Judges 8:27
New International Version
Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his town. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family.

New Living Translation
Gideon made a sacred ephod from the gold and put it in Ophrah, his hometown. But soon all the Israelites prostituted themselves by worshiping it, and it became a trap for Gideon and his family.

English Standard Version
And Gideon made an ephod of it and put it in his city, in Ophrah. And all Israel whored after it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his family.

Berean Standard Bible
From all this Gideon made an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his hometown. But soon all Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his household.

King James Bible
And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

New King James Version
Then Gideon made it into an ephod and set it up in his city, Ophrah. And all Israel played the harlot with it there. It became a snare to Gideon and to his house.

New American Standard Bible
Gideon made it into an ephod, and placed it in his city, Ophrah; but all Israel committed infidelity with it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his household.

NASB 1995
Gideon made it into an ephod, and placed it in his city, Ophrah, and all Israel played the harlot with it there, so that it became a snare to Gideon and his household.

NASB 1977
And Gideon made it into an ephod, and placed it in his city, Ophrah, and all Israel played the harlot with it there, so that it became a snare to Gideon and his household.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Gideon made it into an ephod and placed it in his city, Ophrah, and all Israel played the harlot with it there, so that it became a snare to Gideon and his household.

Amplified Bible
Gideon made [all the golden earrings into] an ephod [a sacred, high priest’s garment], and put it in his city of Ophrah, and all Israel worshiped it as an idol there, and it became a trap for Gideon and his household.

Christian Standard Bible
Gideon made an ephod from all this and put it in Ophrah, his hometown. Then all Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his household.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Gideon made an ephod from all this and put it in Ophrah, his hometown. Then all Israel prostituted themselves with it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his household.

American Standard Version
And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel played the harlot after it there; and it became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Gedun took some of them and he made an idol, and he stood it in his town in Uphra, and the children of Israel went astray after it there, and it was a stumbling block to Gedun and to his household

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Gedeon made an ephod of it, an set it in his city in Ephratha; and all Israel went thither a whoring after it, and it became a stumbling-block to Gedeon and his house.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Gedeon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city Ephra. And all Israel committed fornication with it, and it became a ruin to Gedeon and to all his house.

English Revised Version
And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went a whoring after it there: and it became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then Gideon used the gold to make an idol and placed it in his hometown, Ophrah. All Israel chased after it there as though it were a prostitute. It became a trap for Gideon and his family.

Good News Translation
Gideon made an idol from the gold and put it in his hometown, Ophrah. All the Israelites abandoned God and went there to worship the idol. It was a trap for Gideon and his family.

International Standard Version
Gideon crafted the booty into an ephod and enshrined it in his home town of Ophrah. Then all of Israel committed spiritual adultery with it there, and it became a snare for Gideon and his household.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah; and all Israel went astray after it there; and it became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

Literal Standard Version
and Gideon makes it into an ephod, and sets it up in his city, in Ophrah, and all Israel go whoring after it there, and it is for a snare to Gideon and to his house.

Majority Standard Bible
From all this Gideon made an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his hometown. But soon all Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his household.

New American Bible
Gideon made an ephod out of the gold and placed it in his city, Ophrah. All Israel prostituted themselves there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his household.

NET Bible
Gideon used all this to make an ephod, which he put in his hometown of Ophrah. All the Israelites prostituted themselves to it by worshiping it there. It became a snare to Gideon and his family.

New Revised Standard Version
Gideon made an ephod of it and put it in his town, in Ophrah; and all Israel prostituted themselves to it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his family.

New Heart English Bible
Gideon made an ephod of it, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel prostituted themselves after it there; and it became a snare to Gideon, and to his house.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Gideon made of it an ephod, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither astray after it: which thing became a snare to Gideon, and to his house.

World English Bible
Gideon made an ephod out of it, and put it in Ophrah, his city. Then all Israel played the prostitute with it there; and it became a snare to Gideon and to his house.

Young's Literal Translation
and Gideon maketh it into an ephod, and setteth it up in his city, in Ophrah, and all Israel go a-whoring after it there, and it is to Gideon and to his house for a snare.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Gideon's Ephod
26The weight of the gold earrings he had requested was 1,700 shekels, in addition to the crescent ornaments, the pendants, the purple garments of the kings of Midian, and the chains from the necks of their camels. 27From all this Gideon made an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his hometown. But soon all Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his household.

Cross References
Exodus 28:6
They are to make the ephod of finely spun linen embroidered with gold, and with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn.

Deuteronomy 7:16
You must destroy all the peoples the LORD your God will deliver to you. Do not look on them with pity. Do not worship their gods, for that will be a snare to you.

Deuteronomy 7:25
You must burn up the images of their gods; do not covet the silver and gold that is on them or take it for yourselves, or you will be ensnared by it; for it is detestable to the LORD your God.

Judges 8:26
The weight of the gold earrings he had requested was 1,700 shekels, in addition to the crescent ornaments, the pendants, the purple garments of the kings of Midian, and the chains from the necks of their camels.

Judges 8:28
In this way Midian was subdued before the Israelites and did not raise its head again. So the land had rest for forty years in the days of Gideon,

Judges 17:5
Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household idols, and ordained one of his sons as his priest.

Judges 18:14
Then the five men who had gone to spy out the land of Laish said to their brothers, "Did you know that one of these houses has an ephod, household gods, a graven image, and a molten idol? Now think about what you should do."


Treasury of Scripture

And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare to Gideon, and to his house.

an ephod

Judges 17:5
And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

Judges 18:14,17
Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish, and said unto their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? now therefore consider what ye have to do…

Exodus 28:6-12
And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work…

Ophrah

Judges 8:32
And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

Judges 6:11,24
And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites…

Deuteronomy 12:5
But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:

a whoring

Exodus 23:33
They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.

Psalm 73:27
For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.

Psalm 106:39
Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.

a snare

Judges 8:33
And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god.

Deuteronomy 7:16
And thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto thee.

Jump to Previous
Astray A-Whoring Cause City Ephod Harlot House Israel Maketh Ophrah Placed Played Prostitute Prostituted Sin Snare Themselves Thereof Thither Whoring
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Astray A-Whoring Cause City Ephod Harlot House Israel Maketh Ophrah Placed Played Prostitute Prostituted Sin Snare Themselves Thereof Thither Whoring
Judges 8
1. Gideon pacifies the Ephraimites
4. Succoth and Penuel refuse to deliver Gideon's army
10. Zebah and Zalmunna are taken
13. Succoth and Penuel are destroyed
17. Gideon revenges his brothers's death on Zebah and Zalmunna
22. He refuses government
24. His ephod the cause of idolatry
28. Midian subdued
29. Gideon's children, and death
33. The Israelites' idolatry and ingratitude














(27) Made an ephod.--The high priest's ephod is described in Exodus 28:6-14. It was a sleeveless coat of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen, with two ouches of onyx on the shoulders, bound by a rich girdle. Over this was worn the splendid jewelled breastplate, the choshen, with the Urim and Thummim. This ephod, with its "oracular gems," was by far the most splendid and sacred adjunct of worship which the Israelites possessed, and hence was regarded with extreme reverence (1Samuel 21:9; 1Samuel 23:9; 1Samuel 30:7), and it seems clear that Gideon's object was to provide a counter-attraction to it in an ephod of equally precious materials. It is a mistake to suppose (as Gesenius and others do, following the Peshito and Arabic versions) that ephod here means an idol or some unauthorised symbol of Jehovah, like the later "calves." Ewald, too (Alterthmer, p. 232), assumes that the "ephod" was really "a gilded household idol." But we may hope that Gideon, though guilty of a great sin, had not sunk quite so low as Jeroboam did. On the other hand, we cannot believe, with the Rabbis, that his ephod was only intended as a memorial of his victory.

Thereof.--This does not necessarily imply that he devoted the whole of his mass of gold to this object. In Hosea 2:13, "decking herself with earrings" is one of the signs of the "days of Baalim." Hence, perhaps, an earring is called in Chaldee kaddisha. . . .

Verse 27. - Gideon made an ephod thereof. There is great difference of opinion among commentators as to the significance of this statement. The ephod (Exodus 28:4, 6-30) was that part of the high priest's dress (1 Samuel 14:3; 1 Samuel 21:9) which covered the breast in front, and the upper part of the back behind, the two parts being clasped together by two large onyx stones, one on each shoulder, and kept together by the curious girdle, just above which was fastened the breastplate of judgment. In a modified form the "linen ephod" was worn by all priests; but it was especially worn by the high priest when he inquired of God by Urim and Thummim (1 Samuel 23:9; 1 Samuel 30:7). Hence it was also connected with idolatrous worship, as we see by ch. Judges 17:5, and Hosea 3:4, being probably used for purposes of divination, as we know that idolatrous kings of Israel, instead of inquiring of the Lord, inquired of the false gods (2 Kings 1:2, 3). What, then, was Gideon's purpose in making this costly ephod? We may infer from his proved piety that at all events his intention was to do honour to the Lord, who had given him the victory. Then, as he was now at the head of the State, though he had declined the regal office, and as it was the special prerogative of the head of the State to "inquire of the Lord" (Numbers 27:21; 1 Samuel 22:13; 1 Samuel 23:2, 4, etc.; 1 Samuel 28:6, etc.), he may have thought it his right, as well as a matter of great importance to the people, that he should have the means ready at hand of inquiring of God. His relations with the great tribe of Ephraim may have made it inconvenient to go to Shiloh to consult the high priest there, and therefore he would have the ephod at his own city of Ophrah, just as Jephthah made Mizpeh his religious centre (ch. Judges 11:11). Whether he sent for the high priest to come to Ophrah, or whether he made use of the ministry of some other priest, we have no means of deciding. The people, however, always prone to idolatry, made an idol of the ephod, and Gideon, either because it was a source of gain or of dignity to his house, or thinking it was a means of keeping the people from Baal-worship (ver. 33), seems to have connived at it. This seems to be the explanation best supported by the little we know of the circumstances of the case. A snare, i.e. as in Judges 2:3, that which leads a person to eventual destruction. See Exodus 10:7, where Pharaoh's servants say of Moses, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? See also Exodus 23:33; Exodus 34:12; Deuteronomy 7:16; 1 Samuel 18:21, etc. Observe in this verse how the narrative runs on far beyond the present time, to return again at ver. 28 (see note to Judges 2:1-6; Judges 7:25; Judges 8:4).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
[From all this] Gideon
גִדְע֜וֹן (ḡiḏ·‘ō·wn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1439: Gideon -- a judge of Israel

made
וַיַּעַשׂ֩ (way·ya·‘aś)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

an ephod,
לְאֵפ֗וֹד (lə·’ê·p̄ō·wḏ)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 646: A girdle, the ephod, highpriest's shoulder-piece, an image

which he placed
וַיַּצֵּ֨ג (way·yaṣ·ṣêḡ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3322: To place permanently

in Ophrah,
בְּעָפְרָ֔ה (bə·‘ā·p̄ə·rāh)
Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 6084: Ophrah -- an Israelite, also two places in Israel

his hometown.
בְעִירוֹ֙ (ḇə·‘î·rōw)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

But soon all
כָֽל־ (ḵāl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

Israel
יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

prostituted themselves
וַיִּזְנ֧וּ (way·yiz·nū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 2181: To commit adultery, to commit idolatry

by worshiping it
אַחֲרָ֖יו (’a·ḥă·rāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 310: The hind or following part

there,
שָׁ֑ם (šām)
Adverb
Strong's 8033: There, then, thither

and it became
וַיְהִ֛י (way·hî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

a snare
לְמוֹקֵֽשׁ׃ (lə·mō·w·qêš)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4170: A bait or lure, a snare

to Gideon
לְגִדְע֥וֹן (lə·ḡiḏ·‘ō·wn)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1439: Gideon -- a judge of Israel

and his household.
וּלְבֵית֖וֹ (ū·lə·ḇê·ṯōw)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1004: A house


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OT History: Judges 8:27 Gideon made an ephod of it (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 8:26
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