What was the significance of the ephod?

Answer

In the Old Testament, the ephod has two meanings. In one group of passages, it signifies a garment; in another, very probably an image. As a garment, the ephod is mentioned in the priestly ordinances as part of the official attire of the high priest. It was to be crafted from threads “of blue and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen” and embroidered with gold thread “with cunning work” (Exodus 28:4;Exodus 29:5;Exodus 39:2;Leviticus 8:7).

The ephod was secured by a girdle of similar workmanship sewn onto it. It had two shoulder pieces that crossed the shoulders and were apparently attached or sewn to the ephod in front. When putting it on, the shoulder pieces were connected at the back to the two ends of the ephod. The length of the garment is not specified. At the point where the shoulder pieces were joined in the front “above the girdle,” two golden rings were sewn on, to which the breastplate was affixed.

The word ephod has a completely different meaning in the second group of passages, all found in the historical books. It is clear that the word cannot refer to a garment in these instances. This is evident in Judges 8:26–27, where it is mentioned that Gideon took from the Ishmaelites, who were Midianite allies, golden earrings weighing 1,700 shekels of gold, and made an “ephod thereof, and placed it in his city, even in Ophrah,” where it was worshipped by all Israel. In Judges 17:5, Micah made an ephod and teraphim, or idol, for his sanctuary. The most logical conclusion from all these passages is that “ephod” here represents an image that was erected in the sanctuary, especially since the word is paired with teraphim, which undoubtedly refers to graven images. “For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim” (Hosea 3:4).

To a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: », (Hosea 3:4). The conclusion is that ephod, in these cases, refers to a portable idol. Some scholars have suggested that the connection between the idol and the garment is that the idol was originally clothed in a linen garment, and the term ephod gradually came to describe the idol as a whole.