary focuses on the ephod's detailed construction: a richly woven waistcoat held by shoulder straps, each set with an onyx stone engraved with six tribal names. The woven band that binds it is called "chesheb," possibly meaning simply "band." These engraved stones serve as a continual reminder of Israel before God.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note emphasizes that the high priest bore the names of Israel on his shoulders as a perpetual memorial before God. The stones were not mere decoration; they signified that Aaron carried the entire nation's identity and intercession into the Lord's presence.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill sees the ephod and its onyx stones as layered types of Christ. The ephod itself symbolizes Christ's human nature, woven with gold and colors that point to his glory, purity, and suffering. The two stones bearing the twelve tribes' names picture Christ bearing his people before the Father, interceding for them with their names on his shoulders.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB emphasizes that the high priest's ephod bore the names of Israel's twelve tribes on onyx stones set in gold on his shoulders. This served as a constant reminder that in all his ministrations he was to plead their cause and supplicate for the fulfillment of God's promises to them.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch stresses that the ephod, as a shoulder-dress, was the high priest's chief official garment. Its meaning lay in the engraved stones bearing the twelve tribes' names on his shoulders, showing he carried the whole nation as their mediator into God's presence for atonement and remembrance.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes that the tabernacle is far more than a place of worship. He sees it as the living centre of the entire covenant, the dwelling place of the Lawgiver Himself, where the law is not a dead ordinance but a dynamic power that grows out from the Holy of holies.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry notes that with Israel's formation as a nation, God replaced the old system of family-led worship with a formal public priesthood. Moses gladly surrendered the priestly role to his brother Aaron, content that his own sons would serve only as Levites. The high priest's golden ephod, engraved with the twelve tribes' names on shoulder stones, symbolised his duty to bear Israel before the Lord.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley sees the high priest's golden ephod as a direct type of Christ. The golden girdle and the shoulder stones engraved with Israel's names prefigure Christ's strength for salvation and his role as the faithful representative who bears his people before the Father.