Exodus 28:8 And the curious girdle of the ephod, which is upon it, shall be of the same, according to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.

Exodus 28 Images and Notes

Brief Summary: Orders being given for the fitting up of the place of worship, in this and the following chapter care is taken about the priests that were to minister in this holy place, as the menial servants of the God of Israel. He hired servants, as a token of his purpose to reside among them. In this chapter, I. He pitches upon the persons who should be his servants (v. 1). II. He appoints their livery; their work was holy, and so must their garments be, and unanswerable to the glory of the house which was now to be erected (v. 2-5). He appoints the garments of his head-servant, the high priest, which were very rich. (1.) An ephod and girdle, (v. 6-14). (2.) A breast-plate of judgment (v. 15-29), in which must be put the urim and thummim (v. 30). (3.) The robe of the ephod (v. 31-35). (4.) The mitre (v. 36-39). The garments of the inferior priests (v. 40-43). And these also were shadows of good things to come.

Outline
Aaron and his sons set apart for the priest's office, Their garments. (1-5)
The ephod. (6-14)
The breastplate, The Urim and Thummim. (15-30)
The robe of the ephod, The plate of the mitre. (31-39)
The garments for Aaron's sons. (40-43)

Garments of the High Priest
ILLUSTRATION

Aaron, the brother of Moses, was the first high priest in Israel. He was succeeded by his eldest (surviving) son, Eleazar. The high priest (Heb. hakkohen, "the priest," hakkohen haggadol, "the great Priest") had the highest position in the Israelite hierarchy. Like a king in his coronation the high priest also was anointed. He wore special garments, had a crown, and a breastplate which contained the urim and the thummim. He entered the holy of holies in person on Yom Kippur to make atonement for the sins of his own house as well as the sins of the nation.