Preparing the Priests
Preparing the Priests
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The Priesthood of Aaron
“Have your brother, Aaron, come near you, with his sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, from among the Israelites to serve me as priests.
“You must make holy clothing for your brother, Aaron, to convey glory and beauty. Tell all the skilled artisans I’ve filled with a spirit of craftsmanship to make the clothing that will set Aaron apart as my priest. These are the clothes they must make: a breastpiece, an apron, a cloak, a woven tunic, a turban, and a sash. They must make holy clothing for your brother, Aaron, and for his sons to serve me as priests using blue, purple, and red, fine linen, and gold.”
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After the Israelites set up Yahweh’s dwelling, someone would have take care of it. The lamps needed to be trimmed, the bread of the Presence made, and the sacrifices offered. For these tasks, Yahweh appointed Moses’s brother, Aaron, and his four sons. Scripture never explains why he chose Aaron over Moses. But Moses’s initial refusal to return to Egypt led to Aaron becoming the one who spoke to the people.1 Now he would speak for the people.
Yahweh commanded Moses to separate Aaron from the Israelites to serve as high priest. Part of what set him apart was the special clothing he wore while serving. Most Israelite men wore a simple tunic covered by a cloak. The high priest’s raiment included several more layers decorated with gold and the same colors as the dwelling. Notably missing from the list of clothing is any kind of footwear. While on the holy ground of the dwelling, or possibly the entire sanctuary, the priests likely served barefoot.2
For as long as the covenant at Sinai (the law) lasted, only Aaron’s descendants could serve as priests. But when Jesus initiated the new covenant, he became our eternal High Priest in the line of Melchizedek. Under the law, Jesus didn’t qualify for the priesthood because he came from the tribe of Judah.3 But under the new covenant, he alone qualifies because he offered up himself.4
The Apron
“They must skillfully design the apron out of blue, purple, and red, fine twisted linen, and gold with two connected shoulder straps at its two corners to attach it. The waistband on the apron must have the same design and be made from the same material of blue, purple, and red, fine twisted linen, and gold.
“You must take two onyx stones and engrave the names of Israel’s sons on them, six on one stone and six on the other, according to their birth order. Engrave the names of the sons of Israel on the two stones the way a gem cutter engraves a seal and then insert them in gold filigree settings. Attach the two stones commemorating Israel’s sons to the apron’s shoulder straps. Aaron will carry their names before Yahweh on his two shoulders as a reminder. You must make gold filigree settings and two braided cords of pure gold, braided like ropes. Attach the cords to the filigree settings.”
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The most distinctive items of clothing for the high priest were the apron and its breastpiece. The apron, often called an ephod (its Hebrew name), was a skirt worn over the tunic and cloak. Two straps connected to the skirt so it hung over Aaron’s shoulders, and a waistband tied it to Aaron’s waist.
On each of the two shoulder straps, an onyx stone rested in a setting made of fine gold wires, called filigree. Each stone bore the names of six of Jacob’s twelve sons, permanently engraved in their birth order from Reuben to Benjamin. Aaron would carry on his shoulders the names of the ancestors of Israel’s tribes whenever he entered the dwelling. This served to commemorate them and to regularly remind Yahweh of his people. By carrying these names with him as he worked, Aaron showed that he ministered before Yahweh on behalf of the entire nation.
The Breastpiece
“You must make a breastpiece of justice out of blue, purple, and red, fine twisted linen, and gold, skillfully designed like the apron. Fold it in half to form a square a span long and a span wide.
“Arrange four rows of gems on it: sard, topaz, and emerald in the first row, turquoise, lapis lazuli, and diamond in the second row, zircon, agate, and amethyst in the third row, and beryl, onyx, and jasper in the fourth row. They must be set in gold filigree. There must be twelve stones according to the names of Israel’s sons. Engrave each one like a seal with its name for the twelve tribes.
“You must make braided cords of pure gold on the breastpiece. Make two gold rings on the breastpiece, attached to the corners. Attach the two gold cords to the two rings on the corners of the breastpiece and attach the other end of the two cords to the two filigree settings attached to the front of the apron’s shoulder straps.
“You must make two gold rings and set them on the two corners of the breastpiece at the inside edge, next to the apron. Then make two more gold rings and attach them to front of the apron’s shoulder straps at the bottom, just above where they connect to the apron’s waistband. They must bind the breastpiece’s rings to the apron’s rings with a blue cord so it sits above the apron’s waistband and doesn’t come loose from the apron.
“Whenever Aaron enters the holy place, he must carry the names of Israel’s sons on the breastpiece of justice over his heart as a continual reminder in Yahweh’s presence.”
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For the top of Aaron’s apron, the Israelite artisans had to make a matching breastpiece that sat between the apron’s shoulder straps and just above its waistband. Called the breastpiece of justice, it was a pouch about nine inches square that allowed the high priest to determine God’s judgment on important issues.5 Two braided gold chains at the top and two blue cords at the bottom secured the breastpiece tightly to the apron’s shoulder straps and prevented the pouch from falling open.
To the outside of the pouch, the artisans affixed four rows of three precious stones each, all in gold filigree settings. Each stone bore the name of one of Jacob’s sons. The exact identity of most of the stones remains uncertain, as does any meaning behind their association with the different tribes. But the use of such costly material shows the high value Yahweh places on his people. They are like precious jewels in his eyes.
Aaron carried these names as a reminder on his shoulders and over his heart. But they were not there to remind Aaron. They reminded Yahweh of his love (heart) and care (shoulders) for his people. The idea of God “remembering” is a common Hebrew metaphor that doesn’t mean God would otherwise forget his people.6 Instead, when he remembers, he acts. So the jewels served as a constant prayer for Yahweh to act on behalf of Israel.
Lights and Perfections
“Put the Lights and Perfections in the breastpiece of justice so they’ll be over Aaron’s heart whenever he enters Yahweh’s presence. He must carry the means of justice for the Israelites over his heart in Yahweh’s presence continually.”
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Yahweh commanded Moses to place several small objects inside the pouch of Aaron’s breastpiece. The high priest would use these objects, called the ʾurim (“lights”) and the tummim (“perfections” or “completions”), to carry out justice in Israel. Both Hebrew words are plural, suggesting multiple objects, not just two. But Scripture never describes them, and Yahweh never commanded Moses to make them. They seem to have already existed.
Though the method is unclear, these Lights and Perfections allowed the high priest to ask for Yahweh’s guidance and judgment. Eleazar used them to advise Joshua as he led Israel into the promised land.7 Abiathar used them to help David escape from Saul and rescue his family from the Amalekites.8 But when Saul wanted to know how to defeat the Philistines, they wouldn’t give any answer because Yahweh had rejected him.9
When not in use, the Lights and Perfections remained in the breastpiece Aaron wore as he ministered in the dwelling. This imbued them with the power of Yahweh’s presence. Aaron carried them over his heart, just like the jewels representing the Israelites. Yahweh’s devotion to his people doesn’t negate his devotion to justice. He cares about both, and he expects his people to carry out his justice.
The Cloak
“You must make the cloak that goes with the apron completely blue with an opening in the middle for his head. Weave a collar around the edge of the opening so it won’t tear. Around the bottom hem, embroider pomegranates in blue, purple, and red with golden bells between them. Alternate golden bells and pomegranates around the hem of the cloak. Aaron must wear it when serving. Its sound will be heard when he enters Yahweh’s presence in the holy place and when he leaves so he won’t die.”
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Underneath the apron and breastpiece, Aaron had to wear a pure blue cloak whenever he served in the dwelling. The cloak had an opening with a woven collar for his head, but apparently not for his arms. So it likely draped over him like a long poncho instead of wrapping around him. The apron’s waistband would have served as a belt for the cloak as well.
The cloak’s bottom hem was embroidered with images of pomegranates, which represent prosperity and fertility because of the many seeds inside. Obedience to Yahweh’s covenant would bring prosperity to Israel. In between the pomegranates, golden bells jingled when Aaron moved. The purpose of the bells is less clear, but Yahweh would hear them when Aaron entered and left the dwelling. Somehow, the sound would protect him from dying in Yahweh’s holy presence.
Holy to Yahweh
“You must make a medallion of pure gold and engrave on it, as on a seal, Holy to Yahweh. Use a blue cord to attach it to the front of the turban. Aaron must wear it on his forehead to take away the guilt for the holy things the Israelites devote and for all their holy gifts. It must remain on his forehead continually so they will be accepted in Yahweh’s presence.”
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Another vital part of the high priest’s uniform was the turban he wore on his head. A gold medallion, attached with a blue cord, sat on the front of the turban, over the high priest’s forehead. While Scripture gives no special significance to the turban, the medallion symbolized the purification of the Israelites’ gifts. For this reason, it had the words qodesh laYHWH (“holy to Yahweh”) engraved on it.
It was not the medallion, or even Aaron, that was holy to Yahweh. Rather, it was the sacrifices and other gifts the Israelites devoted to their God. These gifts naturally came defiled by the world outside the sanctuary. For Yahweh to accept them, they had to be made holy, and the medallion accomplished this. So whenever Aaron served in the sanctuary, he had to keep the turban and medallion on so Yahweh would accept everything the Israelites devoted.
The Priests’ Clothing
“You must also weave the tunic from fine linen and make a turban out of fine linen and an embroidered sash. For Aaron’s sons, you must make tunics and sashes and headdresses to convey glory and beauty.
“Clothe your brother, Aaron, and his sons. Then anoint them, ordain them, and set them apart to serve as my priests.”
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The regular priests, Aaron’s sons, dressed simply compared to the high priest. The tunic was the most common piece of clothing worn by all Israelites, both men and women. The high priest wore it under all his other raiment. The other priests distinguished themselves from the general population with a sash over their tunics and a special headdress, likely a smaller version of the high priest’s turban.
Once the Israelite artisans had made all the clothing for Aaron and his sons, Moses would clothe them, anoint them, and ordain them through a special ceremony. They could not serve as priests until they had been set apart (or “made holy”) in the way Yahweh commanded.
- See Moses’s Prophet.
- See Exodus 3:5.
- Hebrews 7:11–14.
- Hebrews 7:26–27.
- A span is the length of a person’s outstretched hand from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the pinkie.
- See Remembered.
- Numbers 27:18–21.
- 1 Samuel 23:9–13, 30:1–8.
- 1 Samuel 28:5–6.