EPHOD ē’ fŏd (Heb. אֵפֹד֒, H680; LXX ἔπαμις) was a close-fitting, armless outer vest of varying length, but generally extending down to the hips. In the OT it was almost exclusively a priestly garment, or one used in the worship of God. In the Old Assyrian texts of the 19th cent. and the Ugaritic texts of the 15th the word appears as epadu or (fem.) epattu (Ug. ’-p-d), and apparently denoted a close-fitting garment which some interpret as “rich vestment” (cf. de Vaux, Ancient Israel, p. 350), but others as a more ordinary garment (Albright in Alleman and Flack, OT Commentary, p. 147). The fem. ’^apuddâ^h also occurs (Exod 28:8; 39:5; Isa 30:22) meaning “a close-fitting garment” without cultic connotations. In the Mosaic Code it is given special prominence as part of the high priest’s vestments. It was fastened around the waist with a beautifully woven girdle (ḥēšeb) (Exod 28:27, 28), and held together at the top by shoulder-pieces (kit^epōt) (28:12) set with onyx stones engraved with the names of the Twelve Tribes. The ceremonial breastplate (ḥōšen) containing twelve gem stones inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes was attached to a set of rings on the ephod. This breastplate also contained the sacred lots known as Urim and Thummim (although some authorities equate them with the twelve gems on the breastplate just mentioned).

Less elaborate ephods were worn by the rest of the priesthood, esp. when officiating before the altar (1 Sam 2:28; 14:3); these are simply described as ephods of linen (bad), and prob. lacked any extensive ornamentation. Even a young acolyte like Samuel (1 Sam 2:18) wore such an ephod. A special veneration was accorded the high priestly type of ephod to such an extent that in the time of the Judges Gideon (Judg 8:27) had a replica fashioned from the gold and precious stones stripped from the Midianite warriors slain by his troops in the war. Micah the Ephraimite is said to have made an ephod for use in the worship of his silver idol, along with his teraphim (or images of the household gods), according to Judges 17:1-5. The high priestly ephod in the Tabernacle was apparently mounted on a model of some sort or otherwise displayed in a prominent position in the sanctuary. Probably because of the Urim and Thummim attached to it the ephod was considered of great value, esp. at crises when important decisions had to be made. When David needed to know in advance whether the people of Keilah whom he had befriended would hand him over to King Saul, he had Abiathar consult God by means of the ephod (1 Sam 23:9-12). Presumably this was done by means of the Urim and Thummim, just as in the earlier instance when Saul by that means found out that Jonathan was the one who had transgressed his ban on eating food before victory (14:18, reading “ephod” with LXX, rather than the “ark,” which must have been kept at Kirjath-jearim at this time). The Urim and Thummim were drawn as “yes” or “no” answers (v. 41), eliminating the wrong choice between two alternatives.

It would appear that even in the northern kingdom ephods were made for cultic purposes in the temples of Israel (Hos 3:4). Whether these were made of woven cloth set with gold and gems, or whether they were like Gideon’s of old (Judg 8:26, 27) is not clear from the evidence. No mention is made of an ephod after the fall of Jerusalem in 587 b.c. There is no evidence that a new ephod was made for the high priest after the Restoration from Babylon, although it may safely be assumed that this was done in conformity with the Mosaic Law.

Bibliography J. Morgenstern, The Ark, the Ephod and the Tent of Meeting (1945); M. F. Unger, Archaeology and the OT (1954), 212; R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel (1961), 349-352; H. M. Buck, People of the Lord (1966), 93, 94; F. Josephus, Antiquities iii, 7.3.