RATIONALE OR BREASTPLATE of judgment

The Rationale of Judgment was a kind of square bag, with each side about the length of one palm and lined with four rows of stones, that the High Priest always wore on his chest when he consulted the Lord.

According to the most generally accepted interpretation, these twelve stones symbolized the twelve tribe of Israel and the twelwe signs of the Zodiac;

 

zircon Dan Acquarius

amethyst Gad Pisces

jasper Benjamin Aries

sapphire Jssachar Taurus

agate Neftali Gemini

emerald Levi Cancer

onix Zabulon Leo

carnelian Ruben Virgo

chrysolite Asher Libra

beryl Giuseppe Scorpio

topaz Simeone Sagittarius

ruby Giuda Capricorn