אֵפוֹד H0646
ephod — a priestly vestment worn over the shoulders, used in worship and oracular inquiry
The ephod is one of the most distinctive garments in the Hebrew Bible, a shoulder-piece worn by the high priest and described in elaborate detail in Exodus 28 and 39 — made of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet yarn interwoven with fine linen, bearing two onyx stones engraved with the names of Israel's twelve tribes. Yet the ephod also appears in humbler form: young Samuel ministers before the Lord wearing a linen ephod (1 Sam 2:18), and David dances before the ark girded with one (2 Sam 6:14). In several passages, the ephod is closely associated with oracular consultation — 'bring the ephod here' (1 Sam 23:9; 30:7) — suggesting it held or accompanied the Urim and Thummim. Gideon's golden ephod, tragically, becomes an object of idolatrous worship (Judg 8:27). The translations uniformly transliterate: Spanish 'efod,' French 'ephod,' German 'Ephod.'
Senses
1. ephod (priestly garment) — A priestly vestment of varying elaborateness: in its fullest form, the high-priestly shoulder-garment of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread with onyx shoulder-stones (Exod 28:6-12; 39:2-7), bearing the breastplate of judgment with the Urim and Thummim; in simpler form, a linen ephod worn by ordinary priests (1 Sam 22:18) and by Samuel and David in worship contexts (1 Sam 2:18; 2 Sam 6:14). The ephod's association with oracular inquiry (1 Sam 23:9; 30:7) and its potential for misuse as an idol (Judg 8:27; 17:5) show its centrality to Israel's cult. All 49 occurrences denote this single garment type across its various manifestations. 49×
AR["الرِّداءَ", "الرِّداءِ", "الْأَفُودَ", "الْأَفُودِ"]·ben["এফোদ", "এফোদের", "সেই-এফোদ", "সেই-এফোদের"]·DE["das-Ephod"]·EN["the-ephod"]·FR["l'éphod"]·heb["ה-אפוד"]·HI["एपोद", "एपोद-की", "एपोद-के"]·ID["efod", "efod-itu"]·IT["l'-efod"]·jav["efod", "éfod-punika", "éfod-punika,", "éfod-punika."]·KO["그-에보을", "그-에보의", "그-에봇", "그-에봇과", "그-에봇을", "그-에봇의"]·PT["o-'efod", "o-éfode"]·RU["эфод", "эфода"]·ES["el-efod"]·SW["kisibau", "la-kisibau", "vya-kisibau", "wa-kisibau", "za-kisibau"]·TR["-efodu", "-efodun", "efodu", "efodun"]·urd["-ایفود", "-ایفود-کا", "-ایفود-کے", "ایفود", "ایفود-کا", "ایفود-کی", "ایفود-کے"]
Exod 25:7, Exod 28:4, Exod 28:6, Exod 28:12, Exod 28:15, Exod 28:25, Exod 28:26, Exod 28:27, Exod 28:27, Exod 28:28, Exod 28:28, Exod 28:28 (+37 more)
Related Senses
H2719 1. sword, weapon of war (410×)H4196 1. altar (place of sacrifice) (403×)H7393 1. chariot, chariotry (117×)H7198 1. bow (weapon) (72×)H7979 1. table (71×)H7782 1. ram's horn trumpet (69×)H4294 2. staff, rod, scepter (63×)H4043 1. shield, defensive weapon (60×)H8504 1. blue (violet-blue yarn/fabric) (49×)H2595 1. spear, lance (48×)H2671 1. arrow, projectile weapon (46×)H4818 1. chariot, war-chariot (44×)H3658 1. lyre, harp (stringed instrument) (42×)H1537 1. Gilgal (place name) (41×)H0713 1. purple (fabric/dye) (38×)H0905 3. poles, staves (37×)H7392 1. Qal participle: rider, charioteer (37×)H4501 1. cultic lampstand (menorah) (36×)H0212 1. wheel (35×)H7626 2. rod, staff, stick (33×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
אֵפוֹד (28 times) & אֵפֹד (20 times) n.m. Ex 28:7 ephod (Ethiopic ኤፉድ cf. Aramaic ܦܶܕܬܳܐ id. (on meaning v. Lagl.c.), perhaps also Assyrian pid, pittu ZimBP 39; on form v. Ges§ 84 a 12. R. but Lagl.c. comp. وفاد, & thinks אֵפוֹד shortened from חֵשֶׁב הָא׳ ‘robe of approach’ to God)—א׳ abs. Ex 25:7 +; cstr. 1 S 2:18 +;— 1. ephod, priestly garment, shoulder-cape or mantle; a. as worn by ordinary…