Limitless Word
and the second row a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond;
Exodus 28:18 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB and the second row a turquoise, a sapphire, and an emerald;
  • KJV And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.
  • BSB in the second row a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond;
  • NKJV the second row shall be a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond;
  • NLT The second row will contain a turquoise, a blue lapis lazuli, and a white moonstone.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

The second row held a turquoise, a sapphire, and an emerald, three more gemstones for three more tribes. Each tribe was uniquely and preciously represented.

Overview

This continues the four rows of stones, each bearing a tribal name like a signet. The variety and beauty of the gems reflect both the unity and distinctness of God's people. As with all the stones, they testify that every tribe was carried before God upon the priest's heart.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 11

  • Job 28:6Sapphires come from its rocks. It has dust of gold.
  • Jer 17:1“The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond. It is engraved on the tablet of their heart, and on the horns of your altars.
  • Exod 39:11and the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire, and an emerald;
  • Rev 4:3that looked like a jasper stone and a sardius. There was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald to look at.
  • Ezek 28:13You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz, emerald, chrysolite, onyx, jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and beryl. Gold work of tambourines and of pipes was in you. In the day that you were created they were prepared.
  • Song 5:14His hands are like rings of gold set with beryl. His body is like ivory work overlaid with sapphires.
  • Exod 24:10They saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was like a paved work of sapphire stone, like the skies for clearness.
  • Ezek 10:1Then I looked, and see, in the expanse that was over the head of the cherubim there appeared above them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.
  • Ezek 27:16Syria was your merchant by reason of the multitude of your handiworks: they traded for your wares with emeralds, purple, and embroidered work, and fine linen, and coral, and rubies.
  • Ezek 1:26Above the expanse that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and on the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man on it above.
  • Job 28:16It can’t be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (6)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Exodus videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Exodus 28:18YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ExodusMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.

How Exodus 28:18 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.