אֵפוֹד

1. ephod, priestly garment, shoulder-cape or mantle;
  a. as worn by ordinary priest made of white stuff (בַּד) 1Sam 22:18 ׳נֹשֵׂא א compare 2; so Samuel as a temple-servant 1Sam 2:8 ׳חָגוּר א girt with an eph.; so David when dancing before ark 2Sam 6:14 (id.) 1Chr 15:27 ׳וְעַל דוד א;
  b. as prescribed in P for high priest, more costly, woven of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, & linen (? שֵׁשׁ)threads, provided with shoulder-pieces & breast-piece of like material, ornamented with gems and gold, Exod 25:7; Exod 28:4; Exod 28:6; Exod 28:12; Exod 28:15; Exod 29:5; Exod 35:9; Exod 35:27 + 17 t. , also Lev 8:7 compare probably 1Sam 2:28 (׳נֹשֵׂא א) 1Sam 14:3; 1Sam 21:10 (see below 2); ׳חֵשֶׁב הָא Exod 28:27; Exod 28:28; Exod 29:5; Exod 39:20; Exod 39:21; Lev 8:7 ׳מְעִיל הָא Lev 29:5; Lev 39:22 (compare Lev 8:7); with verb עַלֿ ׳נָתַן אֶתהָֿא put the ephod on Aaron Lev 8:7.

2. ephod used in consulting ׳י 1Sam 23:6 ׳א borne in hand (read בְּיָדוֺ ׳יָרַד וְהָא ᵐ5 We Dr) v1Sam 23:9; 1Sam 30:7 (twice in verse) (all with חִגִּישׁ) + 1Sam 14:18 (הגישׁ) & v1Sam 14:18, in both read ׳הָא for ארון & v1Sam 14:18 also נֹשֵׂא ᵐ5 Klo Dr;
  a. according to Thes MV Di Exod 28:6 and elsewhere properly below 1 b; consultation of ׳י in that case by Urim & Thummim in the breast-piece attached to the ephod (compare Exod 28:28-30 & see אוּרִים); if so, in view of נשׂא 1Sam 2:28; 1Sam 14:3; 1Sam 14:18 (compare above), not used elsewhere = wear except 1Sam 22:18, & of 1Sam 23:6, the word might be used by metonymy for the breast-piece itself;
  b. others, e.g. Sta^{Geschichte i. 466, 471} Bu^{RS 115} and others, think of an image representing ׳י; compare following.

3. a. ephod of gold made by Gideon Judg 8:27 for a local sanctuary, by which Israel was ensnared; = 2 b according to ᵑ6 Thes ('sine controversia') Stu and others + Sta Bu 1.c.; originally = gold sheathing of an image (compare etymology above & Isa 30:22 below אֲפֻדָּה); MV Be Kö^{Hauptprobleme 59} think of garment, as below 1 see above
  b. made (material not given) for a private, local sanctuary Judg 17:5; Judg 18:14; Judg 18:17; Judg 18:18; Judg 18:20 (|| פֶּסֶל, מַסֵּכָה, תְּרָפִים in all, for ᵐ5 gives מַסֵּכָה vJudg 18:20, omitted by HCT); compare Hos 3:4 Israel shall abide without king, prince, sacrifice, pillar, ephod or teraphim; according to Thes and others + Sta Bu l.c. = 2 b; Stu Be Ry and others regard as below 1; in view of distinction from פסל, מסכה & תרפים it seems more likely that this is not an image, but some means of consulting deity, perhaps in imitation of Urim & Thummim.