Ehud (Judges 3:12–14; Judges 3:15–16; Judges 3:17–19; Judges 3:20–22; Judges 3:23–26; Judges 3:27–30; Judges 4:1)

Son of Gera, a Benjamite raised up as a savior

A left-handed Benjamite, the son of Gera, whom the LORD raised up as a savior when Israel had served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years; he carried the tribute to Eglon, thrust a sword into him, and led Israel down against the Moabites.

Judges tells that Israel “again did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah: and Jehovah strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel” (Judges 3:12), and that “the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years” (Judges 3:14). Then “when the children of Israel cried unto Jehovah, Jehovah raised them up a saviour, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a man left-handed” (Judges 3:15). Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon, and he made himself a two-edged sword and girded it under his raiment on his right thigh (Judges 3:15-16).

After offering the tribute, Ehud sent away those who carried it, turned back from the quarries by Gilgal, and said to the king, “I have a secret errand unto thee, O king” (Judges 3:19). Finding Eglon alone in the cool upper room, he said, “I have a message from God unto thee” (Judges 3:20), and with his left hand thrust the sword into the king's body (Judges 3:21). He locked the doors of the upper room behind him, and “Ehud escaped while they tarried” (Judges 3:26).

In the hill-country of Ephraim he blew a trumpet, and said to Israel, “Follow after me; for Jehovah hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand” (Judges 3:28). They took the fords of the Jordan and smote about ten thousand men of Moab (Judges 3:28-29). “So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years” (Judges 3:30). Scripture does not record his death; it says only that Israel again did evil “when Ehud was dead” (Judges 4:1).

Themes

• Israel's cry to the LORD
• Tribute to Moab
• Deliverance
• Rest for the land
• Israel again does evil

Israel serves Eglon eighteen years (Judges 3:12–14)

Israel again does evil; the LORD strengthens Eglon king of Moab, who gathers Ammon and Amalek, smites Israel, and possesses the city of palm-trees, and Israel serves him eighteen years.

Raised up as a savior (Judges 3:15–16)

Israel cries to the LORD, who raises up Ehud, a left-handed Benjamite; Israel sends tribute by him, and he makes himself a two-edged sword.

Raised up as a savior

Israel had served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years (Judges 3:14). “But when the children of Israel cried unto Jehovah, Jehovah raised them up a saviour, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a man left-handed. And the children of Israel sent tribute by him unto Eglon the king of Moab” (Judges 3:15).

“And Ehud made him a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he girded it under his raiment upon his right thigh” (Judges 3:16).

The tribute and the secret errand (Judges 3:17–19)

Ehud offers the tribute to Eglon, a very fat man, sends away the bearers, turns back from the quarries by Gilgal, and tells the king he has a secret errand, and all that stand by go out.

Thrusts the sword into Eglon (Judges 3:20–22)

Ehud tells Eglon he has a message from God; as the king rises from his seat, Ehud takes the sword from his right thigh with his left hand and thrusts it into his body.

Thrusts the sword into Eglon

Eglon was “sitting by himself alone in the cool upper room. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat” (Judges 3:20).

“And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body: and the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, for he drew not the sword out of his body; and it came out behind” (Judges 3:21-22).

The locked doors and the escape (Judges 3:23–26)

Ehud goes out and locks the doors of the upper room; the servants wait until they are ashamed, open the doors, and find their lord dead, while Ehud passes the quarries and escapes to Seirah.

The locked doors and the escape

“Then Ehud went forth into the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room upon him, and locked them. Now when he was gone out, his servants came; and they saw, and, behold, the doors of the upper room were locked; and they said, Surely he is covering his feet in the upper chamber” (Judges 3:23-24).

“And they tarried till they were ashamed; and, behold, he opened not the doors of the upper room: therefore they took the key, and opened them, and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth. And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirah” (Judges 3:25-26).

Moab subdued (Judges 3:27–30)

Ehud blows a trumpet in the hill-country of Ephraim, leads Israel down to take the fords of the Jordan, and Moab is subdued; the land has rest.

Moab subdued

“He blew a trumpet in the hill-country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill-country, and he before them. And he said unto them, Follow after me; for Jehovah hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand” (Judges 3:27-28).

“And they went down after him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and suffered not a man to pass over. And they smote of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, every lusty man, and every man of valor; and there escaped not a man” (Judges 3:28-29).

“So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years” (Judges 3:30).

Israel does evil again (Judges 4:1)

Israel again does evil in the sight of the LORD when Ehud is dead.

Eglon king of Moab (Judges 3:12–14; Judges 3:20–22)

The LORD strengthened him against Israel, Israel served him eighteen years, and Ehud thrust a sword into his body.

The Moabites (Judges 3:28–30)

Ehud told Israel the LORD had delivered them into their hand, and about ten thousand of Moab were smitten.

The children of Israel (Judges 3:15; Judges 3:27–30)

They sent tribute by him, went down with him from the hill-country, and had rest eighty years after Moab was subdued.

The LORD (Judges 3:15; Judges 3:28)

Raised him up as a savior for Israel when they cried to him, and, in Ehud's words, delivered the Moabites into their hand.

Gera (Judges 3:15)

Ehud is called the son of Gera, the Benjamite.

Major sections

• Judges 3:12–30
• Judges 4:1

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