Exodus 28
1 Applica quoque ad te Aaron fratrem tuum cum filiis suis de medio filiorum Israel, ut sacerdotio fungantur mihi: Aaron, Nadab, et Abiu, Eleazar, et Ithamar.
“Summon your [older] brother Aaron and his sons—Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. ([Set them apart/They are the ones whom I have chosen]) from [the rest of] the Israeli people, in order that they can serve me [by being] priests.
2 Faciesque vestem sanctam Aaron fratri tuo in gloriam et decorem.
[Tell the people to] make beautiful clothes for Aaron, clothes that are [suitable for one who] has this dignified and sacred [work].
3 Et loqueris cunctis sapientibus corde, quos replevi spiritu prudentiae, ut faciant vestes Aaron, in quibus sanctificatus ministret mihi.
Talk to all the skilled workmen, those to whom I have given special ability. [Tell them] to make clothes for Aaron, for him to wear when he is (set apart/dedicated) [to become] a priest to serve me.
4 Haec autem erunt vestimenta quae faciet: Rationale, et superhumerale, tunicam et lineam strictam, cidarim et balteum. Facient vestimenta sancta fratri tuo Aaron et filiis eius, ut sacerdotio fungantur mihi.
These are the clothes that they are to make: A sacred pouch for Aaron to wear over his chest, a sacred apron, a robe, an embroidered tunic/gown, a (turban/cloth to wrap around his head), and a sash/waistband. These are the clothes that your [older] brother Aaron and his sons must wear as they serve me [by doing the work that] priests do.
5 Accipientque aurum, et hyacinthum, et purpuram, coccumque bis tinctum, et byssum.
The skilled workmen must use fine linen and blue, purple, and red yarn/thread to make these clothes.”
6 Facient autem superhumerale de auro et hyacintho et purpura, coccoque bis tincto, et bysso retorta, opere polymito.
“The skilled workmen must make the sacred apron from fine linen, and skillfully embroider it with blue, purple, and red yarn/thread.
7 Duas oras iunctas habebit in utroque latere summitatum, ut in unum redeant.
It must have two shoulder straps, to join the front part to the back part.
8 Ipsa quoque textura et cuncta operis varietas erit ex auro et hyacintho, et purpura, coccoque bis tincto, et bysso retorta.
A carefully-woven sash, which must be made from the same materials as the sacred apron, must be [sewn] onto the sacred apron.
9 Sumesque duos lapides onychinos, et sculpes in eis nomina filiorum Israel:
[A skilled workman] must take two [expensive] onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the twelve sons of Jacob.
10 sex nomina in lapide uno, et sex reliqua in altero, iuxta ordinem nativitatis eorum.
He must engrave the names in the order in which Jacob’s sons were born. He must engrave six names on one stone, and the other six names on the other stone.
11 Opere sculptoris et caelatura gemmarii, sculpes eos nominibus filiorum Israel, inclusos auro atque circumdatos:
A gem-cutter should engrave these names on the stones. Then he should enclose the stones in (settings/tiny gold frames).
12 et pones in utroque latere superhumeralis, memoriale filiis Israel. Portabitque Aaron nomina eorum coram Domino super utrumque humerum, ob recordationem.
Then he should fasten the stones onto the shoulder straps [of the sacred apron], to represent the twelve Israeli tribes. In that way, Aaron will carry the names of the tribes on his shoulders in order that [I], Yahweh, will never forget [my people] (OR, in order that [he will always] remember that [those tribes belong to] Yahweh).
13 Facies et uncinos ex auro,
The settings for the stones must be made from gold.
14 et duas catenulas auri purissimi sibi invicem cohaerentes, quas inseres uncinis.
[Tell them to] make two tiny chains that are braided like cords, and fasten the chains to the settings.”
15 Rationale quoque iudicii facies opere polymito iuxta texturam superhumeralis ex auro, hyacintho, et purpura, coccoque bis tincto, et bysso retorta.
“[Tell the skilled workman to] make a sacred pouch for Aaron to wear over his chest. [He will use the things he puts into the pouch] to determine [my answers to the questions he asks]. It must be made of the same materials as the sacred apron, and embroidered in the same way.
16 Quadrangulum erit et duplex: mensuram palmi habebit tam in longitudine quam in latitudine.
It is to be square, and the material must be folded double, so that it is (9 in./22 cm.) on each side.
17 Ponesque in eo quattuor ordines lapidum: in primo versu erit lapis sardius, et topazius, et smaragdus:
[The skilled workman must] fasten four rows of valuable stones onto the pouch. In the first row he must put a [red] ruby, a [yellow] topaz, and a [red] garnet.
18 in secundo carbunculus, sapphirus, et iaspis:
In the second row he must put a [green] emerald, a [blue] sapphire, and a [clear/white] diamond.
19 in tertio ligurius, achates, et amethystus:
In the third row he must put a [red] jacinth, a [white] agate, and a [purple] amethyst.
20 in quarto chrysolithus, onychinus, et beryllus. inclusi auro erunt per ordines suos.
In the fourth row he must put a [yellow] beryl, a [red] carnelian, and a [green] jasper.
21 Habebuntque nomina filiorum Israel: duodecim nominibus caelabuntur, singuli lapides nominibus singulorum per duodecim tribus.
A gem-cutter should engrave on each of these twelve stones the name of one of the sons of Jacob. These names will represent the twelve Israeli tribes.
22 Facies in rationali catenas sibi invicem cohaerentes ex auro purissimo:
The two [chains] that are made from pure gold and braided like cords are for [attaching] the sacred pouch [to the sacred apron].
23 et duos annulos aureos, quos pones in utraque rationalis summitate:
[The workman must] make two gold rings, and attach them to the upper corners of the sacred pouch.
24 catenasque aureas iunges annulis, qui sunt in marginibus eius:
[He must make] two gold cords, and fasten one end of each cord to one of the rings.
25 et ipsarum catenarum extrema duobus copulabis uncinis in utroque latere superhumeralis quod rationale respicit.
He must fasten the other end of each cord to the two settings [that enclose the stones]. In that way, the sacred pouch will be attached to the shoulder straps of the sacred apron.
26 Facies et duos annulos aureos, quos pones in summitatibus rationalis, in oris, quae e regione sunt superhumeralis, et posteriora eius aspiciunt.
Then [he must] make two more gold rings, and attach them to the lower corners of the sacred pouch, on the inside edges, next to the sacred apron.
27 Nec non et alios duos annulos aureos, qui ponendi sunt in utroque latere superhumeralis deorsum, quod respicit contra faciem iuncturae inferioris, ut aptari possit cum superhumerali,
[He must] make two more gold rings, and attach them to the lower part of the front of the shoulder straps, near to where [the shoulder straps] are joined [to the sacred apron], just above the carefully-woven sash/waistband.
28 et stringatur rationale annulis suis cum annulis superhumeralis vitta hyacinthina, ut maneat iunctura fabrefacta, et a seinvicem rationale et superhumerale nequeant separari.
The skilled workman must tie the rings on the sacred pouch to the rings on the sacred apron with a blue cord, so that the sacred pouch is above the sash/waistband and does not come loose from the sacred apron.
29 Portabitque Aaron nomina filiorum Israel in rationali iudicii super pectus suum, quando ingredietur Sanctuarium, memoriale coram Domino in aeternum.
In that way, Aaron will have the names of the twelve Israeli tribes in the sacred pouch close to his chest when he enters the Holy Place. This will remind him that I, Yahweh, [will never forget my people] (OR, [that he represents my people when he talks to me, Yahweh]).
30 Pones autem in rationali iudicii Doctrinam et Veritatem, quae erunt in pectore Aaron, quando ingredietur coram Domino: et gestabit iudicium filiorum Israel in pectore suo, in conspectu Domini semper.
Put into the sacred pouch the two things that the priest will use to determine my answers to the questions he asks. In that way, they will be close to his chest when he enters [the Holy Place to talk] to me. He will use them to find out what is my will for the Israeli people.”
31 Facies et tunicam superhumeralis totam hyacinthinam,
“[Tell the workmen to] use only blue [cloth] to make the robe that is to be worn underneath the priest’s sacred apron.
32 in cuius medio supra erit capitium, et ora per gyrum eius textilis, sicut fieri solet in extremis vestium partibus, ne facile rumpatur.
It is to have an opening through which [the priest] can put his head. They must sew a border around this opening, to keep the material from tearing.
33 Deorsum vero, ad pedes eiusdem tunicae, per circuitum, quasi mala punica facies, ex hyacintho, et purpura, et cocco bis tincto, mistis in medio tintinnabulis,
At the lower edge on the robe, they must fasten [decorations that look like] pomegranate fruit. They must be [woven from] blue, purple, and red yarn/thread.
34 ita ut tintinnabulum sit aureum et malum punicum: rursumque tintinnabulum aliud aureum et malum punicum.
Between each of these decorations, they must fasten a tiny gold bell.
35 Et vestietur ea Aaron in officio ministerii, ut audiatur sonitus quando ingreditur et egreditur Sanctuarium in conspectu Domini, et non moriatur.
When Aaron enters the Holy Place [in the Sacred Tent] to do his work as a priest and when he leaves the Sacred Tent, the bells will ring [as he walks]. As a result, he will not die [because of disobeying my instructions].
36 Facies et laminam de auro purissimo: in qua sculpes opere caelatoris, Sanctum Domino.
“[Tell them to] make a tiny ornament of pure gold, and tell a (skilled workman/gem-cutter) to engrave on it the words, ‘Dedicated to Yahweh.’
37 Ligabisque eam vitta hyacinthina, et erit super tiaram,
They should fasten this ornament to the front of the turban by a blue cord.
38 imminens fronti pontificis. Portabitque Aaron iniquitates eorum, quae obtulerunt et sanctificaverunt filii Israel, in cunctis muneribus et donariis suis. Erit autem lamina semper in fronte eius, ut placatus sit ei Dominus.
Aaron must always wear this on his forehead. In that way, Aaron himself will show [that he accepts] the guilt if the Israeli people offer [their sacrifices] to me in a way that is not correct, and I, Yahweh, will accept their sacrifices.
39 Stringesque tunicam bysso, et tiaram byssinam facies, et balteum opere plumarii.
“[Tell them to] weave the long-sleeved tunic/gown from fine linen. Also, they must make from fine linen a turban and a sash/waistband, and embroider [designs on it].
40 Porro filiis Aaron tunicas lineas parabis et balteos ac tiaras in gloriam et decorem:
“[Tell them to] make beautiful long-sleeved tunics/gowns, sashes, and caps for Aaron’s sons. Make ones that will be suitable for those who have this dignified work.
41 vestiesque his omnibus Aaron fratrem tuum et filios eius cum eo. Et cunctorum consecrabis manus, sanctificabisque illos, ut sacerdotio fungantur mihi.
Put these clothes on your [older] brother Aaron and on his sons. Then (set them apart/dedicate them) for this work by anointing them [with olive oil], in order that they may serve me [by being] priests.
42 Facies et feminalia linea, ut operiant carnem turpitudinis suae, a renibus usque ad femora:
Also [tell them to] make linen undershorts for them. The undershorts should extend from their waists to their thighs, in order that no one can see their private parts.
43 et utentur eis Aaron et filii eius quando ingredientur tabernaculum testimonii, vel quando appropinquant ad altare ut ministrent in sanctuario, ne iniquitatis rei moriantur. Legitimum sempiternum erit Aaron, et semini eius post eum.
Aaron and his sons must always wear those undershorts when they enter the Sacred Tent or when they come near to the altar to offer sacrifices in the Holy Place. If they do not obey this command, I will cause them to die. Aaron and all his male descendants must obey this rule forever.”
