ather) of fine linen,
white, but woven in a chequered pattern, without seam, like the robe of
Jesus, and bound together with a girdle (39-43).

These garments were common to all the priests; but their "head-tires"
differed from the impressive mitre of the high priest. The rest of the
vestments in this chapter belong to him alone.

Over the "coat" he wore the flowing "robe of the ephod," all blue,
little seen from the waist up, but uncovered thence to the feet, and
surrounded at the hem with golden pomegranates, the emblem of
fruitfulness, and with bells to enable the worshippers outside to follow
the movements of their representative. He should die if this expression
of his vicarious function were neglected (31-35).

Above this robe was the ephod itself--a kind of gorgeous jacket, made in
two pieces which were joined at the shoulders, and bound together at the
waist by a cunningly woven band, which was of the same piece. This
ephod, like the curtains of the tabernacle, was of blue and purple and
scarlet and fine-twined linen; but added to these were threads of gold,
and we read, as if this were a novelty which needed to be explained,
that they beat the gold into thin plates and then cut it into threads
(xxxix. 3, xxviii. 6-8).

Upon the shoulders were two stones, rightly perhaps called onyx, and set
in "ouches"--of filagree work, as the word seems to say. Upon them were
engraven the names of the twelve tribes, the burden of whose sins and
sorrows he should bear into the presence of his God, "for a memorial"
(9-12).

Upon the ephod was the breastplate, fastened to it by rings and chains
of twisted gold, made to fold over into a square, a span in measurement,
and blazing with twelve gems, upon which were engraved, as upon the
onyxes on the shoulders, the names of the twelve tribes. All attempts to
derive edification from the nature of these jewels must be governed by
the commonplace reflection that we cannot identify them; and many of the
present names are incorrect. It is almost certain that neither topaz,
sapphire nor diamond could have been engraved, as these stones were,
with the name of one of the twelve tribes (13-30).

"In the breastplate" (that is, evidently, between the folds as it was
doubled), were placed those mysterious means of ascertaining the will of
God, the Urim and the Thummim, the Lights and the Perfections; but of
their nature, or of the manner in which they became significant, nothing
can be s