---
title: "Exodus 28 – Catholic Bible (CPDV) & Latin Vulgate · Bless"
url: https://blessbible.app/bible/exodus/28/
description: "The holy vestments for Aaron and his sons. Exodus 28 in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin Vulgate."
---

# Exodus 28

Exodus 28 is chapter 28 of 40 in the Book of Exodus. Here are all 43 verses in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin of the Clementine Vulgate beside them.

> The holy vestments for Aaron and his sons.
>
> — Bp. Richard Challoner, chapter summary

## Exodus 28 (Catholic Public Domain Version)

1. “Also, join to yourself your brother Aaron, with his sons from the midst of the sons of Israel, so that they may exercise the priesthood for me: Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
2. And you shall make a holy vestment for Aaron, your brother, with glory and elegance.
3. And you shall speak to all the wise of heart, whom I have filled with the spirit of prudence, so that they may make the vestments of Aaron, in which, having been sanctified, he may minister to me.
4. Now these shall be the vestments that they shall make: A breastplate and an ephod, a tunic and a close-fit linen garment, a headdress and a wide belt. They shall make the holy vestments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so that they may exercise the priesthood for me.
5. And they shall receive gold, and hyacinth, and purple, and twice-dyed scarlet, and fine linen.
6. Then they shall make the ephod of gold, and hyacinth, and purple, and twice-dyed scarlet, and fine twisted linen, wrought with diverse colors.
7. It shall have two edges joined at the top on both sides, so that they may respond as one.
8. Likewise, the weaving and all the detail work shall be of gold, and hyacinth, and purple, and twice-dyed scarlet, and fine twisted linen.
9. And you shall take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel:
10. six names on one stone, and the remaining six on the other, according to the order of their birth.
11. By the work of a sculptor and the skill of a jeweler, you shall engrave them with the names of the sons of Israel, enclosed and encompassed with gold.
12. And you shall place them on both sides of the ephod, as a memorial to the sons of Israel. And Aaron shall carry their names before the Lord, upon both shoulders, as a remembrance.
13. You shall also make hooks of gold,
14. and two little chains of the purest gold, linked to one another, which you shall insert into the hooks.
15. Likewise, you shall make the breastplate of judgment, wrought with diverse colors according to the weaving of the ephod: of gold, hyacinth and purple, and twice-dyed scarlet, and fine twisted linen.
16. It shall have four corners and be doubled. It shall have the measure of the palm of a hand, both in length and in width.
17. And you shall set within it four rows of stones. In the first row, there shall be a sardius stone, and a topaz, and an emerald.
18. In the second, there shall be a garnet, a sapphire, and a jasper.
19. In the third, there shall be a zircon, an agate, and an amethyst.
20. In the fourth, there shall be a chrysolite, an onyx, and a beryl. They shall be set in gold by their rows.
21. And these shall have the names of the sons of Israel. With twelve names shall they be engraved: each stone with one name from the twelve tribes.
22. You shall make chains of the purest gold, linked one to another, on the breastplate,
23. and two rings of gold, which you shall place at both ends of the breastplate.
24. And the golden chains, you shall join to the rings, which are at its edges.
25. And the ends of the chains themselves, you shall couple with two hooks, on both sides of the ephod, which looks toward the breastplate.
26. You shall also make two rings of gold, which you shall place at the ends of the breastplate, at the borders which are away from the region of the ephod and which look toward its back.
27. And then you shall also make two other rings of gold, which are to be suspended on both sides at the bottom of the ephod, which looks out opposite the face of the lower juncture, so that the breastplate can be fitted to the ephod.
28. And it shall be drawn tight to the rings of the breastplate, by the rings of the ephod, with a hyacinth band, so that the well-constructed juncture will remain in place, and the breastplate and the ephod will not be able to be separated from one another.
29. And Aaron shall carry the names of the sons of Israel on the breastplate of judgment upon his chest, when he enters into the Sanctuary, as a memorial in the presence of the Lord in eternity.
30. Then you shall place in the breastplate of judgment, Doctrine and Truth, which shall then be upon Aaron’s chest, when he enters before the Lord. And he shall wear the judgment of the sons of Israel on his chest, in the sight of the Lord always.
31. And you shall make the tunic for the ephod entirely of hyacinth,
32. and the head will be above its middle, with a hem woven around it, just as is usually made at the end parts of a garment, so that it may not be easily broken.
33. Yet truly, beneath it, at the base of the same tunic, all around, you shall make something like pomegranates, from hyacinth, and purple, and twice-dyed scarlet, with little bells set in their midst.
34. So then, there shall be a little golden bell and a pomegranate, and again another golden bell and a pomegranate.
35. And Aaron will be vested with it during the office of his ministry, so that the sound may be heard when he enters and exits the Sanctuary, in the sight of the Lord, and so that he may not die.
36. And you shall make a plate of the purest gold, in which you shall engrave, with the skill of a sculptor, ‘Holy to the Lord.’
37. And you shall fasten it with a band of hyacinth, and it shall be upon the headdress,
38. hanging in front of the high priest. And Aaron shall carry the iniquities of that which the sons of Israel have offered and sanctified, in all their gifts and donations. But the plate will always be at his forehead, so that the Lord may be well pleased with them.
39. And you shall draw the tunic tight with fine linen, and you shall make a headdress of fine linen, and a wide belt, wrought with embroidery.
40. Furthermore, for the sons of Aaron, you shall prepare linen tunics, and wide belts as well as headdresses, with glory and elegance.
41. And with all these you shall vest your brother Aaron, and his sons with him. And you shall consecrate all their hands, and you shall sanctify them, so that they may exercise the priesthood for me.
42. You shall also make linen undergarments, in order to cover the flesh of their nakedness, from the kidneys all the way to the thighs.
43. And Aaron and his sons will use them when they enter the tabernacle of the testimony, and when they approach toward the altar, in order to minister in the sanctuary, lest, being guilty of iniquity, they may die. It shall be a law forever for Aaron, and for his offspring after him.”

## Exodus 28 in Latin (Clementine Vulgate, 1592)

1. Applica quoque ad te Aaron fratrem tuum cum filiis suis de medio filiorum Israël, ut sacerdotio fungantur mihi: Aaron, Nadab, et Abiu, Eleazar, et Ithamar.
2. Faciesque vestem sanctam Aaron fratri tuo in gloriam et decorem.
3. Et loqueris cunctis sapientibus corde quos replevi spiritu prudentiæ, ut faciant vestes Aaron, in quibus sanctificatus ministret mihi.
4. Hæc autem erunt vestimenta quæ faciet: rationale et superhumerale, tunicam et lineam strictam, cidarim et balteum. Facient vestimenta sancta fratri tuo Aaron et filiis ejus, ut sacerdotio fungantur mihi.
5. Accipientque aurum, et hyacinthum, et purpuram, coccumque bis tinctum, et byssum.
6. Facient autem superhumerale de auro et hyacintho et purpura, coccoque bis tincto, et bysso retorta, opere polymito.
7. Duas oras junctas habebit in utroque latere summitatum, ut in unum redeant.
8. Ipsa quoque textura et cuncta operis varietas erit ex auro et hyacintho, et purpura, coccoque bis tincto, et bysso retorta.
9. Sumesque duos lapides onychinos, et sculpes in eis nomina filiorum Israël:
10. sex nomina in lapide uno, et sex reliqua in altero, juxta ordinem nativitatis eorum.
11. Opere sculptoris et cælatura gemmarii, sculpes eos nominibus filiorum Israël, inclusos auro atque circumdatos:
12. et pones in utroque latere superhumeralis, memoriale filiis Israël. Portabitque Aaron nomina eorum coram Domino super utrumque humerum, ob recordationem.
13. Facies et uncinos ex auro,
14. et duas catenulas ex auro purissimo sibi invicem cohærentes, quas inseres uncinis.
15. Rationale quoque judicii facies opere polymito juxta texturam superhumeralis, ex auro, hyacintho, et purpura, coccoque bis tincto, et bysso retorta.
16. Quadrangulum erit et duplex: mensuram palmi habebit tam in longitudine quam in latitudine.
17. Ponesque in eo quatuor ordines lapidum: in primo versu erit lapis sardius, et topazius, et smaragdus:
18. in secundo carbunculus, sapphirus, et jaspis:
19. in tertio ligurius, achates, et amethystus:
20. in quarto chrysolithus, onychinus, et beryllus. Inclusi auro erunt per ordines suos.
21. Habebuntque nomina filiorum Israël: duodecim nominibus cælabuntur, singuli lapides nominibus singulorum per duodecim tribus.
22. Facies in rationali catenas sibi invicem cohærentes ex auro purissimo,
23. et duos annulos aureos, quos pones in utraque rationalis summitate:
24. catenasque aureas junges annulis, qui sunt in marginibus ejus,
25. et ipsarum catenarum extrema duobus copulabis uncinis in utroque latere superhumeralis quod rationale respicit.
26. Facies et duos annulos aureos, quos pones in summitatibus rationalis, in oris, quæ e regione sunt superhumeralis, et posteriora ejus aspiciunt.
27. Necnon et alios duos annulos aureos, qui ponendi sunt in utroque latere superhumeralis deorsum, quod respicit contra faciem juncturæ inferioris, ut aptari possit cum superhumerali,
28. et stringatur rationale annulis suis cum annulis superhumeralis vitta hyacinthina, ut maneat junctura fabrefacta, et a se invicem rationale et superhumerale nequeant separari.
29. Portabitque Aaron nomina filiorum Israël in rationali judicii super pectus suum, quando ingredietur Sanctuarium, memoriale coram Domino in æternum.
30. Pones autem in rationali judicii Doctrinam et Veritatem, quæ erunt in pectore Aaron, quando ingredietur coram Domino: et gestabit judicium filiorum Israël in pectore suo, in conspectu Domini semper.
31. Facies et tunicam superhumeralis totam hyacinthinam,
32. in cujus medio supra erit capitium, et ora per gyrum ejus textilis, sicut fieri solet in extremis vestium partibus, ne facile rumpatur.
33. Deorsum vero, ad pedes ejusdem tunicæ, per circuitum, quasi mala punica facies, ex hyacintho, et purpura, et cocco bis tincto, mistis in medio tintinnabulis,
34. ita ut tintinnabulum sit aureum et malum punicum: rursumque tintinnabulum aliud aureum et malum punicum.
35. Et vestietur ea Aaron in officio ministerii, ut audiatur sonitus quando ingreditur et egreditur sanctuarium in conspectu Domini, et non moriatur.
36. Facies et laminam de auro purissimo, in qua sculpes opere cælatoris, Sanctum Domino.
37. Ligabisque eam vitta hyacinthina, et erit super tiaram,
38. imminens fronti pontificis. Portabitque Aaron iniquitates eorum, quæ obtulerunt et sanctificaverunt filii Israël, in cunctis muneribus et donariis suis. Erit autem lamina semper in fronte ejus, ut placatus sit eis Dominus.
39. Stringesque tunicam bysso, et tiaram byssinam facies, et balteum opere plumarii.
40. Porro filiis Aaron tunicas lineas parabis et balteos ac tiaras in gloriam et decorem:
41. vestiesque his omnibus Aaron fratrem tuum et filios ejus cum eo. Et cunctorum consecrabis manus, sanctificabisque illos, ut sacerdotio fungantur mihi.
42. Facies et feminalia linea, ut operiant carnem turpitudinis suæ, a renibus usque ad femora:
43. et utentur eis Aaron et filii ejus quando ingredientur tabernaculum testimonii, vel quando appropinquant ad altare ut ministrent in sanctuario, ne iniquitatis rei moriantur. Legitimum sempiternum erit Aaron, et semini ejus post eum.

## Bishop Challoner's notes

Bp. Richard Challoner, notes on the Douay-Rheims (1750); they comment on its older wording.
- Verse 15: This part of the priest's attire, which he wore at his breast, was called the rational of judgment; partly because it admonished both priest and people of their duty to God, by carrying the names of all their tribes in his presence; and by the Urim and the Thummim, that is, doctrine and truth, which were written upon it; and partly because it gave divine answers and oracles, as if it were rational and endowed with judgment.
- Verse 30: “Doctrine and Truth” … Hebrew, Urim and Thummim: illuminations and perfections. These words, written on the rational, seem to signify the light of doctrine and the integrity of life, with which the priests of God ought to approach him.

Source: Catholic Public Domain Version (Ronald L. Conte Jr., 2009), public domain; Latin: Clementine Vulgate (1592).