And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD upon his two shoulders for a memorial.
You must place the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the people of Israel. Aaron will carry their names before the LORD on his two shoulders as a remembrance.
God is instructing that the high priest should wear stones engraved with the names of Israel's tribes on his shoulders, symbolically carrying the people before God in prayer and worship.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Exodus, God is giving Moses detailed instructions for the construction of the Tabernacle and the garments for the priests, as the Israelites were preparing for worship in the wilderness after their deliverance from Egypt. This verse specifically addresses the ephod, a sacred vest worn by the High Priest Aaron, which featured two onyx stones engraved with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. These stones symbolized the priest's role in representing and remembering the people before God during sacred duties.
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