Exodus 28:30

“You shall put in the breastpiece of judgment the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be on the heart of Aaron when he goes in before YHWH; and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the sons of Israel on his heart before YHWH continually.”

Exodus 28:30 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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With the Hebrew beneath

30

Exodus 28:30, word by word

You shall putנָתַתָּnatata

put

To place something somewhere.

Where else “natata” appears
the breastpieceחֹשֶׁןchoshen

breastpiece

Breastpiece: a square piece of cloth with twelve stones that the high priest wore on his chest (Exodus 28:15-30).

Where else “choshen” appears
of judgmentמִּשְׁפָּטmishpat

judgment

The decision a judge gives on a case.

Where else “mishpat” appears
the Urimאוּרִיםurim

Urim

Urim: "lights". With the Thummim, an object kept in the breastpiece by which God's decision was sought.

Where else “urim” appears
and the Thummimתֻּמִּיםtumim

Thummim

Thummim: "perfections". With the Urim, an object kept in the breastpiece by which God's decision was sought.

Where else “tumim” appears
and they shall beהָיוּhayu

be

To be: "I will be their Elohim".

Where else “hayu” appears
the heartלֵבlev

heart

The deepest part of a person: where they think, feel and decide.

Where else “lev” appears
of Aaronאַהֲרֹןaharon

Aaron

Aaron, the older brother of Moses, his spokesman before Pharaoh and the first high priest of Israel.

Where else “aharon” appears
when he goes inבֹאvo

enter

To go into a place.

Where else “vo” appears
beforeפְנֵיfene

presence

Literally "the face": being before someone, face to face.

Where else “fene” appears
YHWHיְהוָהyehva

YHWH

The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.

Where else “yehva” appears
shall bearנָשָׂאnasa

carry

To put something on oneself and carry it, on the shoulders or in the arms.

Where else “nasa” appears
of the sonsבְּנֵיbene

descendant

A descendant or member of a people: "sons of Israel".

Where else “bene” appears
of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyisrael

Israel

Israel, the new name Jacob received from God, explained as "you have striven with God" (Genesis 32:28); then the name of the people that came from him and, after the division, of the northern kingdom.

Where else “yisrael” appears
continuallyתָּמִידtamid

continually

Continually, always; what is done regularly and without interruption. As a noun, the regular daily offering.

Where else “tamid” appears

Translation note

The Urim and Thummim were objects kept in the breastpiece by which YHWH's decision was sought (Numbers 27:21); it is not known what they looked like.

The context

29Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgment on his heart when he goes into the Holy Place, as a memorial before YHWH continually.

30 · This verse (above)

31You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue.

Read all of Exodus 28

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