Sterling Silver Breastplate Pendant

This Hoshen pendant, also know as Urim VeTumim, has 12 colorful Stones representing the 12 Tribes of Israel.

Height - 1 1/2 inches / 4.5 cm Width - 2 inches / 6 cm



Hoshen refers to the sacred breastplate worn by the Jewish high priest as stated in the Exodus. According to Biblical description, the Hoshen contains 12 specific stones, each stone representing one of the Twelve Tribes. The color of each Tribe’s stone became the identifying banner colors for that tribe.

One of the biggest mysteries of the Hoshen is its original stone composition. Although the Bible identifies the stones of the Hoshen by name, these names have not been used since Biblical times and scholars have been unable to translate them.

As for the Tribes, it is as follows:

Biblical Stone

Tribe

Stone Color

Odem

Reuben

Red

Pitdah

Simeon

Green

Bareketh

Levi

White, black and red

Jophek

Judah



Sky-blue

Sappir

Issachar

Very dark Blue

Yahalom

Zebulun

Clear

Leshem

Dan

Blue

Shebo

Gad

Gray

Ahlamah

Naphtali

Pink

Tarshish

Assher

Yellow

Shoham

Joseph

Very black

Yashpheh

Benjamin

Speckled Stone