And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel:
9. And thou shalt take two onyx-stones. That the connection between the priest and the people might be made more plain, God not only placed on his breast the memorials of the twelve tribes, but also engraved their names on his shoulders.
The ephod was the high priest's outermost garment, shot through with gold thread; a short coat without sleeves, fitted close with a curious girdle. Those shoulder-pieces bore the names of all Israel in precious stones, and Christ our High Priest bears us the same way before His Father, our advocate and our memorial.
AI summary
Commenting on Exodus 28:6-14
And thou shall take two onyx stones,.... called from the colour of a man's nail, which they to resemble: the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan call them stones of beryl, and so the Syriac version; the Septuagint, stones of emerald, and the Arabic version, crystal stones: but, according to Josephus (x), they were sardonyx stones, and in which Brannius (y) thinks he was right: and...