10 And they set in it four rows of stones: the first row was a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this was the first row.

11 And the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.

12 And the third row, a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.

13 And the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper: they were inclosed in ouches of gold in their inclosings.

14 And the stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, every one with his name, according to the twelve tribes.

15 And they made upon the breastplate chains at the ends, of wreathen work of pure gold.

16 And they made two ouches of gold, and two gold rings; and put the two rings in the two ends of the breastplate.

17 And they put the two wreathen chains of gold in the two rings on the ends of the breastplate.

18 And the two ends of the two wreathen chains they fastened in the two ouches, and put them on the shoulderpieces of the ephod, before it.

19 And they made two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, upon the border of it, which was on the side of the ephod inward.

20 And they made two other golden rings, and put them on the two sides of the ephod underneath, toward the forepart of it, over against the other coupling thereof, above the curious girdle of the ephod.

21 And they did bind the breastplate by his rings unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not be loosed from the ephod; as the Lord commanded Moses.

Today we hear of the 12 stones set upon the breastplate, and the golden chains that anchor it to the shoulders of the ephod, and the blue lace that anchors it to the side of the ephod.

The 12 stones are some of the most individual pieces in all the ornaments of the tabernacle. Each one would have to be shaped and engraved uniquely, just as each member of each tribe would receiving individual care at the hands of the priest.

As with the original description from God, these verses emphasize that the binding of the breastplate to the ephod was so that it “might not be loosed.” This has an obvious practical function, to keep the thing from swinging around and banging into the priest as he goes about his duties, but there is also a symbolism in it as well.

If the breastplate represents the twelve tribes of Israel, and the ephod is the garments of the Lord’s representative, then their tethering together can be seen as a spiritual injunction that the two parties must not drift apart. The people of Israel should see that they are always bound to the tabernacle, the rituals of the priests, and all that they represent. They must bind themselves to God’s commands as if by the strength of metal above and the pliability of lace below.