Breastplate
ArtifactsWhat is the meaning of Breastplate in the Bible?
The breastplate, known as the choshen, was a square liturgical vestment worn by the high priest, constructed from embroidered linen and adorned with four rows of three precious stones, each engraved with the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel, and suspended from the ephod by gold chains and blue cords.
SIGNIFICANCE
Understanding the breastplate clarifies the high priest's function as a representative of the entire nation before the divine, as the inscription of the tribal names signifies his perpetual role in bearing the people's identity and memory during sacred rituals.
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Source Attribution
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.