The description of the breastpiece continues.
Once the breastpiece was made, there needed to be adornments on it.
First, the craftsmen were to make four chains of twisted cordage work in pure gold.
There needed to maketwo rings of gold and they were to put the two rings on the two ends of the breastpiece. The two rings were likely used to connect to the chains, and hang from the shoulders. They were to put the two cords of gold on the two rings at the ends of the breastpiece. The two cords were to be connected to the two rings. Like a gold necklace connected to a piece of jewelry.
Then the other two ends of the two cords were to be placed on the two filigree settings, then on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, at the front of it. They put two of the chains through these gold rings and attached them to the straps that hung on the priest’s shoulder. The breastpiece was similar to a necklace, but rather than hanging around the neck, it was attached to the shoulder pieces.
There was to be another set of two rings of gold which they were to place on the two ends of the breastpiece, on the edge of it, which is toward the inner side of the ephod.
There was yet another set of rings—two rings of gold placed on the bottom of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, on the front of it close to the place where it is joined, above the skillfully woven band of the ephod. This configuration allowed the breastpiece to be attached to the ephod.
Finally, they needed to bind the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod. The craftsmen were to line up the rings on the ephod with the rings on the breastpiece and tie it all together with a blue cord, so that it will be on the skillfully woven band of the ephod. This elaborate design was so that the breastpiece will not come loose from the ephod, which could result in the breastpiece being contaminated, and make the garment unwieldy to wear while performing priestly duties.
Biblical Text:
22 You shall make on the breastpiece chains of twisted cordage work in pure gold. 23 You shall make on the breastpiece two rings of gold, and shall put the two rings on the two ends of the breastpiece. 24 You shall put the two cords of gold on the two rings at the ends of the breastpiece. 25 You shall put the other two ends of the two cords on the two filigree settings, and put them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, at the front of it. 26 You shall make two rings of gold and shall place them on the two ends of the breastpiece, on the edge of it, which is toward the inner side of the ephod. 27 You shall make two rings of gold and put them on the bottom of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, on the front of it close to the place where it is joined, above the skillfully woven band of the ephod. 28 They shall bind the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a blue cord, so that it will be on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastpiece will not come loose from the ephod.
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