Christopher Smith Posted March 9, 2003 Report Share Posted March 9, 2003 The commentaries I have read indicate an ephod is a vest like the one for the Tabernacle. With the spoils from these battles, Gideon's ephod would probably have been quite beautiful, but why did he make such a strange object? The only purpose of the ephod was as part of priestly garments. As Gideon wasn't a priest, why did he need an ephod? The ephod also held the Urim and Thummim, but it doesn't seem that he made these as well. Perhaps what he made wasn't a vest at all, but something else. Whatever it was, it was a stumbling block to the Israelites, and therefore a great leader should have done something about that. Gideon should at least have noticed the people's increasing interest in it, and tendency to revere and worship it, and removed it or destroyed it. A great leader would do anything to keep his followers from stumbling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanie Posted April 13, 2003 Report Share Posted April 13, 2003 Gideon Lesson 5 Question 3 What is an ephod? (8:24-27) What might the gold ephod have looked like? "Ephod" is a trasliteration of the Hebrew noun 'ephod', and seems to refer to a sacred garment, though there is a lot of scholarly speculation. In the Old Testament the word is used of the high priest's garment (Exodus 28, 39). Others who wore less extravagant linen ephods were Samuel (l Samuel 2:18), priests (1 Samuel 22:18), and David (2 Samuel 6:14). Sometimes the Urim and Thummin in the high priest's ephod were used for determining the will of God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Hatlestad Posted April 17, 2003 Report Share Posted April 17, 2003 Ephod- A kind of Hebrew priestly vestment, that was worn by the high priest. anything that would cause someone to worship a false idol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luray mcclung Posted May 7, 2003 Report Share Posted May 7, 2003 An ephod is a sacred garment worn by priests (Aaron's ephod). I picture this ephod of gold like a statue or idol of an apron-like garment and human shaped for wearing although it would have been uncomfortable and toooo heavy. What peeked my curiosity was there appeared no sculpting of head, arms, legs, feet, just an idol of clothing. Aren't our idols today sometimes obscure in the beginning, innocent, attractive to the eye? lmc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liza Posted May 19, 2003 Report Share Posted May 19, 2003 The ephod refers to a sacred garment. The ephod Gideon made may have been an idol shaped like a garment similar to the priestly garments the Levite priests wore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt Woodbridge Posted May 21, 2003 Report Share Posted May 21, 2003 What is an ephod? (8:24-27) What might the gold ephod have looked like? An ephod was commonly known as a vestment for priests, generally made of linen. The ephod of Gideon was one enhanced with gold; perhaps interwoven. This would make it a "cadillac" version of the basic model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjcollin Posted June 11, 2003 Report Share Posted June 11, 2003 Q3. What is an ephod? (8:24-27) What might the gold ephod have looked like? Exposition The Strongs Meaning of the word: 646 'ephowd {ay-fode'} rarely 'ephod {ay-fode'} probably of foreign derivation; TWOT - 142.1a; n m AV - ephod 49; 49 1) ephod 1a) priestly garment, shoulder-cape or mantle, outer garment 1a1) worn by an ordinary priest and made of white stuff 1a2) worn by the high priest - more costly, woven of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and linen threads provided with shoulder-pieces and a breast piece of like material, ornamented with gems and gold As was pointed out in the post that references the Jewish dictionary, there is some debate as the word clearly has more than one meaning as reference to an object. In some places it refered to the gold breastplate with stones on it that the high priest wore to help communicate with God. At any rate, it is an item made of gold, and it was something that he Israelites bowed down and worshiped to instead of God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Posted June 25, 2003 Report Share Posted June 25, 2003 Learning from other replies it appears from the Jewish encyclopaedia that it could have been the High Priest's clothing or could have been an image. In the former case it would apparently looked like a sort of apron which was held in place over the shoulders by straps. Being gold it would certainly have been magnificent either as a garment or an image. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitty Posted January 30, 2004 Report Share Posted January 30, 2004 An epod is a gold object that has straps on the shoulders and around the waist. There are 12 stones to represent the 12 tribes of Israel. The priest wear the epod before God when they are interceding on the behalf of Israel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heatherdills Posted February 4, 2004 Report Share Posted February 4, 2004 An ephod is an ornamental "breastplate" that priests often wore in religious ceremonies. The gold ephod may have looked like armor worn in war, but was ornamentalized for worship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelOnLine Posted May 22, 2004 Report Share Posted May 22, 2004 Q3. What is an ephod? (8:24-27) An ephod is a golden garment. What might the gold ephod have looked like? Probably similar to a tunic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mairead Posted June 27, 2004 Report Share Posted June 27, 2004 2. What is an ephod? (8:24-27) What might the gold ephod have looked like? An ephod was a garment worn by priests over their chests. It was considered holy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted June 28, 2004 Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 An Ephod is the top short garment worn by the High Priest. Attached to it are the (two discs? called) the urim and the thumim, which were used in those days to ask God which way to go. It is suggested the gold ephod may have taken the shape of a man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maria gonzalez Posted August 3, 2004 Report Share Posted August 3, 2004 An ephod is a garment worn by priests. Part of it was a breastplate that had stones representing each of the 12 tribes of Israel, if I do not recall wrong about the stones, each stone was different. The garment was made out of white linen. The ephod was held by onyx stones on each shoulder (or one shoulder), if I do not recall wrong; the onyx stone detail may be a more modern part of an ephod, though. The part where the stones were was woven by scarlet and other threads; I am not sure if this is a detail of the high priest ephod, if all the ephods were like this or if a more modern version of the ephod. High priests and priests used to wear this garment. I believe it separated them from the rest of the crowd. The garment was a symbol of holiness. Not everyone could wear one. The bible mentions that David wore an ephod, if I do not recall wrong. I am not sure however why would he wear one being that he was the king of Israel. I would assume it would be because of the lineage he came from, the tribe he came from. I have to study more about this topic. The ephod that Gideon made was too heavy to be worn. I really do not think that the other wearable ephods were as heavy. I find it very interesting that he made such a heavy ephod. I would assume that Gideon had the ephod made for reasons other than to be worn. I would assume it would have been to be put up for everyone to see. Probably his intentions were not idolatry, I do not think his intentions were to make a garment of that weight to be worn either. The people of Israel used the garment for the purpose of taking the place of an idol and adored it as such, becoming idolatrous. It became a snare for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randi Posted February 8, 2005 Report Share Posted February 8, 2005 An ephod is a sacred garment that in the Old Testament was worn by the high priest. It was made of gold with Urim and Thummin. it covered from the shoulders to the thigh area. Breastplate had 12 precious stones in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandieh Posted May 18, 2005 Report Share Posted May 18, 2005 The ephod was a garment, worn by the priests. gideon made this I am sure to honor God for the victory He had brought them. But even so it went on to become the object of worship, rather than the one for whom it was meant to represent. It reminds me, never to put more emphasis on the created, over the creator. People have always had a tendancy to want to worship the "seen" more so than the unseen. Thats is what faith is all about. Blessed are those who haven't seen, but believe.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladyfields Posted July 17, 2005 Report Share Posted July 17, 2005 An ephod in this text may have been a priestly garment made of the gold Gideon received from the people and what he took from the leaders he killed. It probaly looked like a statue. The image was too heavy to be worn so it was set up on something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicea Posted July 20, 2005 Report Share Posted July 20, 2005 Q3. What is an ephod? (8:24-27) What might the gold ephod have looked like? An ephod is an apron like garment that was worn by the priesthood. As near as I can picture it, it was two rectangular pieces of clothe, front and back and attached at the shoulders and the priest's breastplate could be attached to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissioned Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 What is an ephod? (8:24-27) An ephod is a sacred garment worn by priest. What might the gold ephod have looked like? The gold ephod, when not in use, may have looked like a human when it was hung on a wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Posted January 22, 2008 Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 What is an ephod? (8:24-27) What might the gold ephod have looked like? An ephod is a sacred garment wore by priests. The ephod was made of gold and was an outer garment over the priests robes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nina Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 An ephod is believed to be a priestly garment. It was no doubt worn over a linen garment. It may have been similar to a gold vest or apron to go over the regular garment. When the ephod was not worn, it may have been hung and remained in the shape of a person tempting some to worship it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustJeff Posted May 20, 2008 Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 An ephod is a robe that was worn by a priest and is still so today in some religions. I would imagine that an ephod made of gold would look like a headless, legless and armless statue or, as the Israelies came to see it, an idol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masika Posted May 27, 2008 Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 What is an ephod? (8:24-27) What might the gold ephod have looked like? An ancient Hebrew instrument of priestly divination. After being used by God to save Israel from years of Midianite tyranny, Gideon took and offering of gold earrings from his army which he melted and molded into a golden ephod, that he and all Israel began to hold sacred as holy article and image for worship. This narrative sounds similar to the golden calf that was molded and used for Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brotherbill Posted September 16, 2008 Report Share Posted September 16, 2008 It seems to be some type of ceremonial garment or accessory that was worn by a high priest and set aside for religious purposes. It may have even been thought to have power or to be a connection to God's power as in the case of the Urim and the Thummin of the high priest, which was used to determine the will of God. (?) At the least it was representative of God's presence and power with the priest who was wearing it and perhaps this was part of Gideon's mistake to represent himself as something God had not called him to be. We often see how the sins of one or a few can lead many to wander in sin and this appears to be the case here. Gideon's ephod appears to have been made from the precious metals from the earing's and treasures taken from the Midianite army. These metals were melted and fashioned into a garment of some type which may have been put on display in some sort of shrine or temple setting. Perhaps it was draped over a man shaped figure of may have been just hung on a wall but since the people worshiped it, it must have been in a place accessible and in sight of all. What is an ephod? (8:24-27) What might the gold ephod have looked like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Irving Posted June 27, 2018 Report Share Posted June 27, 2018 On 2/6/2003 at 9:49 PM, Pastor Ralph said: What is an ephod? (8:24-27) What might the gold ephod have looked like? An ephod is a sleeveless garment worn by the priests. It was usually decorated with gems and gold and silver. It was probably beautifully decorated made out of gold. It didn’t have any sleeves and was like a breastplate for Gideon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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