27
Gideon made an object out of all of the gold. It looked like the linen apron the high priest of Israel wore. He placed it in Ophrah. That was his hometown. All of the people of Israel worshiped it there. They weren't faithful to the Lord. So the gold object became a trap to Gideon and his family.
Reference
Hebrew: Gidʻôwn
Gidon, an Israelite
Greek: ὅλος (hólos)
"whole" or "all", i.e. complete (in extent, amount, time or degree), especially (neuter) as noun or adverb
Hebrew: kôl
{properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)}
Greek: ὁ (ho)
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
Hebrew: ʼillêyn
these
Greek: χρυσίον (chrysíon)
a golden article, i.e. gold plating, ornament, or coin
Hebrew: bᵉtsar
gold
Hebrew: hêm
they (only used when emphatic)
Greek: παρόμοιος (parómoios)
alike nearly, i.e. similar
Greek: ὁ (ho)
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
Hebrew: ʼillêyn
these
Greek: λίνον (línon)
flax, i.e. (by implication) "linen"
Hebrew: bad
flaxen thread or yarn; hence, a linen garment
Greek: σιμικίνθιον (simikínthion)
a semicinctium or half-girding, i.e. narrow covering (apron)
Hebrew: chăgôwr
a belt (for the waist)
Greek: ὁ (ho)
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
Hebrew: ʼillêyn
these
Hebrew: gâbâhh
lofty (literally or figuratively)
Hebrew: kâhên
{one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)}
Hebrew: Yisrᵉʼêlîy
a Jisreelite or descendant of Jisrael
Greek: ὅδε (hóde)
the same, i.e. this or that one (plural these or those); often used as a personal pronoun
Hebrew: hûwʼ
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
Hebrew: hêm
they (only used when emphatic)
Hebrew: ʻOphrâh
Ophrah, the name of an Israelite and of two places in Palestine
Hebrew: zôw
this or that
Greek: τοῦ (toû)
sometimes used for G5127 (τούτου); of this person
Greek: ὅλος (hólos)
"whole" or "all", i.e. complete (in extent, amount, time or degree), especially (neuter) as noun or adverb
Hebrew: kôl
{properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)}
Greek: ὁ (ho)
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
Hebrew: ʼillêyn
these
Greek: δῆμος (dēmos)
the public (as bound together socially)
Hebrew: ʻam
{a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock}
Hebrew: Yisrᵉʼêlîy
a Jisreelite or descendant of Jisrael
Hebrew: hêm
they (only used when emphatic)
Greek: ἐκεῖ (ekeî)
there; by extension, thither
Greek: ὁ (ho)
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
Hebrew: ʼillêyn
these
Greek: ῥαββονί (rhabboní)
God
Hebrew: ʼâdôwn
sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine)
Hebrew: kᵉnêmâʼ
so or thus
Greek: ὁ (ho)
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
Hebrew: ʼillêyn
these
Greek: χρυσίον (chrysíon)
a golden article, i.e. gold plating, ornament, or coin
Hebrew: bᵉtsar
gold
Hebrew: ʼechâd
properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first
Greek: θήρα (thḗra)
hunting, i.e. (figuratively) destruction
Hebrew: malkôdeth
a snare
Hebrew: Gidʻôwn
Gidon, an Israelite
Greek: καίγε (kaíge)
and at least (or even, indeed)
Hebrew: kîy
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
Greek: τοῦ (toû)
sometimes used for G5127 (τούτου); of this person
Greek: πατριά (patriá)
paternal descent, i.e. (concretely) a group of families or a whole race (nation)
Hebrew: ʼeleph
a family; also (from the sense of yoking or taming) an ox or cow
Creation
Judges 17:5
Parallel theme
Psalm 106:39
Judges 18:14
Deuteronomy 7:16
Judges 18:17
Exodus 23:33
Judges 6:24
Verse Explanation
Gideon used the gold to make an ephod and placed it in his hometown of Ophrah. Although an ephod was normally associated with priestly worship, this object became a snare because the Israelites began treating it as an object of worship. Instead of drawing people closer to God, it encouraged spiritual confusion and idolatry. Gideon's intentions may have been sincere, but the result was tragic. Even faithful leaders can make decisions that unintentionally lead others away from God.
History
The lawful priestly ephod belonged at the tabernacle, not in a private city such as Ophrah.