Judges 3:12-20

New International Version

Ehud

¹² Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord,^(A) and because they did this evil the Lord gave Eglon king of Moab^(B) power over Israel. ¹³ Getting the Ammonites^(C) and Amalekites^(D) to join him, Eglon came and attacked Israel, and they took possession of the City of Palms.^{[a](E) 14} The Israelites were subject to Eglon king of Moab^(F) for eighteen years.

¹⁵ Again the Israelites cried out to the Lord, and he gave them a deliverer^(G)—Ehud^(H), a left-handed^(I) man, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with tribute^(J) to Eglon king of Moab. ¹⁶ Now Ehud^(K) had made a double-edged sword about a cubit^[b] long, which he strapped to his right thigh under his clothing. ¹⁷ He presented the tribute^(L) to Eglon king of Moab, who was a very fat man.^{(M) 18} After Ehud had presented the tribute, he sent on their way those who had carried it. ¹⁹ But on reaching the stone images near Gilgal he himself went back to Eglon and said, “Your Majesty, I have a secret message for you.”

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

²⁰ Ehud then approached him while he was sitting alone in the upper room of his palace^[c](N) and said, “I have a message from God for you.” As the king rose^(O) from his seat,