The ephod was the sleeveless shoulder dress of the high priest to which were attached the 2 onyx stones bearing the names of the 12 tribes of Israel (Ex. 28:6-35; PP 351). The word was also used for a simple garment such as Samuel wore when he ministered as a temple servant (1 Sam. 2:18) and for David’s clothing when he danced before the ark (2 Sam. 6:14). It was apparently a garment worn by many priests (1 Sam. 22:18). The one in the possession of Abiathar, David’s priest, was used in consulting the Lord (1 Sam. 23:6, 9-12). Gideon’s ephod and breastplate were constructed in imitation of those worn by the high priest (PP 556).

The Israelites apparently came to regard this ephod as an object of worship.

 The author seems to suggest that the misfortunes that befell Gideon’s family after his death were attributable to the incidents connected with this ephod. One wonders at the motives that prompted Gideon to set up this rival worship at Ophrah. The religious center of the Israelites was at Shiloh, in the tribe of Ephraim, where the tabernacle was situated. It may have been the arrogant attitude of the Ephraimites (see ch. 8:1) that made Gideon resentful toward them to the extent that he did not care to go into their territory to worship. The miracle performed by the angel near his own home before his call to judgeship may have led him to conclude that God was intimating that a new seat of worship be established and that he should function there as a priest. He had asked for miraculous signs, and they had been granted. In his later functions as judge he may have felt the frequent need of inquiring of the Lord, and so, in view of these considerations, constructed an ephod in imitation of the one in the tabernacle. His sin consisted in taking over the prerogatives of the Aaronic priesthood without divine sanction. This deviation from the right prepared the way for wider apostasy both in his immediate family and among the tribesmen. The people were thus led astray by the very one who had formerly overthrown their idolatry. Gideon doubtless did not intend to turn from the worship of God, and his intentions may have been good. However, his subjective evaluation without divine guidance regarding the need for a new religious center opened the way for disaster. There was no excuse for Gideon to abandon the program that God had marked out regarding divine worship and service. If Gideon had continued to seek divine guidance as he had done formerly, he would have spared his family and his people much sorrow.

 Gideon’s history is a warning that more than good intentions are required to make an act commendable and right. Furthermore, the greater a man’s position of prominence, the more far-reaching will be the influence of his evil example; hence the greater will be his need of regulating every act of his life by the divine pattern. The only right rule of life is the law of God. Despite his failure, Gideon is commended in the epistle to the Hebrews (ch. 11:32) for his earlier acts of faith.