Study Desk

"You shall command the Israelites to provide you with clear oil of beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually [every night].

"You are to make sacred garments [official clothing reserved for holy services] for Aaron your brother, for honor and for beauty (ornamentation).

"Tell all the skilled and talented people whom I have endowed with a spirit of wisdom, that they are to make Aaron's garments to sanctify him and set him apart to serve as a priest for Me.

"These are the garments which they shall make: a breastpiece and an ephod [for the breastpiece] and a robe and a tunic of checkered work, a turban, and a sash. They shall make sacred garments for Aaron your brother and his sons, so that he may serve as a priest to Me.

"You shall put the two stones on the [two] shoulder pieces of the ephod [of the high priest], as memorial stones for Israel; and Aaron shall bear their names on his two shoulders as a memorial before the LORD.

"The [engraved] stones shall be twelve, according to the names of [the twelve tribes of] the sons of Israel; they shall be like the engravings of a signet, each with its name for the twelve tribes.

"You shall make for the breastpiece chains of pure gold twisted like cords.

"In the breastpiece of judgment you shall put the Urim (Lights) and the Thummim (Perfections) [to be used for determining God's will in a matter]. They shall be over Aaron's heart whenever he goes before the LORD, and Aaron shall always carry the judgment (verdict, judicial decisions) of the sons of Israel over his heart before the LORD.

"There shall be an opening at its top in the center [for the head], with a binding of woven work around the opening, like the opening in a coat of armor, so that it will not tear or fray.

"For Aaron's sons you shall make tunics and sashes and [ornamental] caps, for glory and honor and beauty.

"You shall make for them [white] linen undergarments to cover their bare flesh, reaching from the waist to the thighs.

"Then you shall take some of the blood that is on the altar and some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and their garments. Now Aaron and his garments and his sons and their garments shall be consecrated (dedicated, made holy, declared sacred for God's purpose).

"You shall also take the fat of the ram, the fat tail, the fat that covers the intestines, the lobe of the liver, the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and the right thigh; (for it is a ram of ordination),

"Then you shall take them from their hands, add them to the burnt offering, and burn them on the altar for a sweet and soothing aroma before the LORD; it is an offering by fire to the LORD.

"You shall consecrate the waved breast offering [of the ram] used in the ordination and the waved thigh offering of the priests' portion, since it is [a contribution] for Aaron and for his sons.

"It shall be for Aaron and his sons as their due portion from the Israelites forever, for it is a heave offering. It shall be a heave offering to the LORD from the Israelites from the sacrifices of their peace offerings.

"The holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him, to be anointed and ordained in them.

"That son who is [high] priest in his place shall put them on [each day for] seven days when he comes into the Tent of Meeting to minister in the Holy Place.

"You shall offer a bull every day as a sin offering for atonement. You shall cleanse the altar from sin when you make atonement for it, and you shall anoint it to consecrate it [for God's sacred purpose].

"For seven days you shall make atonement for the altar [of burnt offering] and consecrate it; then the altar shall be most holy. Whatever touches the altar must be holy (set apart for God's service).