Judges 8:27

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his hometown. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיַּעַשׂ֩ אוֹת֨וֹ גִדְע֜וֹן לְאֵפ֗וֹד וַיַּצֵּ֨ג אוֹת֤וֹ בְעִירוֹ֙ בְּעָפְרָ֔ה וַיִּזְנ֧וּ כָֽל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אַחֲרָ֖יו שָׁ֑ם וַיְהִ֛י לְגִדְע֥וֹן וּלְבֵית֖וֹ לְמוֹקֵֽשׁ׃

Transliteration

And wayyaʿaś [made] ʾôtô [it] gidʿôn [Gideon] ləʾēpôd [into an ephod], and wayyaṣṣēg [placed] ʾôtô [it] bəʿîrô [in his city] bəʿoprāh [in Ophrah], and wayyiznû [prostituted themselves] kol-yiśrāʾēl [all Israel] ʾaḥărāyw [after it] šām [there]; and wayəhî [it became] ləgidʿôn [to Gideon] and ûləbêtô [to his house] ləmôqēš [as a snare].

Grammar Details

• *wayyaʿaś*: waw consecutive + qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular of *ʿāśâ* - and made
• *ʾôtô*: direct object marker + 3rd masculine singular suffix - it
• *gidʿôn*: proper noun - Gideon
• *ləʾēpôd*: preposition *lə* + noun, masculine singular - into an ephod
• *wayyaṣṣēg*: waw consecutive + hiphil imperfect, 3rd masculine singular of *nāṣag* - and placed
• *bəʿîrô*: preposition *bə* + noun, feminine singular with 3rd masculine singular suffix - in his city
• *bəʿoprāh*: preposition *bə* + proper noun - in Ophrah
• *wayyiznû*: waw consecutive + qal imperfect, 3rd masculine plural of *zānâ* - and prostituted themselves
• *kol*-*yiśrāʾēl*: noun, masculine singular construct + proper noun - all Israel
• *ʾaḥărāyw*: preposition *ʾaḥar* + 3rd masculine singular suffix - after it
• *šām*: adverb - there
• *wayəhî*: waw consecutive + qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular of *hāyâ* - and it became
• *ləgidʿôn*: preposition *lə* + proper noun - to Gideon
• *ûləbêtô*: conjunction + preposition *lə* + noun, masculine singular with 3rd masculine singular suffix - and to his house
• *ləmôqēš*: preposition *lə* + noun, masculine singular - as a snare

Word Meanings

• *ʾēpôd*: ephod (priestly garment/sacred object)
• *mô qēš*: snare/trap/stumbling block
• *zānâ*: prostitute oneself/be unfaithful (often used of spiritual apostasy)

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And Gideon made an ephod and put it in his city, in Ophrah: and all Israel went there to worship it: which became a snare to Gideon and to his house.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And Gideon{H1439} made{H6213} an ephod{H646} thereof, and put{H3322} it in his city,{H5892} even in Ophrah:{H6084} and all Israel{H3478} played the harlot{H2181} after{H310} it there; and it became a snare{H4170} unto Gideon,{H1439} and to his house.{H1004}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And Gideon{H1439} made{H6213}{(H8799)} an ephod{H646} thereof, and put{H3322}{(H8686)} it in his city{H5892}, even in Ophrah{H6084}: and all Israel{H3478} went thither a whoring{H2181}{(H8799)} after{H310} it: which thing became a snare{H4170} unto Gideon{H1439}, and to his house{H1004}.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And Gideon made a cote armoure therof, and set it in his cite at Aphra. And all Israel wente there a whoringe after it, and it turned to an occasion of fallinge vnto Gedeon and his house.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And Gideon made an Ephod thereof, & put it in Ophrah his citie: and all Israel went a whoring there after it, which was the destruction of Gideon and his house.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And Gedeon made an Ephod therof, and put it in his citie Ephrah: And all Israel went a whoryng after it in the same place, which thing became a ruyne vnto Gedeon and to his house.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, [even] in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Gideon made an ephod of it, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel played the prostitute after it there; and it became a snare to Gideon, and to his house.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and Gideon maketh it into an ephod, and setteth it up in his city, in Ophrah, and all Israel go a-whoring after it there, and it is to Gideon and to his house for a snare.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel played the harlot after it there; and it became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel played the harlot after it there; and it became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And Gideon made an ephod from them and put it up in his town Ophrah; and all Israel went after it there and were false to the Lord; and it became a cause of sin to Gideon and his house.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Gideon made an ephod of it, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel played the prostitute after it there; and it became a snare to Gideon, and to his house.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Gideon used all this to make an ephod, which he put in his hometown of Ophrah. All the Israelites prostituted themselves to it by worshiping it there. It became a snare to Gideon and his family.

Referenced Verses

• Judg 17:5 : 5 Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and household idols, and he consecrated one of his sons to become his priest.
• Judg 18:14 : 14 Then the five men who had gone to scout out the land of Laish said to their fellow Danites, 'Do you know that in these houses there's an ephod, household gods, a carved image, and a cast idol? Now think about what you should do.'
• Judg 18:17 : 17 The five men who had gone to scout the land went inside and took the carved image, the ephod, the household gods, and the cast idol, while the priest stood at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred armed men.
• Deut 7:16 : 16 You shall destroy all the nations the LORD your God is giving over to you. Do not look on them with pity, and do not serve their gods, for that would be a snare to you.
• Ps 106:39 : 39 They defiled themselves by their actions and prostituted themselves by their deeds.
• Judg 6:24 : 24 So Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and called it 'The Lord is Peace.' To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
• Exod 23:33 : 33 They must not live in your land, or they will cause you to sin against me, because if you worship their gods, it will become a snare to you.
• Exod 28:6-9 : 6 They must make the ephod of finely woven gold, blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely twisted linen, the work of a skilled artisan. 7 It shall have two shoulder pieces joined at its two edges, so it can be fastened together. 8 The waistband of the ephod, made to match it, shall also be of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely twisted linen. 9 Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel. 10 Engrave six of their names on one stone and the remaining six names on the other stone, in the order of their birth. 11 Engrave the two stones with the work of a gem cutter, as one would engrave a seal. Mount them in gold filigree settings. 12 Place the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. Aaron is to bear their names before the LORD on his shoulders as a memorial. 13 Make gold filigree settings. 14 Make two pure gold chains of braided work, and attach the braided chains to the settings. 15 Make a breastpiece for decision-making, the work of a skilled artisan. It is to be made like the ephod, of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely twisted linen. 16 It shall be square when folded, a span in length and a span in width. 17 Mount on it a setting of stones, four rows of stones: the first row shall be a ruby, a topaz, and an emerald. 18 The second row shall be a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond. 19 The third row shall be a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst. 20 The fourth row shall be a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper. They shall be mounted in gold settings. 21 The stones shall correspond to the names of the sons of Israel, twelve according to their names, engraved like a signet, each with its name representing one of the twelve tribes. 22 Make braided chains of pure gold for the breastpiece, twisted like cords. 23 Make two gold rings and attach them to the two corners of the breastpiece. 24 Attach the two gold cords to the two gold rings at the corners of the breastpiece. 25 Attach the other ends of the two cords to the two filigree settings, and fasten them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod, at its front. 26 Make two more gold rings and attach them to the other two corners of the breastpiece, on its edge that is next to the ephod. 27 Make two gold rings and attach them to the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, below, at the front, where it is joined, above the woven band of the ephod. 28 They shall bind the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a blue cord, so it may rest on the woven band of the ephod and not come loose from the ephod. 29 Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he shall carry the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision, as a continual memorial before the LORD. 30 Place the Urim and the Thummim into the breastpiece of decision, so they will be over Aaron's heart whenever he comes before the LORD. Thus, Aaron will carry the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the LORD continually. 31 You shall make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue fabric. 32 It shall have an opening for the head in its center, with a woven edge around the opening, like a collar, to prevent it from being torn. 33 Make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn around the hem of the robe, alternating with gold bells in between them. 34 The gold bells and the pomegranates shall alternate around the hem of the robe. 35 Aaron must wear it when he serves, so the sound of the bells will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the LORD and when he comes out, so that he will not die.
• Deut 12:5 : 5 Instead, seek the place that the Lord your God will choose from among all your tribes to put His name and make His presence dwell, and go there.
• Judg 6:11 : 11 Then the angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth tree in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite. His son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to hide it from the Midianites.
• 1 Sam 23:9-9 : 9 When David learned that Saul was plotting harm against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod here." 10 David said, "LORD, God of Israel, your servant has certainly heard that Saul intends to come to Keilah and destroy the city because of me.
• Ps 73:27 : 27 Those who are far from You will perish; You destroy all who are unfaithful to You.
• Judg 8:32-33 : 32 Gideon son of Joash died at a good old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. 33 After Gideon died, the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals, making Baal-Berith their god.
• Isa 8:20 : 20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.
• Hos 2:2 : 2 The people of Judah and Israel will come together, appoint one leader, and rise up out of the land, for great will be the day of Jezreel.
• Hos 4:12-14 : 12 My people consult their wooden idols, and their staffs provide guidance for them. A spirit of prostitution has led them astray; they have been unfaithful under their God. 13 They sacrifice on the mountaintops and burn offerings on the hills, under oaks, poplars, and terebinths, where the shade is pleasant. Therefore your daughters turn to prostitution and your daughters-in-law to adultery. 14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit fornication, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery. For the men themselves go aside with harlots and sacrifice with temple prostitutes, and a people without understanding will come to ruin.