There were twelve stones with their names according to the names of the sons of Israel. They were like signets, each engraved with its name, for the twelve tribes.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The mention of the stones being engraved "like signets" emphasizes not just their beauty, but the permanent, personal, and official nature of each tribe's identity being carried by the priest before God. This wasn't just decoration; it was a deliberate inscription, signifying that every single individual and community was accounted for and held in high regard.
There were twelve stones with their names according to the names of the sons of Israel. They were like signets, each engraved with its name, for the twelve tribes.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse occurs in the section of Exodus describing the completion of the Tabernacle and its sacred furnishings. The people of Israel have just finished making the ornate priestly garments for Aaron and his sons, including the highly detailed breastpiece. This detailed account emphasizes their obedience to God's specific instructions for these holy items, which were essential for worship and carrying the people's identity before God.
Imagine wearing your family name on your chest for everyone to see. What does it mean to have your identity so clearly displayed?
The breastpiece worn by the High Priest was a stunning piece of craftsmanship, meant to be seen and admired. Exodus 39:14 tells us that it held twelve stones, each engraved with the name of one of the sons of Israel. This wasn't just decorative; it was symbolic.
Bearing the People
This engraving meant that the High Priest, when he went into God's presence, was literally carrying the identity of all twelve tribes. Every name was there, etched into the precious stones. It signified that the people of Israel were precious to God, and their representative stood before Him with their names held close.
A Permanent Reminder
The stones were "like engravings of a signet." A signet ring was used to make a permanent, official mark. This shows that the connection between God and His people, represented by these names, was not temporary or easily erased. It was a deep, abiding, and official representation.
Twelve distinct tribes, with their own histories and personalities, united on one sacred garment. How does this speak to God's design for His people?
The breastpiece was a powerful symbol of unity, even amidst diversity. Exodus 39:14 highlights that these twelve stones, each representing a son of Israel, were together on the breastpiece, worn by the High Priest.
A Shared Burden and Purpose
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While each tribe had its unique identity and inheritance, they were all bound together. The High Priest wore them collectively, signifying that the spiritual well-being and access to God were for all of them. No tribe was excluded; their names were intermingled and displayed as one unit before the Lord.
Reflecting God's Covenant
This arrangement powerfully mirrored God's covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, promising to make them a great nation. The twelve stones were a constant, tangible reminder of that promise and the unified destiny of the people under God's care.
Understand the original words
eben · Hebrew Noun
A general term referring to any of the twelve precious stones on the High Priest's breastpiece, each representing one of the tribes of Israel and signifying their beauty, value, and distinct identity before God.
chotham · Hebrew Noun
A seal used by kings or individuals of status, pressed into clay or wax to authenticate documents or property; it represents authority, ownership, and the permanent belonging of the tribes to God.
ben Yisra'el · Hebrew Noun Phrase
The descendants of Jacob, chosen by God as His covenant people; their names on the stones reflect their identity as the tribes over which the High Priest interceded.
shebet · Hebrew Noun
A group or family unit tracing their ancestry to one of Jacob’s sons, representing the entirety of God's covenant community.
This passage is the original instruction for the stones on the high priest's breastplate, directly preceding the description of the names and engraving, highlighting the continuity of God's specific commands.
Jeremiah 31:33This prophecy speaks of God writing His laws on His people's hearts, paralleling the personal inscription of names on the stones, signifying a deep, internal connection with God's chosen people.
Ezekiel 48:31-35The description of the gates of the New Jerusalem, each named for a son of Israel, echoes the inscription of names on the breastplate, symbolizing the complete restoration and eternal dwelling of all the tribes.
Revelation 21:12-14The imagery of the foundations of the New Jerusalem bearing the names of the twelve apostles strongly parallels the twelve stones with the names of the twelve tribes, signifying the foundational identity of God's redeemed people.
cambridgeExodus 39:14: "And the stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, every one with his name, according to the twelve tribes."
14, 15 . Corresponding to Exodus 28:21-22 . 16a (to gold ) Introduced here from Exodus 28:13 . Exodus 39:16 b (from and two gold rings )–21a= Exodus 28:23-28 .
calvinExodus 39:1-43: "And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made cloths of service, to do service in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as the LORD commanded Moses."
And they made two other golden rings, and put them on the two sides of the ephod underneath, toward the fore-part of it, over against the other coupling thereof, above the curious girdle of the ephod.
Fecerunt praeterea duos alios annulos aureos, quos posuerunt in duabus oris ephod inferne,a fronte i…
The mention of the stones being engraved "like signets" emphasizes not just their beauty, but the permanent, personal, and official nature of each tribe's identity being carried by the priest before God. This wasn't just decoration; it was a deliberate inscription, signifying that every single individual and community was accounted for and held in high regard.
This verse occurs in the section of Exodus describing the completion of the Tabernacle and its sacred furnishings. The people of Israel have just finished making the ornate priestly garments for Aaron and his sons, including the highly detailed breastpiece. This detailed account emphasizes their obedience to God's specific instructions for these holy items, which were essential for worship and carrying the people's identity before God.
This verse occurs in the section of Exodus describing the completion of the Tabernacle and its sacred furnishings. The people of Israel have just finished making the ornate priestly garments for Aaron and his sons, including the highly detailed breastpiece. This detailed account emphasizes their obedience to God's specific instructions for these holy items, which were essential for worship and carrying the people's identity before God.
"There were twelve stones with their names according to the names of the sons of Israel. They were like signets, each engraved with its name, for the twelve tribes." — The mention of the stones being engraved "like signets" emphasizes not just their beauty, but the permanent, personal, and official nature of each tribe's identity being carried by the priest before…
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Last reviewed October 2026