The Ephod

Exodus 25:7 reads - "and onyx stones and other stones to be set in the eph′od and the breastpiece."

Exodus 28:4-8 reads - 4 “These are the garments that they will make: a breastpiece, an eph′od, a sleeveless coat, a checkered robe, a turban, and a sash; they will make these holy garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so that he may serve as priest to me. 5 The skilled workers will use the gold, the blue thread, the purple wool, the scarlet material, and the fine linen. 6 “They are to make the eph′od of gold, blue thread, purple wool, scarlet material, and fine twisted linen, and it should be embroidered. 7 It is to have two attached shoulder pieces that join it at its two edges. 8 The woven belt, which is attached to the eph′od for tying it securely in position, should be of the same materials: gold, blue thread, purple wool, scarlet material, and fine twisted linen."

Exodus 28:12 reads - "And you must put the two stones upon the shoulder pieces of the eph′od as memorial stones for the sons of Israel; and Aaron must carry their names before Jehovah upon his two shoulder pieces as a memorial."

It was apparently an apron-like garment, made of “gold, blue thread and wool dyed reddish purple, coccus scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of an embroiderer.” It consisted of front and back parts, these being joined together. A girdle of the same material was “upon” it, perhaps fastened to the ephod, holding it close around the waist. In gold settings on the shoulder pieces were two onyx stones, each engraved with the names of six of the sons of Israel. From the gold settings of these stones hung the breastpiece, by chains of gold having the workmanship of a rope. From the bottom corners of the breastpiece blue string ran through gold rings that were fastened to the lower extremity of the shoulder pieces of the ephod just above the girdle. The ephod apparently reached a little below the waist, perhaps not down to the knees.—Ex 28:6-14, 22-28.

The ephod was worn by the high priest over the blue sleeveless coat, called the “coat of the ephod,” which, in turn, was atop the linen robe. (Ex 29:5) This ephod was not worn on all occasions. When it was necessary to inquire of Jehovah about a matter of importance to the nation, the high priest wore the ephod and the breastpiece containing the Urim and the Thummim. (Nu 27:21; 1Sa 28:6; Ezr 2:63) On the annual Day of Atonement, after presenting the sin offerings, the high priest would wash and change garments, taking off the pure white garments and apparently putting on his beautiful garments, including the ephod, before offering up the burnt offerings.—Le 16:23-25.

It appears from my research that the Ephod and the Urim and Thummim were closely related. The first reference to Urim and Thummim in the Bible is the description in the Book of Exodus concerning the high priest's vestments; the chronologically earliest passage mentioning them, according to textual scholars, is in the Book of Hosea, where it is implied, by reference to the Ephod, that the Urim and Thummim were fundamental elements in the popular form of the Israelite religion, in the mid 8th century BC.

The ephod, an apronlike garment made with front and back parts and reaching a short distance below the waist, was worn by all the priests and sometimes by persons not in the priesthood. (1Samuel 2:18; 2Samuel 6:14) But the ephod of the high priests’ apparel of beauty was of special embroidered work. It was of fine twisted linen with wool dyed reddish purple, coccus scarlet material, and gold thread made from gold beaten into thin plates, then cut into threads. (Exodus 39:2, 3) Shoulder pieces possibly extended down on each side in the back from the shoulders to the girdle. On top of the shoulder pieces were two gold settings, each with an onyx stone, and each stone having engraved on it six of the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob) in order of their birth. A girdle of the same material bound the ephod around the waist, the girdle being “upon” the ephod, possibly being fastened to the ephod as a part of it.—Exodus 28:6-14.

The breastpiece of judgment was undoubtedly the most costly and glorious part of the high priest’s dress. It was made of the same material as the ephod, was rectangular in shape, the length being twice the width, but was doubled so that it formed a square about 22 cm (9 in.) on a side. The doubling made a sort of pocket or pouch. The breastpiece was adorned with 12 precious stones set in gold, each engraved with the name of one of the sons of Israel. These stones, of ruby, topaz, emerald, and other gems, were arranged in four rows. Two chains of gold, wreathed in a ropework pattern, were made on the breastpiece, and rings of gold were set in the corners; the top rings were fastened to the ephod’s shoulder pieces by the gold chains. The two bottom rings were attached with blue strings to the shoulder pieces of the ephod, just above the girdle.—Ex 28:15-28.