Exodus 28 · Grade 5
Garments for Glory and Beauty
Read and Think
Exodus 28 describes the garments of the high priest. Aaron and his sons were set apart to serve as priests, and their clothes were made for glory and for beauty (28:2). The ephod, woven of gold thread with blue, purple and scarlet, matched the colors of the tabernacle itself, showing that the priest belonged to God's house. Two onyx stones on the shoulders bore the names of the twelve tribes, for a memorial before God (28:12).
The breastpiece of judgment held twelve precious stones in four rows, each engraved with a tribe's name, on his heart (28:29). Inside it were the Urim and Thummim, used to seek God's will in important decisions. The blue robe had golden bells and pomegranates on its hem, so the sound would be heard when he served. The gold plate on his turban read HOLY TO YAHWEH, and through it Aaron would bear the iniquity of the holy things so the people's gifts would be accepted (28:38).
The priest represented the people before God, carrying them on his shoulders (strength) and heart (love). In the New Testament, Hebrews teaches that Jesus is a High Priest who always lives to pray for His people (Hebrews 7:25) and who, unlike Aaron, has no sin of His own. In the New Testament, believers are said to put on Christ (Galatians 3:27), and together they are called a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9).
Show What You Know
Why did the ephod match the colors of the tabernacle?
What was engraved on the onyx stones?
What were the Urim and Thummim used for?
What did the gold plate on the turban say?
How is Jesus a better High Priest than Aaron?
Word Bank Fill-In
Use the word bank to fill in each blank.
- Exodus 28 describes the garments of the high .
- Two onyx on the shoulders bore the names of the twelve tribes, for a memorial before God (28:12).
- The blue had golden bells and pomegranates on its hem, so the sound would be heard when he served.
- The priest represented the people before God, carrying them on his shoulders (strength) and (love).
Think About It
What do the shoulders and the heart teach about how Jesus carries His people?
How can you serve as part of a royal priesthood at home or at church?
Memory Verse
“You shall put the two stones on the shoulder straps of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel. Aaron shall bear their names before Yahweh on his two shoulders for a memorial.”
Exodus 28:12 (WEB)
Copy It
Prayer
Dear God, thank You for today's Bible story. Help me to . Amen.
Take It Home
For families: talk about these together.
- How can you serve God with beauty and care?
- How can you pray for friends by name?
- How can you trust Jesus as the One who prays for you?
Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.