What Is An Ephod? - Church Of Jesus Christ

December 1973

• Contents

• Contents

• Christ’s Atonement: The Gift Supreme

  Marion G. Romney

• Consider Christmas

  Elaine Cannon

• Try Family Theater: “A Child Is Born”

  Mabel Jones Gabbott

• Christmas Carols

  • An Old-Fashioned Christmas

    Joyce O. Evans

  • One Night in Bethlehem

    Joyce O. Evans

  • Infant Jesus, Holy Babe

    Robert P. Manookin

  • The Miracle

    Christine Starr and Merrill Bradshaw

• The Unforgettable Gifts

  • Frozen Feet, Warming Heart

    Nicole Filosa

  • Karen’s Gift

    Patricia Russell

• The Gift That Never Wore Out

  Carol Lynn Pearson

• Christmas Poetry

  • To the Savior at Christmas and Always

    Arthur Henry King

  • And He Became

    Emma Lou Thayne

  • Of the Living God

    Mildred Barthel

  • The Boy and the King

    Virginia Maughan Kammeyer

  • The Savior in Gethsemane

    Clinton F. Larson

  • My Lord of the Garden

    Clifton Holt Jolley

• I Have a Question

  • What can I tell teenagers that will help them to understand why the Church places such importance on personal appearance?

    Rita L. McMinn

  • Did the Lord call Bishop Partridge to be a presiding bishop?

    D. Michael Quinn

  • How do I trace my line of priesthood authority?

    Earl E. Olson

  • What is an ephod?

    Richard O. Cowan

  • Will there be opportunities for marriage in the next life?

    James E. Faust

  • Why do portraits of Moses show him with horn-like rays coming from his head?

    Dale T. Fletcher

• Family Project: Cut, Paste, Crunch, Munch

• Searching the Scriptures: Giving and Receiving

  Robert J. Matthews

• What Joseph Smith Teaches Us of Christ

  S. Dilworth Young

• Announcing the Ensign Gospel-in-Art Program

• Look at Your Walls. What Do You See?

  Ed Maryon

• The Priesthood Ordinance of Sacrifice

  Edward J. Brandt

• Help Available Here: A Conversation with Elder Robert L. Simpson about LDS Social Services

  Robert L. Simpson

• Discovery

  • Test Yourself

  • Printout on Isaiah

  • No Wheels? Get a Camel

• Books

• Comment

• News of the Church

  • Conference Report in January Ensign

  • Statement on Home Storage Issued by Presiding Bishop

  • Stockholm Is Site of 1974 Area General Conference

  • Missionaries Needed to Keep Health Program Healthy

  • As Others See Us: The Media Looks at the Church

  • Singing Sisters Aid Celebrations

  • Christmas on Temple Square

  • Social Services Department Develops Corporate Offshoot

  • Physical Facilities Representative—New Church Calling

  • Saints Prepare to Build Anew after Chapel Gutted by Fire

  • LDS Scene

  • New Film in Production

  • The Roar of Tanks: A Special Report from the Jerusalem Branch

  • Managua: One Year Later—The Year of Hope and Reconstruction

• Bulletin Board

• After All

“What is an ephod?” Ensign, Dec. 1973, 33

The ephod was an article of sacred clothing worn by the high priests of the Levitical Priesthood. The Lord directed that they were not to wear ordinary clothing during their service, but they were to have “holy garments” made by those whom the Lord had “filled with the spirit of wisdom.” (Ex. 28:2–3.) These sacred garments were to be passed from father to son along with the high priestly office itself. (Ex. 29:29.)

The ephod, worn over a blue robe, was made of blue, purple, and scarlet material, with designs of gold thread skillfully woven into the fabric. This garment was fastened at each shoulder and had an intricately woven band with which it could be fastened around the waist. In gold settings on each shoulder were onyx stones engraved with the names of the 12 sons of Israel as a “memorial” as the priest served before the Lord. (See Ex. 28:6–14 and Ex. 39:2–7). Fastened to the ephod was a breastplate into which the Urim and Thummim could be placed. (Ex. 28:15–30.)

The exact function of the ephod is not known. As President Joseph Fielding Smith observed, information concerning these ancient ordinances “was never recorded in any detail, because such ordinances are sacred and not for the world.” (Improvement Era, November 1955, p. 794.)

There are later references to a linen ephod; the boy Samuel, for example, wore such a garment when he served the Lord.