1 Jehovah continued: »Bring your brother Aaron and his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar to you from all the Israelites. They will serve me as priests.

2 »Make sacred clothes for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor.

3 »Tell all the skilled men whom I have given this ability to make Aaron’s clothes. These clothes will set him apart as holy when he serves me as priest.

4 »The clothes they will make are as follows: a breastplate, an ephod and the robe that is worn with it, another specially woven linen robe, the chief priest’s turban, and a cloth belt. They will make these holy clothes for your brother Aaron and his sons so that they will be able to serve me as priests.

5 »Take the gold and blue thread and wool that is dyed bright read and the fine linen and

6 »prepare the ephod with fine linen yarn. Embroider gold, violet, purple, and bright red yarn into the fabric.

7 »It should have two shoulder straps attached at the top corners so it can be fastened.

8 »Make the belt that is attached to the ephod from the same fabric.

9 »Engrave the names of the sons of Israel on two onyx stones.

10 »Engrave them in order of their birth. Place six names on each stone.

11 »Engrave the names of the sons of Israel on the two stones the same way a jeweler engraves a signet ring. Mount them in gold settings.

12 »Then fasten them on the shoulder straps of the ephod as reminders of who the Israelites are. In this way Aaron will carry their names on his shoulders as a reminder in Jehovah’s presence.

13 »Make gold settings.

14 »Also make two chains of pure gold. These gold chains should be twisted like ropes. Fasten these chains to the settings.

15 »Prepare the breast piece for decision-making using a skilled craftsman. Make it like the ephod out of gold, violet, purple, and bright red yarn and out of fine linen yarn.

16 »Fold it in half so it is nine inches square.

17 »Fasten four rows of precious stones on it. Put red quartz, topaz, and emerald in the first row.

18 »Place turquoise, sapphire, and crystal in the second row.

19 »In the third row put jacinth, agate, and amethyst.

20 »In the fourth row put beryl, onyx, and gray quartz. Mount them in gold settings.

21 »The stones represent the twelve sons of Israel, by name, each stone engraved like a signet ring with the name of one of the twelve tribes.

22 »Make chains out of pure gold, twisted like ropes for the breastplate.

23 »Make two gold rings for the breastplate. Attach them to the two top corners of the breastplate.

24 »Fasten the two gold ropes to the rings at the top corners of the breastplate.

25 »Fasten the other ends of the ropes to the two settings on the shoulder straps of the ephod so that the breastplate hangs in front of it.

26 »Make two gold rings, and connect them to the other two corners of the breastplate on the inside edge next to the ephod.

27 »Make two more gold rings, and fasten them to the bottom of the shoulder straps on the front of the ephod. This will be close to the seam just above the belt of the ephod.

28 »Then the breastplate should be fastened by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a violet cord. Attach it just above the belt of the ephod. This will hold the breastplate in place.

29 »When Aaron goes into the holy place, he will carry the names of the sons of Israel over his heart as a continual reminder in Jehovah’s presence. He must do this by wearing the breast piece for decision-making.

30 Put the Urim and Thummim into the breast piece for decision-making. They, too, will be over Aaron’s heart when he comes into Jehovah’s presence. In this way when he is in Jehovah’s presence, Aaron will always be carrying over his heart the means for determining Jehovah’s decisions for the Israelites.

31 »Make the robe that is worn with the ephod entirely of violet material.

32 »Provide an opening for the head in the center with a reinforced edge like a leather collar all around it to keep it from tearing.

33 »Along the hem of the robe weave pomegranates of blue, purple, and red wool with a gold bell between each of them.

34 »A gold bell should alternate with a pomegranate all around the hem of the robe.

35 »Aaron should wear it when he serves as priest. The sound of the bells must be heard when he comes into and goes out of Jehovah’s presence in the holy place so that he will not die.

36 »Also make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engravings of a seal: Holy to Jehovah.

37 »Fasten it on a blue cord and on the turban. It should be at the front of the turban.

38 »It shall be on Aaron’s forehead. Aaron will take away the iniquity of the holy things that the sons of Israel consecrate. Concerning their holy gifts it will always be on his forehead that they may be accepted before Jehovah.

39 »Weave the tunic of checkered work of fine linen. Make a turban of fine linen and a sash, the work of a weaver.

40 »Make linen robes, belts, and turbans for Aaron’s sons. These clothes will give them dignity and honor.

41 »Dress your brother Aaron and his sons in these clothes and anoint them, ordain them, and set them apart to serve me as priests.

42 »Make linen undergarments to cover them down to their thighs.

43 »Aaron and his sons must wear them when they go into the tent of meeting or when they come near the altar to serve as priests in the holy place. They will be blameless and will not die. This is a long lasting law for him and his descendants.