What does ephod mean?
An ephod is a sacred vestment described in the Hebrew Bible as part of the ceremonial dress of the Israelite high priest. According to the Book of Exodus, it was an apron-like garment made of finely worked linen and dyed yarns, fastened at the shoulders with onyx stones engraved with the names of the tribes of Israel. It was closely associated with the breastplate of judgment, which held the Urim and Thummim used for discerning divine will. The word also appears more broadly in biblical narrative — most memorably when King David dances before the Ark of the Covenant wearing a simple linen ephod. Today the term survives almost entirely within biblical scholarship, liturgical discussion, and religious education, where it evokes the elaborate ritual apparatus of ancient Israelite worship.
nounA vestment worn by the Israelite high priest, described in the Book of Exodus as an apron-like garment of fine linen, typically associated with the breastplate bearing the Urim and Thummim.
- The ornate apron-like garment worn by the Israelite high priest, paired with the breastplate (Exodus 28)
- Any similar priestly garment; occasionally used loosely for other sacred vestments in biblical contexts
"The high priest donned the ephod before entering the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement."
"According to Exodus, the ephod was woven from gold, blue, purple, and scarlet yarns."
"When Saul sought guidance, he asked the priest to bring the ephod so he could inquire of the Lord."
Rare in practice, as the term usually refers to a single specific garment; the plural appears mainly in scholarly discussions of multiple garments or comparative ancient Near Eastern vestments.
"Museum reconstructions often display several ephods to illustrate variations in priestly rank."
King David famously danced before the Ark wearing nothing but a linen ephod — scandalizing his wife, but inspiring centuries of religious art.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of ephod
The word 'ephod' derives from Hebrew ʾēp̄ōd (אֵפוֹד), the term used in the Masoretic text for this priestly garment. It entered English through early modern Bible translations, appearing in Tyndale's translation and subsequently in the King James Version of 1611, which fixed its spelling in English usage. As a direct borrowing from a Semitic source rather than Latin or Greek, it has no English cognates, though related forms appear across Semitic languages.
How ephod is actually used
An archaic, specialized term found almost exclusively in biblical, liturgical, scholarly, or historical contexts. It carries no informal register and would strike most modern readers as obscure outside these domains. The plural is rare in practice, since references usually concern a single ceremonial object.
Easily confused with ephod
An epode is a form of lyric poem or choric ode in Greek verse, whereas an ephod is a priestly garment of ancient Israel.