Why does Aaron carry Israel’s names on the ephod and rational, and what requirements accompany his ministry?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The names are a memorial before the Lord, borne on Aaron’s shoulders and breast. The chapter specifies the garments, their fastening and the placement of doctrine and truth, along with the sounding bells, the “Holy to the Lord” plate and linen coverings required for ministry.

Chapter breakdown

Why does Aaron carry Israel’s names on the ephod and rational, and what requirements accompany his ministry? The names are a memorial before the Lord, borne on Aaron’s shoulders and breast. The chapter specifies the garments, their fastening and the placement of doctrine and truth, along with the sounding bells, the “Holy to the Lord” plate and linen coverings required for ministry.

Moses is to take his brother Aaron and Aaron’s sons Nadab, Abiu, Eleazar and Ithamar from among Israel to serve the Lord as priests. Aaron’s holy clothing is for glory and beauty. Moses must speak to all the wise of heart whom God has filled with the spirit of wisdom, so they make the garments in which Aaron is consecrated and serves. The named garments are a rational, an ephod, a tunic, a close-fitting linen garment, a mitre and a girdle. Holy garments are to be made for Aaron and his sons for priestly service. The materials are gold, violet, purple, scarlet twice dyed and fine linen.

The ephod is gold, violet, purple, scarlet twice dyed and fine twisted linen, embroidered with different colours. Its two edges are joined at the top on both sides so they close together. Its workmanship and all the variety of its work use gold, violet, purple, scarlet twice dyed and fine twisted linen.

Two onyx stones are engraved with the names of Israel’s children, six on each stone in birth order. An engraver and jeweller’s work is used for the names; the stones are set in gold and surrounded by it. They go on both sides of the ephod as a memorial for Israel. Aaron bears the names before the Lord on both shoulders for remembrance. Gold hooks receive two small linked chains of the purest gold.

The rational of judgment follows the ephod’s workmanship: embroidered work in different colours, using gold, violet, purple, scarlet twice dyed and fine twisted linen.

Challoner’s note explains the rational as the part of the priest’s clothing worn on his breast. It says the name “rational of judgment” partly recalls priest and people’s duty to God, through the tribal names carried in his presence and the written Urim and Thummim, or doctrine and truth. It also says the rational gave divine answers and oracles, as if it had reason and judgment.

The rational is square and doubled, one span long and one span wide. Four rows of stones are set in gold. The first row has a sardius, topaz and emerald; the second a carbuncle, sapphire and jasper; the third a ligurius, agate and amethyst; the fourth a chrysolite, onyx and beryl. Each stone is engraved with one name, making twelve names according to Israel’s twelve tribes.

Linked chains of the purest gold are made on the rational. Two gold rings go at its two upper ends; the gold chains join to these rings. Their ends join with two hooks on both sides of the ephod toward the rational. Two more gold rings go in the rational’s top parts, in the borders opposite the ephod that face its back parts. Two further gold rings are set on the ephod’s sides beneath, toward the lower joining, to fit the rational to it. A violet band fastens the rational’s rings to the ephod’s rings so the worked joining holds and the two are not loosened from one another.

When Aaron enters the sanctuary, he bears Israel’s names on his breast in the rational of judgment as a memorial before the Lord forever. Doctrine and truth are to be put in it, upon Aaron’s breast when he goes before the Lord. He bears Israel’s judgment on his breast in the Lord’s sight always.

Challoner’s note gives the Hebrew names Urim and Thummim as “illuminations and perfections.” It says these words, written on the rational, seem to signify the light of doctrine and integrity of life with which God’s priests ought to approach him. The note’s “seem” remains part of its explanation.

The ephod’s tunic is entirely violet. Its head opening has a woven border like that made at garments’ outer edges, so it is not easily broken. Around its lower edge are shapes like pomegranates in violet, purple and scarlet twice dyed, with little bells between them: a gold bell and a pomegranate, then another gold bell and pomegranate. Aaron wears this tunic in ministry so its sound is heard when he enters and leaves the sanctuary before the Lord, and so he may not die.

A plate of the purest gold is engraved “Holy to the Lord.” It is tied with a violet band upon the mitre, hanging over the high priest’s forehead. Aaron bears the iniquities of the things Israel has offered and sanctified in all its gifts and offerings. The plate is always on his forehead so the Lord may be pleased with them.

Moses is to gird the tunic with fine linen and make a fine linen mitre and an embroidered girdle. For Aaron’s sons he prepares linen tunics, girdles and mitres for glory and beauty. He clothes Aaron and his sons with all these things, consecrates all their hands and sanctifies them for priestly service to the Lord.

Linen breeches cover their naked flesh from the reins, or waist, to the thighs. Aaron and his sons wear them when entering the tabernacle of the testimony or approaching the altar to minister in the sanctuary, lest they incur guilt and die. This is a lasting law for Aaron and his descendants.

The story inside

The chapter appoints Aaron and his named sons for priestly service, then describes the clothing to be made by those filled with wisdom. The ephod’s materials, embroidery and joined edges lead to two engraved onyx stones: Aaron carries six names on each shoulder as a remembrance. The rational has the same materials, twelve individually named stones in four rows, and chains, hooks, rings and a violet band that keep it joined to the ephod. Aaron carries the names and judgment on his breast before the Lord. Both Challoner notes are kept distinct: one explains the rational’s name and oracles; the other says the written Urim and Thummim seem to signify doctrine and integrity of life. The tunic’s alternating bells and pomegranates accompany the command about sound when Aaron enters and leaves. The gold forehead plate, linen garments and consecrated hands follow, ending with the breeches and the warning about guilt and death. These are commands and explanations, not a recorded account of the garments’ later manufacture. (Exodus 28:1–43.)

Lessons worth keeping

1
The engraved names have a stated memorial role. Six names on each onyx stone follow birth order and are borne on Aaron’s shoulders; twelve named stones are borne on his breast when he enters the sanctuary. The chapter calls this remembrance before the Lord. (28:9–12, 16–21, 29.)
2
The rational’s fastening has a stated purpose: it must not come loose from the ephod. The chapter names chains, hooks, ring positions and a violet band, while separately commanding doctrine and truth to be placed in it. Challoner’s explanation preserves the uncertainty that these words “seem” to signify doctrine and integrity of life. (28:22–30 and the note on verse 30.)
3
The ministry rules keep their actual occasions and consequences. The tunic’s bells sound when Aaron enters and leaves the sanctuary so he may not die. Aaron and his sons wear linen breeches when entering the tabernacle or approaching the altar, lest they incur guilt and die. (28:31–35, 42–43.)

Test your recall

Why are the names carried on Aaron’s shoulders and breast? As a remembrance and memorial before the Lord. Why does a violet band join the rational’s rings to the ephod’s? So the worked joining holds and the two do not loosen. Why is the tunic’s head opening bordered? So it is not easily broken. When must its sound be heard? When Aaron enters and leaves the sanctuary, so he may not die. Why is the forehead plate always worn?

Show answer

So the Lord may be pleased with Israel’s gifts and offerings. (28:12, 28–29, 32, 35, 38.)

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 8972–8975
Exodus Chapter 28 The holy vestments for Aaron and his sons.
Lines 8976–8994
28:1. Take unto thee also Aaron thy brother with his sons, from among the children of Israel, that they may minister to me in the priest’s office: Aaron, Nadab, and Abiu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 28:2. And thou shalt make a holy vesture for Aaron, thy brother, for glory and for beauty. 28:3. And thou shalt speak to all the wise of heart, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s vestments, in which he being consecrated, may minister to me. 28:4. And these shall be the vestments that they shall make: A rational and an ephod, a tunic and a strait linen garment, a mitre and a girdle. They shall make the holy vestments for thy brother Aaron and his sons, that they may do the office of priesthood unto me. 28:5. And they shall take gold, and violet, and purple, and scarlet twice dyed, and fine linen.
Lines 8995–9005
28:6. And they shall make the ephod of gold, and violet, and purple, and scarlet twice dyed, and fine twisted linen, embroidered with divers colours. 28:7. It shall have the two edges joined in the top on both sides, that they may be closed together. 28:8. The very workmanship also, and all the variety of the work, shall be of gold, and violet, and purple, and scarlet twice dyed, and fine twisted linen.
Lines 9006–9024
28:9. And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and shalt grave on them the names of the children of Israel: 28:10. Six names on one stone, and the other six on the other, according to the order of their birth. 28:11. With the work of an engraver, and the graving of a jeweller, thou shalt engrave them with the names of the children of Israel, set in gold and compassed about: 28:12. And thou shalt put them in both sides of the ephod, a memorial for the children of Israel. And Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord upon both shoulders, for a remembrance. 28:13. Thou shalt make also hooks of gold. 28:14. And two little chains of the purest gold, linked one to another, which thou shalt put into the hooks.
Lines 9025–9029
28:15. And thou shalt make the rational of judgment with embroidered work of divers colours, according to the workmanship of the ephod, of gold, violet, and purple, and scarlet twice dyed, and fine twisted linen.
Lines 9030–9037
The rational of judgment.... This part of the priest’s attire, which he wore at his breast, was called the rational of judgment; partly because it admonished both priest and people of their duty to God, by carrying the names of all their tribes in his presence; and by the Urim and the Thummim, that is, doctrine and truth, which were written upon it; and partly because it gave divine answers and oracles, as if it were rational and endowed with judgment.
Lines 9038–9054
28:16. It shall be four square and doubled: it shall be the measure of a span both in length and in breadth. 28:17. And thou shalt set in it four rows of stones . In the first row shall be a sardius stone, and a topaz, and an emerald: 28:18. In the second a carbuncle, a sapphire, and a jasper: 28:19. In the third a ligurius, an agate, and an amethyst: 28:20. In the fourth a chrysolite, an onyx, and a beryl. They shall be set in gold by their rows. 28:21. And they shall have the names of the children of Israel: with twelve names shall they be engraved, each stone with the name of one according to the twelve tribes.
Lines 9055–9080
28:22. And thou shalt make on the rational chains, linked one to another, of the purest gold: 28:23. And two rings of gold, which thou shalt put in the two ends at the top of the rational. 28:24. And the golden chains thou shalt join to the rings, that are in the ends thereof. 28:25. And the ends of the chains themselves, thou shalt join together with two hooks, on both sides of the ephod, which is towards the rational. 28:26. Thou shalt make also two rings of gold, which thou shalt put in the top parts of the rational, in the borders that are over against the ephod, and look towards the back parts thereof. 28:27. Moreover also other two rings of gold, which are to be set on each side of the ephod beneath, that looketh towards the nether joining, that the rational may be fitted with the ephod, 28:28. And may be fastened by the rings thereof unto the rings of the ephod with a violet fillet, that the joining artificially wrought may continue, and the rational and the ephod may not be loosed one from the other.
Lines 9081–9089
28:29. And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the rational of judgment upon his breast, when he shall enter into the sanctuary, a memorial before the Lord for ever. 28:30. And thou shalt put in the rational of judgment doctrine and truth, which shall be on Aaron’s breast, when he shall go in before the Lord: and he shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel on his breast, in the sight of the Lord always.
Lines 9090–9094
Doctrine and Truth.... Hebrew, Urim and Thummim: illuminations and perfections. These words, written on the rational, seem to signify the light of doctrine and the integrity of life, with which the priests of God ought to approach him.
Lines 9095–9111
28:31. And thou shalt make the tunic of the ephod all of violet, 28:32. In the midst whereof above shall be a hole for the head, and a border round about it woven, as is wont to be made in the outmost parts of garments, that it may not easily be broken. 28:33. And beneath at the feet of the same tunic, round about, thou shalt make as it were pomegranates, of violet, and purple, and scarlet twice dyed, with little bells set between: 28:34. So that there shall be a golden bell and a pomegranate, and again another golden bell and a pomegranate. 28:35. And Aaron shall be vested with it in the office of his ministry, that the sound may be heard, when he goeth in and cometh out of the sanctuary, in the sight of the Lord, and that he may not die.
Lines 9112–9123
28:36. Thou shalt make also a plate of the purest gold: wherein thou shalt grave with engraver’s work, Holy to the Lord. 28:37. And thou shalt tie it with a violet fillet, and it shall be upon the mitre, 28:38. Hanging over the forehead of the high priest. And Aaron shall bear the iniquities of those things, which the children of Israel have offered and sanctified, in all their gifts and offerings. And the plate shall be always on his forehead, that the Lord may be well pleased with them.
Lines 9124–9133
28:39. And thou shalt gird the tunic with fine linen, and thou shalt make a fine linen mitre, and a girdle of embroidered work. 28:40. Moreover, for the sons of Aaron thou shalt prepare linen tunics, and girdles and mitres for glory and beauty: 28:41. And with all these things thou shalt vest Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him. And thou shalt consecrate the hands of them all, and shalt sanctify them, that they may do the office of priesthood unto me.
Lines 9134–9142
28:42. Thou shalt make also linen breeches, to cover the flesh of their nakedness, from the reins to the thighs: 28:43. And Aaron and his sons shall use them when they shall go into the tabernacle of the testimony, or when they approach to the altar to minister in the sanctuary, lest being guilty of iniquity they die. It shall be a law for ever to Aaron, and to his seed after him.