The ornate structure of the temple has been described. Now we move on the the garments of the priests. All of this is designed to create an elegant, beautiful environment for the presence and worship of YHWH.
Exodus 28: 1-5, Elegant clothes for my priests
"Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so they may serve me as priests.
Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron, to give him dignity and honor. Tell all the skilled men to whom I have given wisdom in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his consecration, so he may serve me as priest.
These are the garments they are to make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban and a sash. They are to make these sacred garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so they may serve me as priests. Have them use gold, and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and fine linen.
The garments are to display dignity and honor. The use of ornate colors and gems is part of this "dignity" and "honor". Imes, in her course on Exodus, points out that in those days dyes were expensive and hard to make. We tend to notice the appearance of gold, silver and precious gems but the ancients would have also noticed the very expensive colors of blue, purple and scarlet.
A variety of webpages have drawings that attempt to replicate these garments. Here is one image that shows up in a variety of places:
Exodus 28: 6-8, Description of the ephod
"Make the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen--the work of a skilled craftsman. It is to have two shoulder pieces attached to two of its corners, so it can be fastened. Its skillfully woven waistband is to be like it--of one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen.
An ephod is some type of apron. It will involve very colorful weaves, requiring a "skilled craftsman".
Exodus 28: 9-14, Stones on the shoulders of the ephod
"Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel in the order of their birth--six names on one stone and the remaining six on the other. Engrave 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 and fasten them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. Aaron is to bear the names on his shoulders as a memorial before the LORD.
Make gold filigree settings and two braided chains of pure gold, like a rope, and attach the chains to the settings.
There are to be twelve small stones representing the tribes of Israel.
Exodus 28: 15-21, The breastpiece
"Fashion a breastpiece for making decisions--the work of a skilled craftsman. Make it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. It is to be square--a span long and a span wide--and folded double.
Then mount four rows of precious stones on it. In the first row there shall be a ruby, a topaz and a beryl in the second row a turquoise, a sapphire and an emerald; in the third row a jacinth, an agate and an amethyst; in the fourth row a chrysolite, an onyx and a jasper. Mount them in gold filigree settings.
There are to be twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.
The breastpiece presumably covers the ephod. It too is to carry precious stones representing the twelve tribes.
A "span" (verse 15) is probably about 9 inches? In verse 18, the Hebrew term sappiyr or cappiyr (Strong's concordance H5601), "sapphire", could be translated "lapis lazuli". Sapphire is apparently too hard to engrave (see here) and so lapis lazuli, a softer blue stone, is most likely the gem named.
For verse 20, the NIV footnotes say that the precise identification of some of these precious stones is uncertain.
Exodus 28: 22-28, Decorating the breastpiece
"For the breastpiece make braided chains of pure gold, like a rope.
"Make two gold rings for it and fasten them to two corners of the breastpiece. Fasten the two gold chains to the rings at the corners of the breastpiece, and the other ends of the chains to the two settings, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front. Make two gold rings and attach them to the other two corners of the breastpiece on the inside edge next to the ephod. Make two more gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod, close to the seam just above the waistband of the ephod. The rings of the breastpiece are to be tied to the rings of the ephod with blue cord, connecting it to the waistband, so that the breastpiece will not swing out from the ephod."
The breastpiece is to have, hanging from it, chains of pure gold. The chains of gold are attached to gold rings.
Exodus 28: 29-30, Aaron's entrance to the Holy Place
"Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the LORD. Also put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron's heart whenever he enters the presence of the LORD.
Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the LORD.
The Urim and Thummim were apparently used for seeking answers, almost like tossing a coin. They were in the breastpiece, covering the ephod. In later chapters of the Old Testament, we will see individuals, such as David, consulting "the ephod" of the priest. This may mean that the individual is consulting the Urim/Thummim.
Exodus 28: 31-35,
"Make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth, with an opening for the head in its center. There shall be a woven edge like a collar around this opening, so that it will not tear. Make pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn around the hem of the robe, with gold bells between them. The gold bells and the pomegranates are to alternate around the hem of the robe.
Aaron must wear it when he ministers. The sound of the bells will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the LORD and when he comes out, so that he will not die.
It is not clear the value of the bells. But myths abound -- one myth said that the high priest was to have a rope around him (see here for a rebuttal.)
The meaning of the Hebrew interpreted "collar" in verse 32 is uncertain.
Exodus 28: 36-39, Seal on Aaron's forehead
"Make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD. Fasten a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban; it is to be on the front of the turban. It will be on Aaron's forehead, and he will bear the guilt involved in the sacred gifts the Israelites consecrate, whatever their gifts may be. It will be on Aaron's forehead continually so that they will be acceptable to the LORD.
"Weave the tunic of fine linen and make the turban of fine linen. The sash is to be the work of an embroiderer."
Aaron is to wear some type of cap or turban on his head. The garments are to be of "fine linen".
Exodus 28: 40-43, Aaron's sons
"Make tunics, sashes and headbands for Aaron's sons, to give them dignity and honor. After you put these clothes on your brother Aaron and his sons, anoint and ordain them. Consecrate them so they may serve me as priests.
"Make linen undergarments as a covering for the body, reaching from the waist to the thigh. Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they will not incur guilt and die. "This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants.
Just as Aaron is to be heavily dressed, there are similar expectations for the other serving priests.
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