Judges 8:27

8:27 Gideon used all this to make ¹  an ephod, ²  which he put in his hometown of Ophrah. All the Israelites ³  prostituted themselves to it by worshiping it ⁴  there. It became a snare to Gideon and his family.

Judges 6:37

6:37 Look, I am putting a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece, and the ground around it ⁵  is dry, then I will be sure ⁶  that you will use me to deliver Israel, ⁷  as you promised.”

Judges 7:5

7:5 So he brought the men ⁸  down to the water. Then the Lord said to Gideon, “Separate those who lap the water as a dog laps from those who kneel to drink.” ⁹ 

[8:27]  ¹ tn Heb “made it into.”

[8:27]  ² sn In Exod 28:4-6 and several other texts an ephod is described as a priestly or cultic garment. In some cases an ephod is used to obtain a divine oracle (1 Sam 23:9; 30:7). Here the ephod is made of gold and is described as being quite heavy (70-75 lbs?). Some identify it as an idol, but it was more likely a cultic object fashioned in the form of a garment which was used for oracular purposes. For discussion of the ephod in the OT, see C. F. Burney, Judges, 236-43, and R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel, 349-52.

[8:27]  ³ tn Heb “Israel” (a collective singular).

[8:27]  ⁴ tn The words “by worshiping it” are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[6:37]  ⁵ tn Heb “all the ground.”

[6:37]  ⁶ tn Or “know.”

[6:37]  ⁷ tn Heb “you will deliver Israel by my hand.”

[7:5]  ⁹ tn Heb “the people.”

[7:5]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “Everyone who laps with his tongue from the water, as a dog laps, put him by himself, as well as the one who gets down on his knees to drink.”