High Priest's Breastplate Study Notes

[jehoshabeath]

Here are some notes about the stones described in the Exodus 28:17-20 and Exodus 39:10-13. The High Priest was to wear these over his heart, each one inscribed with the name of one of the tribes of Israel. I'm not certain of the colors or which name was associated with each stone, but here are some ideas. The stones were set in rows, with three stones in each row. Were they listed from right to left, as this is the way that Hebrew is written?

1-1 sardius (אֹדֶם) - red stone (Reuben? "might" / Judah? "praise")
1-2 topaz (פִּטְדָה) - pale stone (Simeon? "cruel" / Issachar? "burdens, beast of burden")
1-3 emerald (בָּרֶקֶת) - glittering like lightning (Levi? / Zebulun? "sea")

2-1 turquoise (נֹפֶךְ) - glistening stone (Judah? "praise, king" / Reuben? "see")
2-2 sapphire (סַפִּיר) - sapphire stone (Zebulun? "sea" / Simeon? "hear")
2-3 diamond (יַהֲלֹם) - hard stone (Issachar? "burdens" / Gad? "troop")

3-1 jacinth (לֶשֶׁם) - ? (Dan? "judge, serpent" / Ephraim? "fruitful")
3-2 agate (שְׁבוֹ) - a flashing, taking captive stone (Gad? "troop" / Manasseh? "forget")
3-3 amethyst (אַחְלָמָה) - dream stone, amethyst (Asher? "royal dainties" / Benjamin?)

4-1 beryl (תַּרְשִׁישׁ) - Tarshish-stone, color of the wheels in Ezekiel (Naphtali? "deer" / Dan? "judge")
4-2 onyx (שֹׁהַם) - pale or striped stone (Joseph? coat of many/striped colors? / Asher? "wealth")
4-3 jasper (יָֽשְׁפִה) - polished stone (Benjamin? "wolf, dividing the spoils" / Naphtali? "deer")