New English Translation
Exodus 28:21
21The stones are to be for the names of the sons of Israel, twelve, according to the number of their names. Each name according to the twelve tribes is to be like the engravings of a seal.
Exodus 28:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes.
- New International Version (NIV)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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)There shall be twelve stones with their names according to the names of the sons of Israel. They shall be like signets, each engraved with its name, for the twelve tribes.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And the stones shall have the names of the sons of Israel, twelve according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, each one with its own name; they shall be according to the twelve tribes.
Context of Exodus 28:21
19and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 20and the fourth row, a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper. They are to be enclosed in gold in their filigree settings. The stones are to be for the names of the sons of Israel, twelve, according to the number of their names. Each name according to the twelve tribes is to be like the engravings of a seal. 22“You are to make for the breastpiece braided chains like cords of pure gold, 23and you are to make for the breastpiece two gold rings and attach the two rings to the upper two ends of the breastpiece.
Read all of Exodus 28Exodus 28:21 word by word
וְ֠הָאֲבָנִים תִּֽהְיֶ֜יןָ עַל־שְׁמֹ֧ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל שְׁתֵּ֥ים עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה עַל־שְׁמֹתָ֑ם פִּתּוּחֵ֤י חוֹתָם֙ אִ֣ישׁ עַל־שְׁמ֔וֹ תִּֽהְיֶ֕יןָ לִשְׁנֵ֥י עָשָׂ֖ר שָֽׁבֶט׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the stonesאֶ֫בֶן'eben · stoneH68
- shall be with the namesשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
- of the childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- twelveעָשָׂר‛âώâr · tenH6240
- twelveשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- the engravingsפִּתּוּחַpittûach pittûach · engravingH6603
- of a signetחֹתָםchôthâm chôthâm · signetH2368
- every oneאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- tribesשֵׁ֫בֶטshêbeţ · tribeH7626
Cross-references for Exodus 28:21
- Exodus 28:9“You are to take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel,
- 1 Kings 18:31Then Elijah took twelve stones, corresponding to the number of tribes that descended from Jacob, to whom the Lord had said, “Israel will be your new name.”
- Luke 22:30that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
- James 1:1From James, a slave of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes dispersed abroad. Greetings!
- Revelation 7:4Now I heard the number of those who were marked with the seal, one hundred and forty-four thousand, sealed from all the tribes of the people of Israel:
- Revelation 21:12It has a massive, high wall with twelve gates, with twelve angels at the gates, and the names of the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel are written on the gates.
Commentaries on Exodus 28:21
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-43Verses 1-43 (Compare Exodus 13:2; Numbers 3:12-13. Moses, as the divinely-appointed and acknowledged leader of the nation, had, on a special occasion, appointed those who were to offer sacrifice, and had himself sprinkled the consecrating blood of the victims on the people Exodus 24:5-6, Exodus 24:8. On the completion of the tabernacle, after Aaron and his sons had been called to the priesthood, he took chief part in the daily service of the sanctuary…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-30Verses 15-30 The chief ornament of the high priest, was the breastplate, a rich piece of cloth, curiously worked. The name of each tribe was graven in a precious stone, fixed in the breastplate, to signify how precious, in God's sight, believers are, and how honourable. How small and poor soever the tribe was, it was as a precious stone in the breastplate of the high priest; thus are all the saints dear to Christ, however men esteem them. The high priest…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-30The breastpiece receives more attention than any other item. This suggests the breastpiece was very important. The breastpiece symbolized the priest's representation of Israel (28:17–21, 29). It held the Urim and Thummim, objects through which God revealed his will (28:30). The high priest had two main tasks. First, he brought the people to God. He represented them before the Lord. Second, he brought God’s word to the people. He spoke to them on God’s…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-2915-29. thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work--a very splendid and richly embroidered piece of brocade, a span square, and doubled, to enable it the better to bear the weight of the precious stones in it. There were twelve different stones, containing each the name of a tribe, and arranged in four rows, three in each. The Israelites had acquired a knowledge of the lapidary's art in Egypt, and the amount of their skill in cutting…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 28:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 28
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries