Breastplate
Leviticus 8:8 "And he put the breastplate upon him: also he put in the breastplate(הַחֹ֑שֶׁן)[1] the Urim and the Thummim."
Was the breastplate representative of something else?
Was the breastplate more than a thing?
Theologically the breastplate was a woven pouch, doubled and woven of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet yarn of fine linen containing twelve gemstones—four rows of three.[2]
It was a memorial of the Covenant and the pouches may have contained twelve engraved stones with names of the tribes but symbolizing the bonds of national solidarity that only comes from the social bonds forged in the fires of fervent charity.
The high priest enters the holy place like Melchisedec who was supported by free tithing through Peace,(Salem), creating the sanctuary of righteousness of God. It is not the priest that Mediated Judgment but The light and perfection through the perfect law of liberty, Urim and Thummim within the breast, heart and mind of people and priests practicing love, charity and hope rather than force fear, and fealty like the cities of blood. Together they mutually attest that national decisions rest on revelation within the soul of everyman, and not upon human ingenuity.
Holiness and Glory are the gold and precious treasures foreshadowing even more heavenly splendor, divine protection mirroring the city of light adorned with gemstones (Revelation 21:19-20).
Exodus 28:15–20 describes a square pouch, doubled to a span, woven of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet yarn with fine linen. Twelve gemstones—four rows of three—were mounted in gold filigree, each stone engraved with a tribal name. Gold chains joined upper rings of the breastpiece to the shoulder stones of the ephod, while blue cords fastened lower rings, “so that the breastpiece will not swing out from the ephod” (Exodus 28:28).
The chosen חֹשֶׁן is supposedly an the ornate “breastpiece of judgment” worn solely by the Aaronic high priest. It functioned as an emblem of memorial, a housing for the Urim and Thummim, and a visual proclamation that Israel’s tribes were ever in covenant before the LORD.
The the Urim and the Thummim
(hattumimwə’eṯ- haurim el)
(:את־האורים ואת־התמים)
In the Greek we see θώραξ thorax[3]
Footnotes
- ↑ 02833 חשֶׁן choshen [kho’-shen] from an unused root probably meaning to contain or sparkle; n m; [BDB-365b] [{See TWOT on 772 @@ "772a" }] AV-breastplate 25; 25
- 1) breastplate, breastpiece
- 1a) sacred pouch of the high priest designed to hold the Urim and Thummim.
- See also Breast.
- ↑ “30 And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart, when he goeth in before the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually. 31 And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod all of blue.” Exodus 28:30-31
- “8 And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah;” Deuteronomy 33:8,
- “6 And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.” 1 Samuel 28:6,
- ↑ 2382 θώραξ thorax tho’-rax of uncertain affinity; n m; TDNT-5:308,702; {See TDNT 558 } AV-breastplate 5; 5
- 1) the breast, the part of the body from the neck to the navel, where the ribs end
- 2) a breastplate or corset consisting of two parts and protecting the body on both sides from the neck to the middle