New English Translation
Exodus 28:30
30“You are to put the Urim and the Thummim into the breastpiece of decision; and they are to be over Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the Lord. Aaron is to bear the decisions of the Israelites over his heart before the Lord continually.
Exodus 28:30 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart, when he goeth in before the Lord: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the Lord continually.
- New International Version (NIV)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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And 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 people of Israel on his heart before the Lord regularly.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And you shall put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be over Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the Lord. So Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel over his heart before the Lord continually.
Context of Exodus 28:30
28They are to tie the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod by blue cord, so that it may be above the waistband of the ephod, and so that the breastpiece will not be loose from the ephod. 29Aaron will bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of decision over his heart when he goes into the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually. “You are to put the Urim and the Thummim into the breastpiece of decision; and they are to be over Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the Lord. Aaron is to bear the decisions of the Israelites over his heart before the Lord continually. 31“You are to make the robe of the ephod completely blue. 32There is to be an opening in its top in the center of it, with an edge all around the opening, the work of a weaver, like the opening of a collar, so that it cannot be torn.
Read all of Exodus 28Exodus 28:30 word by word
וְנָתַתָּ֞ אֶל־חֹ֣שֶׁן הַמִּשְׁפָּ֗ט אֶת־הָאוּרִים֙ וְאֶת־הַתֻּמִּ֔ים וְהָיוּ֙ עַל־לֵ֣ב אַהֲרֹ֔ן בְּבֹא֖וֹ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וְנָשָׂ֣א אַ֠הֲרֹן אֶת־מִשְׁפַּ֨ט בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל עַל־לִבּ֛וֹ לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה תָּמִֽיד׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And thou shalt putנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
- in the breastplateחֹ֫שֶׁןchôshen · breastpieceH2833
- of judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: judgementH4941
- the Urimאוּרִים'ûrîym · UrimH224
- and the Thummimתֻּמִּיםtûmmîym · ThummimH8550
- and they shall be upon Aaron’sאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
- heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- when he goethבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- in beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- shall bearנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: bearH5375
- of the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- continuallyתָּמִידtâmîyd · continuallyH8548
Cross-references for Exodus 28:30
- Exodus 39:8He made the breastpiece, the work of an artistic designer, in the same fashion as the ephod, of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet, and fine twisted linen.
- Exodus 8:8Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Pray to the Lord that he may take the frogs away from me and my people, and I will release the people that they may sacrifice to the Lord.”
- Leviticus 8:8He then set the breastpiece on him and put the Urim and Thummim into the breastpiece.
- Numbers 27:21And he will stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek counsel for him before the Lord by the decision of the Urim. At his command they will go out, and at his command they will come in, he and all the Israelites with him, the whole community.”
- Deuteronomy 33:8Of Levi he said: Your Thummim and Urim belong to your godly one, whose authority you challenged at Massah, and with whom you argued at the waters of Meribah.
- Judges 1:1After Joshua died, the Israelites asked the Lord, “Who should lead the invasion against the Canaanites and launch the attack?”
- Judges 20:18The Israelites went up to Bethel and asked God, “Who should lead the charge against the Benjaminites?” The Lord said, “Judah should lead.”
- 1 Samuel 23:9When David realized that Saul was planning to harm him, he told Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod!”
- 1 Samuel 28:6So Saul inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him – not by dreams nor by Urim nor by the prophets.
- 1 Samuel 30:7Then David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David.
- Ezra 2:63The governor instructed them not to eat any of the sacred food until there was a priest who could consult the Urim and Thummim.
- Nehemiah 7:65The governor instructed them not to eat any of the sacred food until there was a priest who could consult the Urim and Thummim.
- Zechariah 6:13Indeed, he will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed in splendor, sitting as king on his throne. Moreover, there will be a priest with him on his throne and they will see eye to eye on everything.
- 2 Corinthians 6:11We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart has been opened wide to you.
- 2 Corinthians 7:3I do not say this to condemn you, for I told you before that you are in our hearts so that we die together and live together with you.
- 2 Corinthians 12:15Now I will most gladly spend and be spent for your lives! If I love you more, am I to be loved less?
Commentaries on Exodus 28:30
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 30Thou shalt put in the breastplate - the Urim and the Thummim - What these were has, I believe, never yet been discovered. They are nowhere described. There is no direction given to Moses or any other how to make them. Whatever they were, they do not appear to have been made on this occasion. If they were the work of man at all, they must have been the articles in the ancient tabernacle, matters used by the patriarchs, and not here particularly described…Read the comment
- 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. 30the Urim and Thummim: These are Hebrew terms that might translate as lights [or curses] and perfections. These objects were likely two stones. The priest used them to receive a yes-or-no answer from God. The Bible does not describe what these stones looked like. Other passages further explain their use (see Numbers 27:21; Deuteronomy 33:8; 1 Samuel 28:6; Ezra 2:63; and Nehemiah 7:65).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3030. thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and Thummim--The words signify "lights" and "perfections"; and nothing more is meant than the precious stones of the breastplate already described (compare Ex 39:8-21; Le 8:8). They received the name because the bearing of them qualified the high priest to consult the divine oracle on all public or national emergencies, by going into the holy place--standing close before the veil and putting his…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 28:30
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
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