Exodus 28:17

And thou shalt set in it settings of stones,.... Or "fill in it fillings of stones" (d); which shows that there were in it ouches, or sockets of gold, the hollows of which were to be filled up with

And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shalt thou make it.

It is needless to trouble the reader with the explication of these stones, which the Jewish doctors themselves are not agreed in, seeing this use of them is now abolished. It may suffice to know that they were precious stones severally allotted to the names of the several tribes, according to God’ s good pleasure, possibly with respect to some disposition or concernment of each tribe, which at this distance we cannot learn.

Exodus 28:17 And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, [even] four rows of stones: [the first] row [shall be] a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: [this shall be] the first row.Ver. 17. Four rows of stones.] According to the number and order of the twelve tribes encamping about God’ s tabernacle. In all which rows, a very reverend writer hath well observed eight things: - (1.) The shining of the stones; pointing to the purity of Christ and his Church: (2.) Their price; of great value and worth; signifying what a price Christ valued his Church at: (3.) Their place or situation; they are set in the heart, and Aaron must carry them on his heart, signifying that Christ hath as much care of his Church, as if it were enclosed in his heart, - lets out his blood to make room in his heart for them: (4.) Their number; twelve; noting, that with Christ is plentiful redemption: (5.) Their order; they stood in a comely quadrangle; Christ hath stablished a comely order in his Church; and we must keep our ranks: (6.) The figure; the four square; signifying the stability and firmness of the Church; Satan and all deceivers shall not pick one stone out of Christ’ s heart: (7.) Their use; that Aaron must bear them on his heart; signifying Christ’ s ardent affection to his, and constant intercession for them: (8.) The quantity; as all the names of Israel were gathered into a narrow compass, so Christ shall "gather together into one all the dispersed sons of God," and present them before God as the most beautiful and precious parts of the world. Dr Taylor.

2. THE .(13-30) The space devoted to the “breastplate” is indicative of its high importance. It was the most costly, most magnificent, and most conspicuous of the high priest’s garments, while at the same time it was the most mysterious. Externally it was a blaze of gold and jewels; internally it held those strange and precious objects known as “the Urim and the Thummim” (Exodus 28:30), by means of which the Divine will was made known to the high priest, and through him to the people. The basis of the garment was a linen fabric of similar materials and workmanship with the ephod (Exodus 28:15), square in shape, about nine inches each way, and “doubled,” so as to form internally a bag or pocket. Upon this linen groundwork were fastened twelve “stones,” or jewels, set in an open-work of gold, and arranged in four rows, three in each (Exodus 28:17-21). These stones covered probably the greater portion of the external surface of the breastplate. To its two upper corners were attached two rings of gold, which were made fast by means of gold chains to buttons (“ ouches”) on the upper part of the ephod; and to its two lower corners were attached similar rings, which were fastened by a lace to rings of the same material on the lower part of the ephod (Exodus 28:13-14; Exodus 28:22-28).

Verse 17. Four rows of stones] With a name on each stone, making in all the twelve names of the twelve tribes. And as these were disposed according to their birth, Exodus 28:10, we may suppose they stood in this order, the stones being placed also in the order in which they are produced, Exodus 28:17-20: - FIRST ROW Upon a Sardius or Ruby was engraven Reuben ראובן Sons of Leah Topaz Simeon שמעון - Carbuncle Levi לוי SECOND ROW Upon an Emerald Judah יהודה Sapphire Issachar יששכר Diamond Zebulun זבולן THIRD ROW Ligure or Jacinth Dan דן Sons of Bilhah, Agate Naphtali נפתלי Rachael's maid Amethyst Gad גד Son of Zilpah, FOURTH ROW Beryl, or Crysolite Asher אשר Leah's maid Onyx, or Sardonyx Joseph יוסף Sons of Rachel Jasper Benjamin בנימין In this order the Jews in general agree to place them. See the Jerusalem Targum on this place, and the Targum upon Canticles, Son 5:14; and see also Ainsworth. The Targum of Jonathan says, "These four rows were placed opposite to the four quarters of the world; but this could only be when laid down horizontally, for when it hung on the breast of the high priest it could have had no such position. As it is difficult to ascertain in every case what these precious stones were, it may be necessary to consider this subject more at large. 1. A SARDIUS, מדם odem, from the root adam, he was ruddy; the ruby, a beautiful gem of a fine deep red colour. The sardius, or sardie stones, is defined to be a precious stone of a blood-red colour, the best of which come from Babylon. 2. A TOPAZ, פטדה pitdah, a precious stone of a pale dead green, with a mixture of yellow, sometimes of a fine yellow; and hence it was called chrysolite by the ancients, from its gold colour. It is now considered by mineralogists as a variety of the sapphire. 3. CARBUNCLE, ברקת bareketh, from ברק barak, to lighten, glitter, or glister; a very elegant gem of a deep red colour, with an admixture of scarlet. From its bright lively colour it had the name carbunculus, which signifies a little coal; and among the Greeks ανθραξ anthrax, a coal, because when held before the sun it appears like a piece of bright burning charcoal. It is found only in the East Indies, and there but rarely. 4. EMERALD, נפך nophech, the same with the ancient smaragdus; it is one of the most beautiful of all the gems, and is of a bright green colour, without any other mixture. The true oriental emerald is very scarce, and is only found at present in the kingdom of Cambay. 5. SAPPHIRE, ספיר sappir. See this described, Exodus 24:10. 6. DIAMOND, יהלם yahalom, from הלם halam, to beat or smite upon.

17–21. Twelve precious stones, each engraved with the name of one of the tribes of Israel, to be arranged in gold settings in four rows of three each, and fastened in front of the pouch. The identity of several of the stones mentioned is very uncertain; for philology throws little or no light upon the meanings of the names, and the ancient Versions in several cases give inconsistent renderings, or renderings which are themselves of uncertain interpretation. The oldest interpretations of the names are those given by the LXX.; and in identifying these, much help is afforded by Theophrastus, On Stones [c. 300 b.c.), and notices in Pliny, H. N. See more fully Petrie, DB. iv. 619 ff., and esp. J. L. Myres, EB. iv. 4799 ff. The list is repeated in Exodus 39:10-13 : comp. also the lists in Ezekiel 28:13 (= the 1st, 2nd, and 4th rows here, the stones being however differently arranged) of stones in the ‘covering,’ or decorated garment, of the king of Tyre, and in Revelation 21:19 f. of the stones forming the foundations of the walls of the New Jerusalem (cf. Isaiah 54:11 f.; Tob 13:16 f.).

17. Four rows of stones — These were in-wrought into the costly fabric in settings or fillings, so as to form a splendid piece of work.