Judges 8:27
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. 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.
Gideon fashioned the ephod out of the spoil taken from the Midianites, costly gifts freely given by the people, and set it up in his own city of Ophrah. The ephod with its breastplate copied the garments worn by the high priest, yet he had no divine authorization to establish such worship there. Those objects were not sacred in themselves, and their rightful use belonged to the high priest in the worship God Himself had appointed.
After God had given him success, he no longer waited for divine instruction but devised a plan of his own. Because of their costly materials and fine workmanship, the objects came to be regarded with superstitious reverence and became an object of idolatrous worship. The worship set up around them drew Israel away from the Lord, leading many to forsake Him. What was made became a snare to Gideon himself, to his household and family, and to all Israel. After his death even members of his own family joined in the apostasy.
The episode stands as an example of the repeated pattern in which Israel turned back to idols after the death of a deliverer. It warns that the time following a great victory brings special danger, when temptation can appear to advance God's work while actually turning people away from His direction. It warns also that taking religious authority into human hands and indulging the people instead of following God's appointed order can bring ruinous effects upon families and communities.