² Make sacred garments^(A) for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor.^{(B) 3} Tell all the skilled workers^(C) to whom I have given wisdom^(D) in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his consecration, so he may serve me as priest. ⁴ These are the garments they are to make: a breastpiece,^(E) an ephod,^(F) a robe,^(G) a woven tunic,^(H) a turban^(I) and a sash. They are to make these sacred garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so they may serve me as priests. ⁵ Have them use gold, and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and fine linen.^(J)

The Ephod^(K)

⁶ “Make the ephod^(L) of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen—the work of skilled hands. ⁷ It is to have two shoulder pieces attached to two of its corners, so it can be fastened. ⁸ Its skillfully woven waistband^(M) is to be like it—of one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen.

⁹ “Take two onyx stones and engrave^(N) on them the names of the sons of Israel ¹⁰ in the order of their birth—six names on one stone and the remaining six on the other. ¹¹ Engrave the names of the sons of Israel on the two stones the way a gem cutter engraves a seal. Then mount the stones in gold filigree settings ¹² and fasten them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. Aaron is to bear the names on his shoulders^(O) as a memorial^(P) before the Lord. ¹³ Make gold filigree settings ¹⁴ and two braided chains of pure gold, like a rope, and attach the chains to the settings.

The Breastpiece^(Q)

¹⁵ “Fashion a breastpiece^(R) for making decisions—the work of skilled hands. Make it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. ¹⁶ It is to be square—a span^[a] long and a span wide—and folded double. ¹⁷ Then mount four rows of precious stones^(S) on it. The first row shall be carnelian, chrysolite^(T) and beryl; ¹⁸ the second row shall be turquoise, lapis lazuli and emerald; ¹⁹ the third row shall be jacinth, agate and amethyst; ²⁰ the fourth row shall be topaz, onyx and jasper.^[b] Mount them in gold filigree settings. ²¹ There are to be twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel,^(U) each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.^(V)

²² “For the breastpiece make braided chains of pure gold, like a rope. ²³ Make two gold rings for it and fasten them to two corners of the breastpiece. ²⁴ Fasten the two gold chains to the rings at the corners of the breastpiece, ²⁵ and the other ends of the chains to the two settings, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front. ²⁶ Make two gold rings and attach them to the other two corners of the breastpiece on the inside edge next to the ephod. ²⁷ Make two more gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod, close to the seam just above the waistband of the ephod. ²⁸ The rings of the breastpiece are to be tied to the rings of the ephod with blue cord, connecting it to the waistband, so that the breastpiece will not swing out from the ephod.

²⁹ “Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place,^(W) he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the Lord. ³⁰ Also put the Urim and the Thummim^(X) 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.

Other Priestly Garments^(Y)

³¹ “Make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth, ³² with an opening for the head in its center. There shall be a woven edge like a collar^[c] around this opening, so that it will not tear. ³³ Make pomegranates^(Z) of blue, purple and scarlet yarn around the hem of the robe, with gold bells between them. ³⁴ The gold bells and the pomegranates are to alternate around the hem of the robe. ³⁵ Aaron must wear it when he ministers. The sound of the bells will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the Lord and when he comes out, so that he will not die.

³⁶ “Make a plate^(AA) of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: holy to the Lord.^{(AB) 37} Fasten a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban; it is to be on the front of the turban. ³⁸ It will be on Aaron’s forehead, and he will bear the guilt^(AC) involved in the sacred gifts the Israelites consecrate, whatever their gifts may be. It will be on Aaron’s forehead continually so that they will be acceptable^(AD) to the Lord.

³⁹ “Weave the tunic^(AE) of fine linen and make the turban^(AF) of fine linen. The sash is to be the work of an embroiderer. ⁴⁰ Make tunics, sashes and caps for Aaron’s sons^(AG) to give them dignity and honor.^{(AH) 41} After you put these clothes^(AI) on your brother Aaron and his sons, anoint^(AJ) and ordain them. Consecrate them so they may serve me as priests.^(AK)

⁴² “Make linen undergarments^(AL) as a covering for the body, reaching from the waist to the thigh. ⁴³ Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the tent of meeting^(AM) or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place,^(AN) so that they will not incur guilt and die.^(AO)

“This is to be a lasting ordinance^(AP) for Aaron and his descendants.

The Priestly Garments

39 From the blue, purple and scarlet yarn^(A) they made woven garments for ministering in the sanctuary.^(B) They also made sacred garments^(C) for Aaron, as the Lord commanded Moses.

The Ephod^(D)

² They^[a] made the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. ³ They hammered out thin sheets of gold and cut strands to be worked into the blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen—the work of skilled hands. ⁴ They made shoulder pieces for the ephod, which were attached to two of its corners, so it could be fastened. ⁵ Its skillfully woven waistband was like it—of one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen, as the Lord commanded Moses.

⁶ They mounted the onyx stones in gold filigree settings and engraved them like a seal with the names of the sons of Israel. ⁷ Then they fastened them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial^(E) stones for the sons of Israel, as the Lord commanded Moses.

The Breastpiece^(F)

⁸ They fashioned the breastpiece^(G)—the work of a skilled craftsman. They made it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. ⁹ It was square—a span^[b] long and a span wide—and folded double. ¹⁰ Then they mounted four rows of precious stones on it. The first row was carnelian, chrysolite and beryl; ¹¹ the second row was turquoise, lapis lazuli and emerald; ¹² the third row was jacinth, agate and amethyst; ¹³ the fourth row was topaz, onyx and jasper.^[c] They were mounted in gold filigree settings. ¹⁴ There were 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.^(H)

¹⁵ For the breastpiece they made braided chains of pure gold, like a rope. ¹⁶ They made two gold filigree settings and two gold rings, and fastened the rings to two of the corners of the breastpiece. ¹⁷ They fastened the two gold chains to the rings at the corners of the breastpiece, ¹⁸ and the other ends of the chains to the two settings, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front. ¹⁹ They made two gold rings and attached them to the other two corners of the breastpiece on the inside edge next to the ephod. ²⁰ Then they made two more gold rings and attached them to the bottom of the shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod, close to the seam just above the waistband of the ephod. ²¹ They tied the rings of the breastpiece to the rings of the ephod with blue cord, connecting it to the waistband so that the breastpiece would not swing out from the ephod—as the Lord commanded Moses.

Other Priestly Garments^(I)

²² They made the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth—the work of a weaver— ²³ with an opening in the center of the robe like the opening of a collar,^[d] and a band around this opening, so that it would not tear. ²⁴ They made pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen around the hem of the robe. ²⁵ And they made bells of pure gold and attached them around the hem between the pomegranates. ²⁶ The bells and pomegranates alternated around the hem of the robe to be worn for ministering, as the Lord commanded Moses.

²⁷ For Aaron and his sons, they made tunics of fine linen^(J)—the work of a weaver— ²⁸ and the turban^(K) of fine linen, the linen caps and the undergarments of finely twisted linen. ²⁹ The sash was made of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn—the work of an embroiderer—as the Lord commanded Moses.

¹⁰ The priest shall then put on his linen clothes,^(A) with linen undergarments next to his body,^(B) and shall remove the ashes^(C) of the burnt offering that the fire has consumed on the altar and place them beside the altar.

¹¹ Then he is to take off these clothes and put on others, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a place that is ceremonially clean.^(A)

¹³ Then he brought Aaron’s sons^(A) forward, put tunics^(B) on them, tied sashes around them and fastened caps on them, as the Lord commanded Moses.^(C)

¹⁷ “‘When they enter the gates of the inner court, they are to wear linen clothes;^(A) they must not wear any woolen garment while ministering at the gates of the inner court or inside the temple. ¹⁸ They are to wear linen turbans^(B) on their heads and linen undergarments^(C) around their waists. They must not wear anything that makes them perspire.^{(D) 19} When they go out into the outer court where the people are, they are to take off the clothes they have been ministering in and are to leave them in the sacred rooms, and put on other clothes, so that the people are not consecrated^(E) through contact with their garments.^(F)

²⁰ “‘They must not shave^(G) their heads or let their hair grow long, but they are to keep the hair of their heads trimmed.^{(H) 21} No priest is to drink wine when he enters the inner court.^{(I) 22} They must not marry widows or divorced women; they may marry only virgins of Israelite descent or widows of priests.^{(J) 23} They are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common^(K) and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean.^(L)

²⁴ “‘In any dispute, the priests are to serve as judges^(M) and decide it according to my ordinances. They are to keep my laws and my decrees for all my appointed festivals,^(N) and they are to keep my Sabbaths holy.^(O)

²⁵ “‘A priest must not defile himself by going near a dead person; however, if the dead person was his father or mother, son or daughter, brother or unmarried sister, then he may defile himself.^{(P) 26} After he is cleansed, he must wait seven days.^{(Q) 27} On the day he goes into the inner court of the sanctuary^(R) to minister in the sanctuary, he is to offer a sin offering^[a](S) for himself, declares the Sovereign Lord.

²⁸ “‘I am to be the only inheritance^(T) the priests have. You are to give them no possession in Israel; I will be their possession. ²⁹ They will eat^(U) the grain offerings, the sin offerings and the guilt offerings; and everything in Israel devoted^[b] to the Lord^(V) will belong to them.^{(W) 30} The best of all the firstfruits^(X) and of all your special gifts will belong to the priests. You are to give them the first portion of your ground meal^(Y) so that a blessing^(Z) may rest on your household.^{(AA) 31} The priests must not eat anything, whether bird or animal, found dead^(AB) or torn by wild animals.^(AC)