Judges 3:15-23

New International Reader's Version

¹⁵ Again the Israelites cried out to the Lord. Then he provided someone to save them. The man’s name was Ehud, the son of Gera. Ehud was left-handed. He was from the tribe of Benjamin. The Israelites sent Ehud to Eglon, the king of Moab. They sent him to give the king what he required them to bring him. ¹⁶ Ehud had made a sword that had two edges. It was about a foot and a half long. He tied it to his right leg under his clothes. ¹⁷ Eglon, the king of Moab, was a very fat man. Ehud gave him the gift he had brought. ¹⁸ After that, Ehud sent away those who had carried it. ¹⁹ When he came to the place where some statues of gods stood near Gilgal, Ehud went back to Eglon. He said, “Your Majesty, I have a secret message for you.”

The king said to his attendants, “Leave us!” And all his attendants left him.

²⁰ Then Ehud approached him. King Eglon was sitting alone in the upstairs room of his palace. Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” So the king got up from his seat. ²¹ Then Ehud reached out his left hand. He pulled out the sword tied to his right leg. He stuck it into the king’s stomach. ²² Even the handle sank in after the blade. Eglon sagged and fell to the floor. Ehud didn’t pull out the sword. And the fat closed over it. ²³ Ehud went out to the porch. He shut the doors of the upstairs room behind him. Then he locked them.