Study Desk

Make priestly garments for your brother Aaron, to provide him with dignity and beauty.

Tell them to make a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, an embroidered shirt, a turban, and a sash. They are to make these priestly garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so that they can serve me as priests.

"Make a breastpiece for the High Priest to use in determining God's will. It is to be made of the same materials as the ephod and with similar embroidery.

For the breastpiece make chains of pure gold, twisted like cords.

Put the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece, so that Aaron will carry them when he comes into my holy presence. At such times he must always wear this breastpiece, so that he can determine my will for the people of Israel.

It is to have a hole for the head, and this hole is to be reinforced with a woven binding to keep it from tearing.

"Make shirts, sashes, and caps for Aaron's sons, to provide them with dignity and beauty.

Make linen shorts for them, reaching from the waist to the thighs, so that they will not expose themselves.

Aaron and his sons must always wear them when they go into the Tent of my presence or approach the altar to serve as priests in the Holy Place, so that they will not be killed for exposing themselves. This is a permanent rule for Aaron and his descendants.

"Take the other ram—the ram used for dedication—and tell Aaron and his sons to put their hands on its head.

"When a priest is ordained, the breast and the thigh of the ram being used for the ordination are to be dedicated to me as a special gift and set aside for the priests.

"Aaron's priestly garments are to be handed on to his sons after his death, for them to wear when they are ordained.

The son of Aaron who succeeds him as priest and who goes into the Tent of my presence to serve in the Holy Place is to wear these garments for seven days.

"Take the meat of the ram used for the ordination of Aaron and his sons and boil it in a holy place.

If some of the meat or some of the bread is not eaten by morning, it is to be burned; it is not to be eaten, for it is sacred.

"Perform the rites of ordination for Aaron and his sons for seven days exactly as I have commanded you.

Do this every day for seven days. Then the altar will be completely holy, and anyone or anything that touches it will be harmed by the power of its holiness.

"Every day for all time to come, sacrifice on the altar two one-year-old lambs.

For all time to come, this burnt offering is to be offered in my presence at the entrance of the Tent of my presence. That is where I will meet my people and speak to you.

"Make an altar out of acacia wood, for burning incense.