Exodus 28:11
“With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, you shall engrave the two stones, according to the names of the children of Israel: you shall make them to be enclosed in settings of gold.”
What does Exodus 28:11 mean?
The high priest's breastpiece included two stones carved with the names of Israel's twelve tribes, six names on each stone. This wasn't casual decoration, but careful, detailed work done by a skilled craftsperson, similar to how a seal or signet ring was precisely engraved. Each name mattered and deserved that level of care and attention. There's something meaningful here about how God wanted the priest to carry the people's names literally close to his heart as he served. It reminds us that individuals aren't lost in a crowd or treated as generic—each person has a name, an identity, and significance in God's eyes. Even today, that same care and consideration matters in how we treat and remember one another.