W. E. IJarnes. BREASTPLATE OF THE HIGH PRIEST.— The mo.>it important part of the distinctive dress of the high priest, according to the Priests' Code, was the pectoral or brea-stplate ([yn, more fully !:?;'c(i) "n, Targ. k;-i |5'n (Arab, husn ed-din, 'excellency of judgment') L.KX \(ryioi> (var. Xntiov) TTit Kpiatu! or T. Kplatuv (but once rtpt-
rrfiBiov, Ex 28*), Vulg. rationale, r. ptrtiAi). The orig. signification of the Heb. word has been lost. Of the various suggested etyniolo<'ie8 only two de- serve mention. Ihe one is Ewald s (Antiq. of Isr. p. 294), that pn is 'a dialectic form of (jn, i.e. pocket,' etc. (from a root \cn to store up), hence EES'Ci "n would probably mean ' the pouch of the oracle.' * The other possible root is \an, Arab. hasan, to be beautiful, ' hence possibly jrn, either as chief ornament of ephod, or as the most excel- lent precious article oi high priest's attiie' (Oxf. Heb. Lex. s.v.).
The directions for the construction of the b. are given in Ex 28"*', with which the parallel section 39"'" may be compared. The material was the same as that of the e[ihod (see EPHOU), the richest and most artistic of the textile fabrics of P (' of gold, of blue, of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen,' 28" KV). A cubit's length of this material was required, the width being a span or half -cubit ; when folded in two, it formed a square, measuring a span each way. Into one of the faces of this square — henceforth to be the outer side of the b. — were inserted by means of gold settings, probably of filigree work, four rows of jewels, three in a row. The identification of these twelve jewels must start from the renderings of the LXX, and is still in some cases little more than probable (see art. Stones, Precious, also the Comm. in loco, and the literature infra, esp. the learned work of Braun, pp. 627-745). On each jewel was engraved the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. AH that has been written as to the order in which the names were arranged is mere speculation. The whole, however, had a fine signihcance : for thus the high priest wore 'upon his heart the names of the children of Israel, for a memorial before J'' continually' (28'^).
The b. was kept in position by the foil, simple device. At the right and left top comers, respect- ively, of the outer jewelled square, was fixed a gold ring, through which was passed a gold chain, or rather cord (for it had no links) 'of wreathen work.' These chains were then passed over, or through, or otherwise attached to, a couple of gold ornaments (AV 'ouches') — probably rosettes (LXX dffiriSIcrKas) of gold filigree — which had previously (v.") been fixed to the shoulder-pieces of the ephod in front. Similarly, at the right and left bottom corners of the inner square were fixed two gold rings, through each of which was passed a ribbon or ' lace of blue ' (KV). Corresponding to these two rings on the b. were two of the same material, attached, like the rosettes above mentioned, to the shoulder-pieces of the ephod. Their precise posi- tion, however, is difficult to determine, owing to the want of clearness in the existing description of the ephod (Ex 28°'*). They may, perhaps, be best thought of as sewed to the shoulder-incces of the ephod at points lower than the ro.settcs by the length of the chains and square, so that, in short, the rings of the ephod and those of the b. were in immediate contact, and fastened together by the blue lace.t The latter, in this way, would be entirely hidden by the b. , which would account for the inferior material of the lower fastening com- pared with that of the upper. By this means the D. was securely held in its place, so that it slioiiKl rest just 'above the cunningly woven band of llii' ephod' (v.**). The main purpose of the b., thcie can scarcely be any longer a doubt, was to provide a receptacle for the sacred lot, the mysterious Urim and TilUMMlM (wh. see). It should be added
• So Knutzs<:h, 'Orakel-Toscho.' CI. xiyst, (oracle) of I..XX.
t The latest represi-ntatioii, in Nowacii's Architoltxjif, ii. p no (from Kiehnrs // W'lT^ I. 4ll'J). cannot be correct. If the lace* were attached so hi^rh as there rc]>resentcd, the b., so far from bcint; kept from siiifting, would fall forward every time Uie high priest had occasion to bend his body.
320
BKEATH
BRETHREN OF THE LORD
that the description of the b. by Jos. {Ant. ill. vii. 5, and Wars, v. v. 7) must be used with caution.
LiTBRATURB. — Besides the comm. on Exod. consult the class. work of Braun, West Sacerd. Heb. Atnstel. 168(1; Bahr, 5i/m- Mik d. ilo». Kultui^h. p. 61 ft ; Neumann, D. Sti/tshulte, 1861, pp. 150-1&9 (with fine illustrations in colours); Ewatd's An- ttquitU^ (Kng, tr.), 29411. ; Keil's Arch. (£ng. tr.) i. ; Nowack's Arch. ii. 119 ; Ancessi, L'Egypte et Muise, le part. ' Les V6te- meata da Qrandpr6tre/ 1875. A. R. S. KlCNNEDY.
BREATH.— See Spirit.
BREECHES (D^opi?, xepuTKtMi, feminalia : for illustr. of last, see Rich, Diet, of Antiq.). — This is the name given to the undergarment ordered by Ezk (44'»), and the legislation of P (Ex 28" 39^, Lv 6" 16*) to be worn on grounds of modesty (i^j in above pass, is a euphemism, see under Bath) by the priests when engaged in the more solemn duties of their office. The b., more accurately drawers, were made of white linen, were very short, like our modem bathing drawers, reaching to below the loins and fastening round the waist. The Egyp. priests are said to have worn a similar