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Ehud

12 The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord strengthened King Eglon of Moab against Israel, because they had done what was evil in the sight of the Lord.(A) 13 In alliance with the Ammonites and the Amalekites, he went and defeated Israel, and they took possession of the city of palms.(B) 14 So the Israelites served King Eglon of Moab eighteen years.

15 But when the Israelites cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud son of Gera, a Benjaminite, a left-handed man. The Israelites sent tribute by him to King Eglon of Moab.(C) 16 Ehud made for himself a sword with two edges, a cubit in length, and he fastened it on his right thigh under his clothes. 17 Then he presented the tribute to King Eglon of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.(D) 18 When Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he sent the people who carried the tribute on their way. 19 But he himself turned back at the sculptured stones near Gilgal and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” So the king said,[a] “Silence!” and all his attendants went out from his presence. 20 Ehud came to him, while he was sitting alone in his cool roof chamber, and said, “I have a message from God for you.” So he rose from his seat. 21 Then Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into Eglon’s[b] belly; 22 the hilt also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not draw the sword out of his belly, and the dirt[c] came out. 23 Then Ehud went out into the vestibule[d] and closed the doors of the roof chamber on him and locked them.

24 After he had gone, the servants came. When they saw that the doors of the roof chamber were locked, they thought, “He must be relieving himself[e] in the cool chamber.”(E) 25 So they waited until they were embarrassed. When he still did not open the doors of the roof chamber, they took the key and opened them. There was their lord lying dead on the floor.(F)

26 Ehud escaped while they delayed and passed beyond the sculptured stones and escaped to Seirah. 27 When he arrived, he sounded the trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went down with him from the hill country, having him at their head. 28 He said to them, “Follow after me, for the Lord has given your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” So they went down after him and seized the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites and allowed no one to cross over.(G) 29 At that time they killed about ten thousand of the Moabites, all strong, able-bodied men; no one escaped. 30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest eighty years.(H)

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Footnotes

  1. 3.19 Heb he said
  2. 3.21 Heb his
  3. 3.22 Compare Tg Vg: Meaning of Heb uncertain
  4. 3.23 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  5. 3.24 Heb covering his feet

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, 21 Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword(P) from his right thigh and plunged it into the king’s belly. 22 Even the handle sank in after the blade, and his bowels discharged. Ehud did not pull the sword out, and the fat closed in over it. 23 Then Ehud went out to the porch[d]; he shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.

24 After he had gone, the servants came and found the doors of the upper room locked. They said, “He must be relieving himself(Q) in the inner room of the palace.” 25 They waited to the point of embarrassment,(R) but when he did not open the doors of the room, they took a key and unlocked them. There they saw their lord fallen to the floor, dead.

26 While they waited, Ehud got away. He passed by the stone images and escaped to Seirah. 27 When he arrived there, he blew a trumpet(S) in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went down with him from the hills, with him leading them.

28 “Follow me,” he ordered, “for the Lord has given Moab,(T) your enemy, into your hands.(U)” So they followed him down and took possession of the fords of the Jordan(V) that led to Moab; they allowed no one to cross over. 29 At that time they struck down about ten thousand Moabites, all vigorous and strong; not one escaped. 30 That day Moab(W) was made subject to Israel, and the land had peace(X) for eighty years.

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Footnotes

  1. Judges 3:13 That is, Jericho
  2. Judges 3:16 That is, about 18 inches or about 45 centimeters
  3. Judges 3:20 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain; also in verse 24.
  4. Judges 3:23 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.