Exodus 28:21

The twelve stones are to correspond to the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God instructs Moses on Mount Sinai regarding the construction of the high priest's garments, specifically detailing the placement and engraving of the twelve stones for the breastpiece.

The words — The Hebrew phrase שְׁמֹת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל (shemot benei-Yisra'el) literally means "names of the sons of Israel," directly linking each stone to a specific tribal patriarch rather than a symbolic concept.

The thread — This twelve-tribe correspondence reappears in Revelation 7:4 and Revelation 21:12, where sealed servants and city gates bear the same tribal names, and echoes Elijah's twelve-stone altar in 1 Kings 18:31.

Why it lands — The text commands precise identification of each tribe on the priestly vestments, requiring the reader to recognize that sacred representation demands exact, unadulterated correspondence rather than symbolic substitution.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְ֠הָאֲבָנִיםVe./ha./'a.va.nimand/ the/ stones תִּֽהְיֶ֜יןָtih.Yei.nathey will be עַל־'al-on שְׁמֹ֧תshe.Mot[the] names of בְּנֵֽי־be.nei-[the] sons of יִשְׂרָאֵ֛לYis.ra.'ElIsrael שְׁתֵּ֥יםshe.Teimtwo [plus]עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה'es.Rehten עַל־'al-on שְׁמֹתָ֑םshe.mo.Ta/mnames/ their פִּתּוּחֵ֤יpi.tu.Chei[the] engravings of חוֹתָם֙cho.Tama seal אִ֣ישׁ'isheach one עַל־'al-on שְׁמ֔וֹshe.M/oname/ its תִּֽהְיֶ֕יןָtih.Yei.nathey will be לִשְׁנֵ֥יli/sh.Neifor/ [the] two [plus]עָשָׂ֖ר'a.Sarten שָֽׁבֶט׃Sha.vettribe[s]

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Revelation 7:4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed, 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel:
Revelation 21:12 The city had a great and high wall with twelve gates inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, and twelve angels at the gates.
1 Kings 18:31 And Elijah took twelve stones, one for each tribe of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come and said, “Israel shall be your name.”
Luke 22:30 so that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
James 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes of the Dispersion: Greetings.