What Does Exodus 28:12 Mean in the King James?
And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD upon his two shoulders for a memorial.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
This verse turns remembrance from a thought into a carrying: the people’s names are borne into the LORD’s presence.
THE MEANING
You are not only counted as part of a crowd: the verse pictures your particular identity carried into the LORD’s presence. Remembrance here has weight and location, names borne on shoulders, before God.
THE ROOT
זִכָּרוֹן
zikaron
GROWS FROM
זכר
Remember, call to mind, bring into remembrance.
The root makes the memorial more than an object: it belongs to the act of remembering and making present. The names are carried so the people remain before the LORD.
ALSO GROWS
zākar: Remember, call to mind.
זָכַר
This verb shows the living action inside the memorial: remembrance keeps the people present.
zēker: Remembrance, mention.
זֵכֶר
This branch links remembering with naming: the memorial holds the people’s names in view.
נָשָׂא
nāśāʾ
GROWS FROM
נשא
Lift, carry, bear.
The verse uses נָשָׂא (nāśāʾ, to carry or bear) for the names on Aaron’s shoulders. The same root can describe bearing a burden, so the image holds both representation and weight: the names are carried into the presence, not left behind as a list.
ALSO GROWS
maśśāʾ: A burden or load.
מַשָּׂא
The branch makes the weight in the shoulder image tangible: what is carried is held by the bearer.
nōśēʾ ʿāwōn: Bearing crookedness; rendered “forgiving iniquity” in Exodus 34:7.
נֹשֵׂא עָוֹן
The same carrying verb can describe bearing crookedness, revealing how “bear” can include taking something weighty upon oneself.
THE PATTERN
Being remembered before God is pictured as a name held in view and carried into presence.
Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.THE THREAD
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.Exodus uses נָשָׂא (nāśāʾ, to bear or carry) for bearing the people’s names; Isaiah uses the same root for bearing griefs. The shared verb turns the shoulder image into a wider pattern: what is borne is brought into another’s presence and weight.
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