The Names of Israel no.2. 21th October 2026, 10 Cheshvan 5787.
In the Book of Exodus chapter 28 there is a list of the Precious Stones on the Breastplate of the High Priest.
Which stone pertains to which tribe is not mentioned and differences of opinion exist. Nevertheless by comparing the names and considering the early commentaries (such as Midrashim) we may deduce parallels between the Tribes listed and the precious stones.
See:
Tribal Identity Colors?
Individual Colors, Gem Stones, and Symbols Attributed to Each of the Tribes of Israel
https://hebrewnations.com/articles/tribes/stones/tribalcolors.html
Breastplate. Stones of the Tribes
https://hebrewnations.com/articles/bible/breastplate.html
The names of the Stones.
Exodus (TCJB) 28:
9 AND YOU SHALL TAKE TWO SHOHAM STONES AND ENGRAVE UPON THEM THE NAMES OF THE SONS OF ISRAEL.
10 SIX OF THEIR NAMES ON ONE STONE AND THE NAMES OF THE REMAINING SIX ON THE SECOND STONE, ACCORDING TO THEIR BIRTHS.
11[ SIMILAR TO] THE WORK OF AN ENGRAVER OF GEMS, [SIMILAR TO] THE ENGRAVINGS OF A SEAL, YOU SHALL ENGRAVE THE TWO STONES WITH THE NAMES OF THE SONS OF ISRAEL; YOU SHALL MAKE THEM ENCLOSED IN GOLD SETTINGS.
12 AND YOU SHALL PUT THE TWO STONES UPON THE SHOULDER STRAPS OF THE EPHOD AS STONES OF REMEMBRANCE FOR THE SONS OF ISRAEL, AND AARON SHALL CARRY THEIR NAMES BEFORE THE LORD UPON HIS TWO SHOULDERS AS A REMEMBRANCE.
13 YOU SHALL MAKE SETTINGS OF GOLD,
14 AND TWO CHAINS OF PURE GOLD YOU WILL MAKE THEM ATTACHED TO THE EDGES, AFTER THE MANNER OF CABLES, AND YOU WILL PLACE THE CABLE CHAINS UPON THE SETTINGS.
15 YOU SHALL MAKE A CHOSHEN [i.e. breastplate] OF JUDGMENT, THE WORK OF A MASTER WEAVER. YOU SHALL MAKE IT LIKE THE WORK OF THE EPHOD; OF GOLD, BLUE, PURPLE, AND CRIMSON WOOL, AND TWISTED FINE LINEN SHALL YOU MAKE IT.
16 IT SHALL BE SQUARE [AND] DOUBLED; ITS LENGTH ONE SPAN AND ITS WIDTH ONE SPAN.
17 AND YOU SHALL FILL INTO IT STONE FILLINGS, FOUR ROWS OF STONES. ONE ROW: ODEM, PITDAH, AND BAREKETH; THUS SHALL THE ONE ROW BE.
18 THE SECOND ROW: NOFECH, SAPPIR, AND YAHALOM.
19 THE THIRD ROW: LESHEM, SHEVO, AND ACHLAMAH.
20 AND THE FOURTH ROW: TARSHISH, SHOHAM, AND YASHPHEH; THEY SHALL BE SET IN GOLD IN THEIR FILLINGS.
21 AND THE STONES SHALL BE FOR THE NAMES OF THE SONS OF ISRAEL TWELVE, CORRESPONDING TO THEIR NAMES; [SIMILAR TO] THE ENGRAVINGS OF A SEAL, EVERY ONE ACCORDING TO HIS NAME SHALL THEY BE, FOR THE TWELVE TRIBES.
Communicating with God.
URIM AND THUMMIM
Answers from God
https://hebrewnations.com/articles/bible/urim.html
The Urim and Thumim were a means of communicating with God using the High Priest and the Breastlate.
The use of Urim and Thumim continued from the time of Moses up to the Exile of the Ten Tribes (according to one opinion) or the destruction of the First Temple in the words to another.
2 Numbers: Encampment
https://hebrewnations.com/articles/bible/moses/moses-4.html
Tabernacle Encampment
https://hebrewnations.com/articles/biblical-proof/attributes/jutes/