Exodus 28-30
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Vestments for the Priesthood
28 “Then bring near to you your brother Aaron and his sons with him, from among the Israelites, to serve me as priests—Aaron and Aaron’s sons: Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.(A) 2 You shall make sacred vestments for the glorious adornment of your brother Aaron.(B) 3 And you shall speak to all who are skillful, whom I have endowed with skill, so that they make Aaron’s vestments to consecrate him for my priesthood.(C) 4 These are the vestments that they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a checkered tunic, a turban, and a sash. When they make these sacred vestments for your brother Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests,(D) 5 they shall use gold, blue, purple, and crimson yarns and fine linen.
The Ephod
6 “They shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen, skillfully worked.(E) 7 It shall have two shoulder pieces attached to its two edges, so that it may be joined together. 8 The decorated band on it shall be of the same workmanship and materials, of gold, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen. 9 You shall take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel,(F) 10 six of their names on the one stone and the names of the remaining six on the other stone, in the order of their birth. 11 As a gem cutter engraves signets, so you shall engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel; you shall mount them in settings of gold filigree. 12 You shall set the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, as stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel, and Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord on his two shoulders for remembrance.(G) 13 You shall make settings of gold filigree 14 and two chains of pure gold, twisted like cords, and you shall attach the corded chains to the settings.
The Breastplate
15 “You shall make a breastpiece of judgment, in skilled work; you shall make it in the style of the ephod; of gold, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen you shall make it.(H) 16 It shall be square and doubled, a span in length and a span in width. 17 You shall set in it four rows of stones. A row of carnelian, chrysolite, and emerald shall be the first row;(I) 18 and the second row a turquoise, a sapphire,[a] and a moonstone; 19 and the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 20 and the fourth row a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper; they shall be set in gold filigree. 21 There shall be twelve stones with names corresponding to the names of the sons of Israel; they shall be like signets, each engraved with its name, for the twelve tribes.(J) 22 You shall make for the breastpiece chains of pure gold, twisted like cords, 23 and you shall make for the breastpiece two rings of gold and put the two rings on the two edges of the breastpiece. 24 You shall put the two cords of gold in the two rings at the edges of the breastpiece;(K) 25 the two ends of the two cords you shall attach to the two settings and so attach it in front to the shoulder pieces of the ephod. 26 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.[b](L) 27 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 joining above the decorated band of the ephod. 28 The breastpiece shall be bound by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a blue cord, so that it may lie on the decorated band of the ephod and so that the breastpiece shall not come loose from the ephod. 29 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, for a continual remembrance before the Lord.(M) 30 In the breastpiece of judgment you shall put the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be on Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the Lord; thus Aaron shall bear the judgment of the Israelites on his heart before the Lord continually.(N)
Other Priestly Vestments
31 “You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue.(O) 32 It shall have an opening for the head in the middle of it, with a woven binding around its edge, like the opening in a garment,[c] so that it may not be torn. 33 On its lower hem you shall make pomegranates of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, all around the lower hem, with bells of gold between them all around— 34 a golden bell and a pomegranate alternating all around the lower hem of the robe. 35 Aaron shall wear it when he ministers, and its sound shall be heard when he goes into the holy place before the Lord and when he comes out, so that he may not die.
36 “You shall make a rosette of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet, ‘Holy to the Lord.’(P) 37 You shall fasten it on the turban with a blue cord; it shall be on the front of the turban. 38 It shall be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall take on himself any guilt incurred in the holy offerings that the Israelites consecrate as their sacred donations; it shall always be on his forehead, in order that they may find favor before the Lord.(Q)
39 “You shall make the checkered tunic of fine linen, and you shall make a turban of fine linen, and you shall make a sash embroidered with needlework.
40 “For Aaron’s sons you shall make tunics and sashes and headdresses; you shall make them for their glorious adornment.(R) 41 You shall put them on your brother Aaron and on his sons with him and shall anoint them and ordain them and consecrate them, so that they may serve me as priests.(S) 42 You shall make for them linen undergarments to cover their naked flesh; they shall reach from the hips to the thighs;(T) 43 They shall be worn by Aaron and his sons when they go into the tent of meeting or when they come near the altar to minister in the holy place, so that they do not bring guilt on themselves and die. This shall be a perpetual ordinance for him and for his descendants after him.(U)
The Ordination of the Priests
29 “Now this is what you shall do to them to consecrate them to serve me as priests. Take one young bull and two rams without blemish,(V) 2 and unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil. You shall make them of choice wheat flour.(W) 3 You shall put them in one basket and bring them in the basket and bring the bull and the two rams. 4 You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and wash them with water.(X) 5 Then you shall take the vestments and put on Aaron the tunic and the robe of the ephod and the ephod and the breastpiece and gird him with the decorated band of the ephod,(Y) 6 and you shall set the turban on his head and put the holy diadem on the turban.(Z) 7 You shall take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him.(AA) 8 Then you shall bring his sons and put tunics on them,(AB) 9 and you shall gird them, Aaron and his sons, with sashes and tie headdresses on them, and the priesthood shall be theirs by a perpetual ordinance. You shall then ordain Aaron and his sons.(AC)
10 “You shall bring the bull in front of the tent of meeting. Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the bull,(AD) 11 and you shall slaughter the bull before the Lord, at the entrance of the tent of meeting, 12 and shall take some of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and all the rest of the blood you shall pour out at the base of the altar.(AE) 13 You shall take all the fat that covers the entrails and the appendage of the liver and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them and turn them into smoke on the altar.(AF) 14 But the flesh of the bull and its skin and its dung you shall burn with fire outside the camp. It is a purification offering.(AG)
15 “Then you shall take one of the rams, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram,(AH) 16 and you shall slaughter the ram and shall take its blood and dash it against all sides of the altar. 17 Then you shall cut the ram into its parts and wash its entrails and its legs and put them with its parts and its head 18 and turn the rest of the ram into smoke on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the Lord; it is a pleasing odor, an offering by fire[d] to the Lord.(AI)
19 “You shall take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram, 20 and you shall slaughter the ram and take some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron’s right ear and on the lobes of the right ears of his sons and on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet and dash the rest of the blood against all sides of the altar. 21 Then you shall take some of the blood that is on the altar and some of the anointing oil and sprinkle it on Aaron and his vestments and on his sons and his sons’ vestments with him; then he and his vestments shall be holy, as well as his sons and his sons’ vestments with him.(AJ)
22 “You shall also take the fat of the ram, the fatty tail, the fat that covers the entrails, the appendage of the liver, the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and the right thigh (for it is a ram of ordination), 23 and one loaf of bread, one cake of bread made with oil, and one wafer, out of the basket of unleavened bread that is before the Lord,(AK) 24 and you shall place all these on the palms of Aaron and on the palms of his sons and raise them as an elevation offering before the Lord.(AL) 25 Then you shall take them from their hands and turn them into smoke on the altar on top of the burnt offering for a pleasing odor before the Lord. It is an offering by fire[e] to the Lord.(AM)
26 “You shall take the breast of the ram of Aaron’s ordination and raise it as an elevation offering before the Lord, and it shall be your portion.(AN) 27 You shall consecrate the breast that was raised as an elevation offering and the thigh that was lifted up as an offering from the ram of ordination, from that which belonged to Aaron and his sons.(AO) 28 These things shall be a perpetual ordinance for Aaron and his sons from the Israelites, for this is an offering, and it shall be an offering by the Israelites from their sacrifice of offerings of well-being, their offering to the Lord.(AP)
29 “The sacred vestments of Aaron shall be passed on to his sons after him; they shall be anointed in them and ordained in them.(AQ) 30 The son who is priest in his place shall wear them seven days when he comes into the tent of meeting to minister in the holy place.(AR)
31 “You shall take the ram of ordination and boil its flesh in a holy place,(AS) 32 and Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram and the bread that is in the basket at the entrance of the tent of meeting.(AT) 33 They shall eat the food by which atonement is made, to ordain and consecrate them, but no one else shall eat of it, because it is holy.(AU) 34 If any of the flesh for the ordination or of the bread remains until the morning, then you shall burn the remainder with fire; it shall not be eaten, because it is holy.(AV)
35 “Thus you shall do to Aaron and to his sons, just as I have commanded you; through seven days you shall ordain them.(AW) 36 Also every day you shall offer a bull as a purification offering for atonement. Also you shall offer a sin offering for the altar, when you make atonement for it, and shall anoint it, to consecrate it.(AX) 37 Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and consecrate it, and the altar shall be most holy; whatever touches the altar shall become holy.(AY)
The Daily Offerings
38 “Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old regularly each day.(AZ) 39 One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer in the evening, 40 and with the first lamb one-tenth of a measure of choice flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and one-fourth of a hin of wine for a drink offering. 41 And the other lamb you shall offer in the evening and shall offer with it a grain offering and its drink offering, as in the morning, for a pleasing odor, an offering by fire[f] to the Lord. 42 It shall be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance of the tent of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet with you, to speak to you there.(BA) 43 I will meet with the Israelites there, and it shall be sanctified by my glory;(BB) 44 I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar; Aaron also and his sons I will consecrate to serve me as priests.(BC) 45 I will dwell among the Israelites, and I will be their God.(BD) 46 And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them; I am the Lord their God.(BE)
The Altar of Incense
30 “You shall make an altar on which to offer incense; you shall make it of acacia wood.(BF) 2 It shall be one cubit long and one cubit wide; it shall be square and shall be two cubits high; its horns shall be of one piece with it. 3 You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and its sides all around and its horns, and you shall make for it a molding of gold all around. 4 And you shall make two golden rings for it; under its molding on two opposite sides of it you shall make them, and they shall hold the poles for carrying it. 5 You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 6 You shall place it in front of the curtain that is above the ark of the covenant, in front of the cover that is over the covenant, where I will meet with you.(BG) 7 Aaron shall offer fragrant incense on it; every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall offer it,(BH) 8 and when Aaron sets up the lamps in the evening, he shall offer it, a regular incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations. 9 You shall not offer unholy incense on it or a burnt offering or a grain offering, and you shall not pour a drink offering on it.(BI) 10 Once a year Aaron shall perform the rite of atonement on its horns. Throughout your generations he shall perform the atonement for it once a year with the blood of the atoning purification offering. It is most holy to the Lord.”(BJ)
The Half Shekel for the Sanctuary
11 The Lord spoke to Moses, 12 “When you take a census of the Israelites to register them, at registration all of them shall give a ransom for their lives to the Lord, so that no plague may come upon them for being registered.(BK) 13 This is what each one who is registered shall give: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel as an offering to the Lord.(BL) 14 Each one who is registered, from twenty years old and up, shall give the Lord’s offering. 15 The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than the half shekel, when you bring this offering to the Lord to make atonement for your lives.(BM) 16 You shall take the atonement money from the Israelites and shall designate it for the service of the tent of meeting; before the Lord it will be a reminder to the Israelites of the ransom given for your lives.”(BN)
The Bronze Basin
17 The Lord spoke to Moses, 18 “You shall make a bronze basin with a bronze stand for washing. You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it;(BO) 19 with the water[g] Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet.(BP) 20 When they go into the tent of meeting or when they come near the altar to minister to make an offering by fire[h] to the Lord, they shall wash with water, so that they may not die. 21 They shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they may not die: it shall be a perpetual ordinance for them, for him and for his descendants throughout their generations.”(BQ)
The Anointing Oil and Incense
22 The Lord spoke to Moses, 23 “Take the finest spices: of liquid myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet-smelling cinnamon half as much, that is, two hundred fifty, and two hundred fifty of aromatic cane, 24 and five hundred of cassia—measured by the sanctuary shekel—and a hin of olive oil, 25 and you shall make of these a sacred anointing oil blended as by the perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil.(BR) 26 With it you shall anoint the tent of meeting and the ark of the covenant(BS) 27 and the table and all its utensils and the lampstand and its utensils and the altar of incense 28 and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils and the basin with its stand; 29 you shall consecrate them, so that they may be most holy; whatever touches them will become holy.(BT) 30 You shall anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them to serve me as priests.(BU) 31 You shall say to the Israelites: This shall be my holy anointing oil throughout your generations. 32 It shall not be used in any ordinary anointing of the body, and you shall make no other like it in composition; it is holy, and it shall be holy to you.(BV) 33 Whoever blends any like it or whoever puts any of it on an unqualified person shall be cut off from the people.”(BW)
34 The Lord said to Moses, “Take sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum, sweet spices with pure frankincense (an equal part of each), 35 and make an incense blended as by the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy,(BX) 36 and you shall beat some of it into powder and put part of it before the covenant in the tent of meeting, where I shall meet with you; it shall be most holy for you.(BY) 37 When you make incense according to this composition, you shall not make it for yourselves; it shall be regarded by you as holy to the Lord. 38 Whoever makes any like it to use as perfume shall be cut off from the people.”
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.