חֹ֫שֶׁן
cho.shen
breastpiece
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
Supported# Choshen: The Priestly Breastpiece The Hebrew word *choshen* refers to a breastpiece, a component of ancient Israelite priestly attire. Appearing 25 times in biblical text, the term designates a specific garment worn by the high priest as part of his sacred vestments. The concentrated frequency of this word in the biblical record suggests it held particular importance in the religious and ceremonial life of ancient Israel. The *choshen* functioned as more than decorative apparel; it served as a ritual object central to priestly duties. Its repeated mention across biblical texts indicates it was a standardized, recognizable element of the priesthood's formal dress code. The specificity of the terminology—using a dedicated Hebrew word rather than a general term for clothing—underscores the formalized nature of priestly practice and the distinction between ordinary garments and sacred vestments required for temple service. Though the lexicon data provided does not detail the breastpiece's physical construction or symbolic contents, the word's consistent usage and dedicated terminology reveal that ancient Israelite religious practice included carefully prescribed ritual clothing. The 25 occurrences suggest this garment was significant enough to warrant regular textual reference, marking it as a defining element of the priestly office and temple worship.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
25 total occurrences across the text
onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod and for the breastplate.
Exodus 28:4These are the garments which they shall make: a breastplate, an ephod, a robe, a fitted tunic, a turban, and a sash. They shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons, that he may minister to me in the priest’s office.
Exodus 28:15“You shall make a breastplate of judgment, the work of the skillful workman; like the work of the ephod you shall make it; of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, you shall make it.
Exodus 28:22You shall make on the breastplate chains like cords, of braided work of pure gold.
Exodus 28:23You shall make on the breastplate two rings of gold, and shall put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate.
Exodus 28:23You shall make on the breastplate two rings of gold, and shall put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate.
Exodus 28:24You shall put the two braided chains of gold in the two rings at the ends of the breastplate.
Exodus 28:26You shall make two rings of gold, and you shall put them on the two ends of the breastplate, on its edge, which is toward the side of the ephod inward.
Exodus 28:28They shall bind the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it may be on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastplate may not swing out from the ephod.
Exodus 28:28They shall bind the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it may be on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastplate may not swing out from the ephod.
Exodus 28:29Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment on his heart, when he goes in to the holy place, for a memorial before Yahweh continually.
Exodus 28:30You shall put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be on Aaron’s heart, when he goes in before Yahweh. Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel on his heart before Yahweh continually.
Exodus 29:5You shall take the garments, and put on Aaron the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod, and the breastplate, and clothe him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod.
Exodus 35:9onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod and for the breastplate.
Exodus 35:27The rulers brought the onyx stones and the stones to be set for the ephod and for the breastplate;
Exodus 39:8He made the breastplate, the work of a skillful workman, like the work of the ephod: of gold, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen.
Exodus 39:9It was square. They made the breastplate double. Its length was a span, and its width a span, being double.
Exodus 39:15They made on the breastplate chains like cords, of braided work of pure gold.
Exodus 39:16They made two settings of gold, and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate.
Exodus 39:17They put the two braided chains of gold in the two rings at the ends of the breastplate.
Exodus 39:19They made two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, on its edge, which was toward the side of the ephod inward.
Exodus 39:21They bound the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not come loose from the ephod, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
Exodus 39:21They bound the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not come loose from the ephod, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
Leviticus 8:8He placed the breastplate on him. He put the Urim and Thummim in the breastplate.
Leviticus 8:8He placed the breastplate on him. He put the Urim and Thummim in the breastplate.