Bible Strands
Exodus 28:29
Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he shall bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of judgment, as a continual reminder before the LORD.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The instruction is given to Moses for Aaron and his sons during the consecration of the high priestly garments. Aaron is commanded to wear the breastpiece whenever he enters the Holy Place to minister before the LORD.
The words — The Hebrew verb נָשָׂא (na.Sa') means "he will bear" or "carry," and חֹשֶׁן הַמִּשְׁפָּט (Cho.shen ha.mish.Pat) translates literally to "breastpiece of judgment." These terms anchor the physical garment to its function of carrying a representative burden.
The thread — This carrying motif parallels the memorial stones on the ephod's shoulder pieces (Exodus 28:12) and the placement of the Urim and Thummim within the same breastpiece (Exodus 28:30). The pattern of bearing Israel before God extends into prophetic imagery of divine remembrance in Isaiah 49:15.
Why it lands — The text requires a tangible object to function as a continual reminder before God, establishing a physical mechanism for priestly intercession. It demands that representation and judgment be visibly carried into the sanctuary rather than treated as abstract concepts.
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
King James Version
And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually.
Cross-references
- Exodus 28:12 Fasten both stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. Aaron is to bear their names on his two shoulders as a memorial before the LORD.
- Exodus 28:30 And place the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece of judgment, so that they will also be over Aaron’s heart whenever he comes before the LORD. Aaron will continually carry the judgment of the sons of Israel over his heart before the LORD.
- Isaiah 49:15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the son of her womb? Even if she could forget, I will not forget you!
- Jeremiah 30:21 Their leader will be one of their own, and their ruler will arise from their midst. And I will bring him near, and he will approach Me, for who would dare on his own to approach Me?” declares the LORD.
- Romans 10:1 Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is for their salvation.
- Exodus 28:15 You are also to make a breastpiece of judgment with the same workmanship as the ephod. Construct it with gold, with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and with finely spun linen.
- Song of Solomon 8:6 Set me as a seal over your heart, as a seal upon your arm. For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as unrelenting as Sheol. Its sparks are fiery flames, the fiercest blaze of all.