Bezalel made the chestpiece with great skill and care. He made it to match the ephod, using finely woven linen embroidered with gold and with blue, purple, and scarlet thread.
Parallel translations
- WEB He made the breastplate, the work of a skillful workman, like the work of the ephod; of gold, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen.
- KJV And he made the breastplate of cunning work, like the work of the ephod; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.
- BSB He made the breastpiece with the same workmanship as the ephod, with gold, with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and with finely spun linen.
- NKJV And he made the breastplate, artistically woven like the workmanship of the ephod, of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and of fine woven linen.
- NASB And he made the breastpiece, the work of a skilled embroiderer, like the workmanship of the ephod: of gold and of violet, purple, and scarlet material and fine twisted linen.
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
They made the breastplate with the same fine workmanship as the ephod, of gold and colored linen. It was the priest's most ornate piece.
Overview
The breastplate was a richly woven pouch worn over the priest's heart, matching the ephod in materials and artistry. It would hold the twelve gemstones representing Israel and, likely, the Urim and Thummim for discerning God's will. Worn over the heart, it symbolized the priest carrying the people in love before God, as Christ holds His people on His heart.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Exod 28:4These are the garments which they shall make: a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a coat of checker work, a turban, and a sash: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, and his sons, that he may minister to me in the priest’s office.
- Eph 6:14Stand therefore, having the utility belt of truth buckled around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
- Isa 59:17He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head. He put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a mantle.
- Exod 28:13–29You shall make settings of gold,
- Lev 8:8–9He placed the breastplate on him; and in the breastplate he put the Urim and the Thummim.
- Ps 89:28I will keep my loving kindness for him forever more. My covenant will stand firm with him.
- Exod 25:7onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod and for the breastplate.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
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 39:8 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.