Judges 3:1-31 King James Version (KJV)

¹ Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;

² Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;

³ Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath.

⁴ And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

⁵ And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:

⁶ And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

⁷ And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves.

⁸ Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years.

⁹ And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

¹⁰ And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim.

¹¹ And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

¹² And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.

¹³ And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.

¹⁴ So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

¹⁵ But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.

¹⁶ But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh.

¹⁷ And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man.

¹⁸ And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present.

¹⁹ But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.

²⁰ And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlor, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.

²¹ And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:

²² And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out.

²³ Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlor upon him, and locked them.

²⁴ When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlor were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber.

²⁵ And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlor; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.

²⁶ And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath.

²⁷ And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them.

²⁸ And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.

²⁹ And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valor; and there escaped not a man.

³⁰ So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.

³¹ And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.

Judges 3:1-31 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

¹ Now these are the nations ^H1471 which the LORD ^H3068 left, ^H3240 to prove ^H5254 Israel ^H3478 by them, even as many of Israel as had not known ^H3045 all the wars ^H4421 of Canaan; ^H3667

² Only that ^H7535 the generations ^H1755 of the children ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 might know, ^H3045 to teach ^H3925 them war, ^H4421 at the least such as before ^H6440 knew ^H3045 nothing thereof;

³ Namely, five ^H2568 lords ^H5633 of the Philistines, ^H6430 and all the Canaanites, ^H3669 and the Sidonians, ^H6722 and the Hivites ^H2340 that dwelt ^H3427 in mount ^H2022 Lebanon, ^H3844 from mount ^H2022 Baalhermon ^H1179 unto the entering in ^H935 of Hamath. ^H2574

⁴ And they were to prove ^H5254 Israel ^H3478 by them, to know ^H3045 whether they would hearken ^H8085 unto the commandments ^H4687 of the LORD, ^H3068 which he commanded ^H6680 their fathers ^H1 by the hand ^H3027 of Moses. ^H4872

⁵ And the children ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 dwelt ^H3427 among ^H7130 the Canaanites, ^H3669 Hittites, ^H2850 and Amorites, ^H567 and Perizzites, ^H6522 and Hivites, ^H2340 and Jebusites: ^H2983

⁶ And they took ^H3947 their daughters ^H1323 to be their wives, ^H802 and gave ^H5414 their daughters ^H1323 to their sons, ^H1121 and served ^H5647 their gods. ^H430

⁷ And the children ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 did ^H6213 evil ^H7451 in the sight ^H5869 of the LORD, ^H3068 and forgat ^H7911 the LORD ^H3068 their God, ^H430 and served ^H5647 Baalim ^H1168 and the groves. ^H842

⁸ Therefore the anger ^H639 of the LORD ^H3068 was hot ^H2734 against Israel, ^H3478 and he sold ^H4376 them into the hand ^H3027 of Chushanrishathaim ^H3573 king ^H4428 of Mesopotamia: ^H763 and the children ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 served ^H5647 Chushanrishathaim ^H3573 eight ^H8083 years. ^H8141

⁹ And when the children ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 cried ^H2199 unto the LORD, ^H3068 the LORD ^H3068 raised up ^H6965 a deliverer ^H3467 to the children ^H1121 of Israel, ^H3478 who delivered ^H3467 them, even Othniel ^H6274 the son ^H1121 of Kenaz, ^H7073 Caleb's ^H3612 younger ^H6996 brother. ^H251

¹⁰ And the Spirit ^H7307 of the LORD ^H3068 came upon him, and he judged ^H8199 Israel, ^H3478 and went out ^H3318 to war: ^H4421 and the LORD ^H3068 delivered ^H5414 Chushanrishathaim ^H3573 king ^H4428 of Mesopotamia ^H763 into his hand; ^H3027 and his hand ^H3027 prevailed ^H5810 against Chushanrishathaim. ^H3573

¹¹ And the land ^H776 had rest ^H8252 forty ^H705 years. ^H8141 And Othniel ^H6274 the son ^H1121 of Kenaz ^H7073 died. ^H4191

¹² And the children ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 did ^H6213 evil ^H7451 again ^H3254 in the sight ^H5869 of the LORD: ^H3068 and the LORD ^H3068 strengthened ^H2388 Eglon ^H5700 the king ^H4428 of Moab ^H4124 against Israel, ^H3478 because they had done ^H6213 evil ^H7451 in the sight ^H5869 of the LORD. ^H3068

¹³ And he gathered ^H622 unto him the children ^H1121 of Ammon ^H5983 and Amalek, ^H6002 and went ^H3212 and smote ^H5221 Israel, ^H3478 and possessed ^H3423 the city ^H5892 of palm trees. ^H8558 ^H5899

¹⁴ So the children ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 served ^H5647 Eglon ^H5700 the king ^H4428 of Moab ^H4124 eighteen ^H8083 ^H6240 years. ^H8141

¹⁵ But when the children ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 cried ^H2199 unto the LORD, ^H3068 the LORD ^H3068 raised them up ^H6965 a deliverer, ^H3467 Ehud ^H164 the son ^H1121 of Gera, ^H1617 a Benjamite, ^H1145 a man ^H376 lefthanded: ^H334 ^H3225 and by him ^H3027 the children ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 sent ^H7971 a present ^H4503 unto Eglon ^H5700 the king ^H4428 of Moab. ^H4124

¹⁶ But Ehud ^H164 made ^H6213 him a dagger ^H2719 which had two ^H8147 edges, ^H6366 of a cubit ^H1574 length; ^H753 and he did gird ^H2296 it under his raiment ^H4055 upon his right ^H3225 thigh. ^H3409

¹⁷ And he brought ^H7126 the present ^H4503 unto Eglon ^H5700 king ^H4428 of Moab: ^H4124 and Eglon ^H5700 was a very ^H3966 fat ^H1277 man. ^H376

¹⁸ And when he had made an end ^H3615 to offer ^H7126 the present, ^H4503 he sent away ^H7971 the people ^H5971 that bare ^H5375 the present. ^H4503

¹⁹ But he himself turned again ^H7725 from the quarries ^H6456 that were by Gilgal, ^H1537 and said, ^H559 I have a secret ^H5643 errand ^H1697 unto thee, O king: ^H4428 who said, ^H559 Keep silence. ^H2013 And all that stood ^H5975 by him went out ^H3318 from him.

²⁰ And Ehud ^H164 came ^H935 unto him; and he was sitting ^H3427 in a summer ^H4747 parlour, ^H5944 which he had for himself alone. And Ehud ^H164 said, ^H559 I have a message ^H1697 from God ^H430 unto thee. And he arose ^H6965 out of his seat. ^H3678

²¹ And Ehud ^H164 put forth ^H7971 his left ^H8040 hand, ^H3027 and took ^H3947 the dagger ^H2719 from his right ^H3225 thigh, ^H3409 and thrust ^H8628 it into his belly: ^H990

²² And the haft ^H5325 also went in ^H935 after ^H310 the blade; ^H3851 and the fat ^H2459 closed ^H5462 upon ^H1157 the blade, ^H3851 so that he could not draw ^H8025 the dagger ^H2719 out of his belly; ^H990 and the dirt ^H6574 came out. ^H3318

²³ Then Ehud ^H164 went forth ^H3318 through the porch, ^H4528 and shut ^H5462 the doors ^H1817 of the parlour ^H5944 upon him, and locked ^H5274 them.

²⁴ When he was gone out, ^H3318 his servants ^H5650 came; ^H935 and when they saw ^H7200 that, behold, the doors ^H1817 of the parlour ^H5944 were locked, ^H5274 they said, ^H559 Surely he covereth ^H5526 his feet ^H7272 in his summer ^H4747 chamber. ^H2315

²⁵ And they tarried ^H2342 till they were ashamed: ^H954 and, behold, he opened ^H6605 not the doors ^H1817 of the parlour; ^H5944 therefore they took ^H3947 a key, ^H4668 and opened ^H6605 them: and, behold, their lord ^H113 was fallen down ^H5307 dead ^H4191 on the earth. ^H776

²⁶ And Ehud ^H164 escaped ^H4422 while they tarried, ^H4102 and passed beyond ^H5674 the quarries, ^H6456 and escaped ^H4422 unto Seirath. ^H8167

²⁷ And it came to pass, when he was come, ^H935 that he blew ^H8628 a trumpet ^H7782 in the mountain ^H2022 of Ephraim, ^H669 and the children ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 went down ^H3381 with him from the mount, ^H2022 and he before ^H6440 them.

²⁸ And he said ^H559 unto them, Follow ^H7291 after ^H310 me: for the LORD ^H3068 hath delivered ^H5414 your enemies ^H341 the Moabites ^H4124 into your hand. ^H3027 And they went down ^H3381 after ^H310 him, and took ^H3920 the fords ^H4569 of Jordan ^H3383 toward Moab, ^H4124 and suffered ^H5414 not a man ^H376 to pass over. ^H5674

²⁹ And they slew ^H5221 of Moab ^H4124 at that time ^H6256 about ten ^H6235 thousand ^H505 men, ^H376 all lusty, ^H8082 and all men ^H376 of valour; ^H2428 and there escaped ^H4422 not a man. ^H376

³⁰ So Moab ^H4124 was subdued ^H3665 that day ^H3117 under the hand ^H3027 of Israel. ^H3478 And the land ^H776 had rest ^H8252 fourscore ^H8084 years. ^H8141

³¹ And after ^H310 him was Shamgar ^H8044 the son ^H1121 of Anath, ^H6067 which slew ^H5221 of the Philistines ^H6430 six ^H8337 hundred ^H3967 men ^H376 with an ox ^H1241 goad: ^H4451 and he also delivered ^H3467 Israel. ^H3478

Judges 3:1-31 American Standard (ASV)

¹ Now these are the nations which Jehovah left, to prove Israel by them, even as many `of Israel' as had not known all the wars of Canaan;

² only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as beforetime knew nothing thereof:

³ `namely', the five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon unto the entrance of Hamath.

⁴ And they were `left', to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of Jehovah, which he commanded their fathers by Moses.

⁵ And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites:

⁶ and they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods.

⁷ And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and forgat Jehovah their God, and served the Baalim and the Asheroth.

⁸ Therefore the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.

⁹ And when the children of Israel cried unto Jehovah, Jehovah raised up a saviour to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

¹⁰ And the Spirit of Jehovah came upon him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and Jehovah delivered Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand: and his hand prevailed against Cushan-rishathaim.

¹¹ And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

¹² And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah: and Jehovah strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah.

¹³ And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and smote Israel, and they possessed the city of palm-trees.

¹⁴ And the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

¹⁵ 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.

¹⁶ 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.

¹⁷ And he offered the tribute unto Eglon king of Moab: now Eglon was a very fat man.

¹⁸ And when he had made an end of offering the tribute, he sent away the people that bare the tribute.

¹⁹ But he himself turned back from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king. And he said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.

²⁰ And Ehud came unto him; and he 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.

²¹ And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body:

²² 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.

²³ Then Ehud went forth into the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room upon him, and locked them.

²⁴ 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.

²⁵ 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.

²⁶ And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirah.

²⁷ And it came to pass, when he was come, that 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.

²⁸ And he said unto them, Follow after me; for Jehovah hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and suffered not a man to pass over.

²⁹ 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.

³⁰ So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.

³¹ And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who smote of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox-goad: and he also saved Israel.

Judges 3:1-31 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

¹ And these `are' the nations which Jehovah left, to try Israel by them, all who have not known all the wars of Canaan;

² (only for the sake of the generations of the sons of Israel's knowing, to teach them war, only those who formerly have not known them) --

³ five princes of the Philistines, and all the Canaanite, and the Zidonian, and the Hivite inhabiting mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-Hermon unto the entering in of Hamath;

⁴ and they are to prove Israel by them, to know whether they obey the commands of Jehovah that He commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

⁵ And the sons of Israel have dwelt in the midst of the Canaanite, the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite,

⁶ and take their daughters to them for wives, and their daughters have given to their sons, and they serve their gods;

⁷ and the sons of Israel do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, and forget Jehovah their God, and serve the Baalim and the shrines.

⁸ And the anger of Jehovah burneth against Israel, and He selleth them into the hand of Chushan-Rishathaim king of Aram-Naharaim, and the sons of Israel serve Chushan-Rishathaim eight years;

⁹ and the sons of Israel cry unto Jehovah, and Jehovah raiseth a saviour to the sons of Israel, and he saveth them -- Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother;

¹⁰ and the Spirit of Jehovah is upon him, and he judgeth Israel, and goeth out to battle, and Jehovah giveth unto his hand Chushan-Rishathaim king of Aram, and strong is his hand against Chushan-Rishathaim;

¹¹ and the land resteth forty years. And Othniel son of Kenaz dieth,

¹² and the sons of Israel add to do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah; and Jehovah strengtheneth Eglon king of Moab against Israel, because that they have done the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah;

¹³ and he gathereth unto him the Bene-Ammon and Amalek, and goeth and smiteth Israel, and they possess the city of palms;

¹⁴ and the sons of Israel serve Eglon king of Moab eighteen years.

¹⁵ And the sons of Israel cry unto Jehovah, and Jehovah raiseth to them a saviour, Ehud son of Gera, a Benjamite (a man -- shut of his right hand), and the sons of Israel send by his hand a present to Eglon king of Moab;

¹⁶ and Ehud maketh for himself a sword, and it hath two mouths (a cubit `is' its length), and he girdeth it under his long robe on his right thigh;

¹⁷ and he bringeth near the present to Eglon king of Moab, and Eglon `is' a very fat man.

¹⁸ And it cometh to pass, when he hath finished to bring near the present, that he sendeth away the people bearing the present,

¹⁹ and he himself hath turned back from the graven images which `are' at Gilgal, and saith, `A secret word I have unto thee, O king;' and he saith, `Hush!' and go out from him do all those standing by him.

²⁰ And Ehud hath come unto him, and he is sitting in the upper chamber of the wall which he hath for himself, and Ehud saith, `A word of God I have unto thee;' and he riseth from off the throne;

²¹ and Ehud putteth forth his left hand, and taketh the sword from off his right thigh, and striketh it into his belly;

²² and the haft also goeth in after the blade, and the fat shutteth on the blade, that he hath not drawn the sword out of his belly, and it goeth out at the fundament.

²³ And Ehud goeth out at the porch, and shutteth the doors of the upper chamber upon him, and hath bolted `it';

²⁴ and he hath gone out, and his servants have come in, and look, and lo, the doors of the upper chamber are bolted, and they say, `He is only covering his feet in the inner chamber of the wall.'

²⁵ And they stay till confounded, and lo, he is not opening the doors of the upper chamber, and they take the key, and open, and lo, their lord is fallen to the earth -- dead.

²⁶ And Ehud escaped during their tarrying, and hath passed by the images, and is escaped to Seirath.

²⁷ And it cometh to pass, in his coming in, that he bloweth with a trumpet in the hill-country of Ephraim, and go down with him do the sons of Israel from the hill-country, and he before them;

²⁸ and he saith unto them, `Pursue after me, for Jehovah hath given your enemies, the Moabites, into your hand;' and they go down after him, and capture the passages of the Jordan towards Moab, and have not permitted a man to pass over.

²⁹ And they smite Moab at that time, about ten thousand men, all robust, and every one a man of valour, and not a man hath escaped,

³⁰ and Moab is humbled in that day under the hand of Israel; and the land resteth eighty years.

³¹ And after him hath been Shamgar son of Anath, and he smiteth the Philistines -- six hundred men -- with an ox-goad, and he saveth -- he also -- Israel.

Judges 3:1-31 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

¹ Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to test Israel by them, that is, all in Israel who had no experience of any war in Canaan;

² it was only that the generations of the people of Israel might know war, that he might teach war to such at least as had not known it before.

³ These are the nations: the five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sido'nians, and the Hivites who dwelt on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Ba'al-her'mon as far as the entrance of Hamath.

⁴ They were for the testing of Israel, to know whether Israel would obey the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by Moses.

⁵ So the people of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Per'izzites, the Hivites, and the Jeb'usites;

⁶ and they took their daughters to themselves for wives, and their own daughters they gave to their sons; and they served their gods.

⁷ And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, forgetting the LORD their God, and serving the Ba'als and the Ashe'roth.

⁸ Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cu'shan-rishatha'im king of Mesopota'mia; and the people of Israel served Cu'shan-rishatha'im eight years.

⁹ But when the people of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel, who delivered them, Oth'ni-el the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

¹⁰ The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel; he went out to war, and the LORD gave Cu'shan-rishatha'im king of Mesopota'mia into his hand; and his hand prevailed over Cu'shan-rishatha'im.

¹¹ So the land had rest forty years. Then Oth'ni-el the son of Kenaz died.

¹² And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done what was evil in the sight of the LORD.

¹³ He gathered to himself the Ammonites and the Amal'ekites, and went and defeated Israel; and they took possession of the city of palms.

¹⁴ And the people of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

¹⁵ But when the people of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud, the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. The people of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.

¹⁶ And Ehud made for himself a sword with two edges, a cubit in length; and he girded it on his right thigh under his clothes.

¹⁷ And he presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.

¹⁸ And when Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the people that carried the tribute.

¹⁹ But he himself turned back at the sculptured stones near Gilgal, and said, "I have a secret message for you, O king." And he commanded, "Silence." And all his attendants went out from his presence.

²⁰ And Ehud came to him, as he was sitting alone in his cool roof chamber. And Ehud said, "I have a message from God for you." And he arose from his seat.

²¹ And Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly;

²² and 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 came out.

²³ Then Ehud went out into the vestibule, and closed the doors of the roof chamber upon him, and locked them.

²⁴ When he had gone, the servants came; and when they saw that the doors of the roof chamber were locked, they thought, "He is only relieving himself in the closet of the cool chamber."

²⁵ And they waited till they were utterly at a loss; but when he still did not open the doors of the roof chamber, they took the key and opened them; and there lay their lord dead on the floor.

²⁶ Ehud escaped while they delayed, and passed beyond the sculptured stones, and escaped to Se-i'rah.

²⁷ When he arrived, he sounded the trumpet in the hill country of E'phraim; and the people of Israel went down with him from the hill country, having him at their head.

²⁸ And 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 not a man to pass over.

²⁹ And they killed at that time about ten thousand of the Moabites, all strong, able-bodied men; not a man escaped.

³⁰ So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest for eighty years.

³¹ After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed six hundred of the Philistines with an oxgoad; and he too delivered Israel.

Judges 3:1-31 World English Bible (WEB)

¹ Now these are the nations which Yahweh left, to prove Israel by them, even as many [of Israel] as had not known all the wars of Canaan;

² only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing of it:

³ [namely], the five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath.

⁴ They were [left], to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would listen to the commandments of Yahweh, which he commanded their fathers by Moses.

⁵ The children of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites:

⁶ and they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods.

⁷ The children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and forgot Yahweh their God, and served the Baals and the Asheroth.

⁸ Therefore the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Cushan Rishathaim eight years.

⁹ When the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a savior to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

¹⁰ The Spirit of Yahweh came on him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and Yahweh delivered Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand: and his hand prevailed against Cushan Rishathaim.

¹¹ The land had rest forty years. Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

¹² The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh: and Yahweh strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh.

¹³ He gathered to him the children of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and struck Israel, and they possessed the city of palm trees.

¹⁴ The children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

¹⁵ But when the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised them up a savior, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a man left-handed. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.

¹⁶ Ehud made him a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he girded it under his clothing on his right thigh.

¹⁷ He offered the tribute to Eglon king of Moab: now Eglon was a very fat man.

¹⁸ When he had made an end of offering the tribute, he sent away the people who bore the tribute.

¹⁹ But he himself turned back from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand to you, king. He said, Keep silence. All who stood by him went out from him.

²⁰ Ehud came to him; and he was sitting by himself alone in the cool upper room. Ehud said, I have a message from God to you. He arose out of his seat.

²¹ Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body:

²² and the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed on the blade, for he didn't draw the sword out of his body; and it came out behind.

²³ Then Ehud went forth into the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room on him, and locked them.

²⁴ 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.

²⁵ They waited until they were ashamed; and, behold, he didn't open 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.

²⁶ Ehud escaped while they waited, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped to Seirah.

²⁷ It happened, when he had come, that 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.

²⁸ He said to them, Follow after me; for Yahweh has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. They went down after him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and didn't allow a man to pass over.

²⁹ They struck of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, every lusty man, and every man of valor; and there escaped not a man.

³⁰ So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. The land had rest eighty years.

³¹ After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox-goad: and he also saved Israel.

Judges 3:1-31 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

¹ Now these are the nations which the Lord kept in the land for the purpose of testing Israel by them, all those who had had no experience of all the wars of Canaan;

² Only because of the generations of the children of Israel, for the purpose of teaching them war--only those who up till then had no experience of it;

³ The five chiefs of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites and the Zidonians and the Hivites living in Mount Lebanon, from the mountain Baal-hermon as far as Hamath:

⁴ For the purpose of testing Israel by them, to see if they would give ear to the orders of the Lord, which he had given to their fathers by the hand of Moses.

⁵ Now the children of Israel were living among the Canaanites, the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites:

⁶ And they took as wives the daughters of these nations and gave their daughters to their sons, and became servants to their gods.

⁷ And the children of Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and put out of their minds the Lord their God, and became servants to the Baals and the Astartes.

⁸ So the wrath of the Lord was burning against Israel, and he gave them up into the hands of Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia; and the children of Israel were his servants for eight years.

⁹ And when the children of Israel made prayer to the Lord, he gave them a saviour, Othniel, the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

¹⁰ And the spirit of the Lord came on him and he became judge of Israel, and went out to war, and the Lord gave up Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, into his hands and he overcame him.

¹¹ Then for forty years the land had peace, till the death of Othniel, the son of Kenaz.

¹² Then the children of Israel again did evil in the eyes of the Lord; and the Lord made Eglon, king of Moab, strong against Israel, because they had done evil in the Lord's eyes.

¹³ And Eglon got together the people of Ammon and Amalek, and they went and overcame Israel and took the town of palm-trees.

¹⁴ And the children of Israel were servants to Eglon, king of Moab, for eighteen years.

¹⁵ Then when the children of Israel made prayer to the Lord, he gave them a saviour, Ehud, the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man; and the children of Israel sent an offering by him to Eglon, king of Moab.

¹⁶ So Ehud made himself a two-edged sword, a cubit long, which he put on at his right side under his robe.

¹⁷ And he took the offering to Eglon, king of Moab, who was a very fat man.

¹⁸ And after giving the offering, he sent away the people who had come with the offering.

¹⁹ But he himself, turning back from the stone images at Gilgal, said, I have something to say to you in secret, O king. And he said, Let there be quiet. Then all those who were waiting before him went out.

²⁰ Then Ehud came in to him while he was seated by himself in his summer-house. And Ehud said, I have a word from God for you. And he got up from his seat.

²¹ And Ehud put out his left hand, and took the sword from his right side, and sent it into his stomach;

²² And the hand-part went in after the blade, and the fat was joined up over the blade; for he did not take the sword out of his stomach. And he went out into the ...

²³ Then Ehud went out into the covered way, shutting the doors of the summer-house on him and locking them.

²⁴ Now when he had gone, the king's servants came, and saw that the doors of the summer-house were locked; and they said, It may be that he is in his summer-house for a private purpose.

²⁵ And they went on waiting till they were shamed, but the doors were still shut; so they took the key, and, opening them, saw their lord stretched out dead on the floor.

²⁶ But Ehud had got away while they were waiting and had gone past the stone images and got away to Seirah.

²⁷ And when he came there, he had a horn sounded in the hill-country of Ephraim, and all the children of Israel went down with him from the hill-country, and he at their head.

²⁸ And he said to them, Come after me; for the Lord has given the Moabites, your haters, into your hands. So they went down after him and took the crossing-places of Jordan against Moab, and let no one go across.

²⁹ At that time they put about ten thousand men of Moab to the sword, every strong man and every man of war; not a man got away.

³⁰ So Moab was broken that day under the hand of Israel. And for eighty years the land had peace.

³¹ And after him came Shamgar, the son of Anath, who put to death six hundred Philistines with an ox-stick; and he was another saviour of Israel.

Commentary on Judges 3 Matthew Henry Commentary

John Gill Keil & Delitzsch Robert Jamieson: Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Chapter 3

In this chapter,

I. A general account of Israel's enemies is premised, and of the mischief they did them (v. 1-7).
II. A particular account of the brave exploits done by the first three of the judges.
- 1. Othniel, whom God raised up to fight Israel's battles, and plead their cause against the king of Mesopotamia (v. 8-11).
- 2. Ehud, who was employed in rescuing Israel out of the hands of the Moabites, and did it by stabbing the king of Moab (v. 12-30).
- 3. Shamgar, who signalized himself in an encounter with the Philistines (v. 31).

Jdg 3:1-7

We are here told what remained of the old inhabitants of Canaan.

1. There were some of them that kept together in united bodies, unbroken (v. 3): The five lords of the Philistines, namely, Ashdod, Gaza, Askelon, Gath, and Ekron, 1 Sa. 6:17. Three of these cities had been in part reduced (ch. 1:18), but it seems the Philistines (probably with the help of the other two, which strengthened their confederacy with each other thenceforward) recovered the possession of them. These gave the greatest disturbance to Israel of any of the natives, especially in the latter times of the judges, and they were never quite reduced until David's time. There was a particular nation called Canaanites, that kept their ground with the Sidonians, upon the coast of the great sea. And in the north the Hivites held much of Mount Lebanon, it being a remote corner, in which perhaps they were supported by some of the neighbouring states. But, besides these,
2. There were every where in all parts of the country some scatterings of the nations (v. 5), Hittites, Amorites, etc., which, by Israel's foolish connivance and indulgence, were so many, so easy, and so insolent, that the children of Israel are said to dwell among them, as if the right had still remained in the Canaanites, and the Israelites had been taken in by their permission and only as tenants at will.

Now concerning these remnants of the natives observe,

I. How wisely God permitted them to remain. It is mentioned in the close of the foregoing chapter as an act of God's justice, that he let them remain for Israel's correction. But here another construction is put upon it, and it appears to have been an act of God's wisdom, that he let them remain for Israel's real advantage, that those who had not known the wars of Canaan might learn war, v. 1, 2. It was the will of God that the people of Israel should be inured to war,
- 1. Because their country was exceedingly rich and fruitful, and abounded with dainties of all sorts, which, if they were not sometimes made to know hardship, would be in danger of sinking them into the utmost degree of luxury and effeminacy. They must sometimes wade in blood, and not always in milk and honey, lest even their men of war, by the long disuse of arms, should become as soft and as nice as the tender and delicate woman, that would not set so much as the sole of her foot to the ground for tenderness and delicacy, a temper as destructive to every thing that is good as it is to every thing that is great, and therefore to be carefully watched against by all God's Israel.
- 2. Because their country lay very much in the midst of enemies, by whom they must expect to be insulted; for God's heritage was a speckled bird; the birds round about were against her, Jer. 12:9. It was therefore necessary they should be well disciplined, that they might defend their coasts when invaded, and might hereafter enlarge their coast as God had promised them. The art of war is best learnt by experience, which not only acquaints men with martial discipline, but (which is no less necessary) inspires them with a martial disposition. It was for the interest of Israel to breed soldiers, as it is the interest of an island to breed sea-men, and therefore God left Canaanites among them, that, by the less difficulties and hardships they met with in encountering them, they might be prepared for greater, and, by running with the footmen, might learn to contend with horses, Jer. 12:5. Israel was a figure of the church militant, that must fight its way to a triumphant state. The soldiers of Christ must endure hardness, 2 Tim. 2:3. Corruption is therefore left remaining in the hearts even of good Christians, that they may learn war, may keep on the whole armour of God, and stand continually upon their guard. The learned bishop Patrick offers another sense of v. 2: That they might know to teach them war, that is, they shall know what it is to be left to themselves. Their fathers fought by a divine power. God taught their hands to war and their fingers to fight; but now that they have forfeited his favour let them learn what it is to fight like other men.
II. How wickedly Israel mingled themselves with those that did remain. One thing God intended in leaving them among them was to prove Israel (v. 4), that those who were faithful to the God of Israel might have the honour of resisting the Canaanites' allurements to idolatry, and that those who were false and insincere might be discovered, and might fall under the shame of yielding to those allurements. Thus in the Christian churches there must needs be heresies, that those who are perfect may be made manifest, 1 Co. 11:19. Israel, upon trial, proved bad.
- 1. They joined in marriage with the Canaanites (v. 6), though they could not advance either their honour or their estate by marrying with them. They would mar their blood instead of mending it, and sink their estates instead of raising them, by such marriages.
- 2. Thus they were brought to join in worship with them; they served their gods (v. 6), Baalim and the groves (v. 7), that is, the images that were worshipped in groves of thick trees, which were a sort of natural temples. In such unequal matches there is more reason to fear that the bad will corrupt the good than to hope that the good will reform the bad, as there is in laying two pears together, the one rotten and the other sound. When they inclined to worship other gods they forgot the Lord their God. In complaisance to their new relations, they talked of nothing by Baalim and the groves, so that by degrees they lost the remembrance of the true God, and forgot there was such a Being, and what obligations they lay under to him. In nothing is the corrupt memory of man more treacherous than in this, that it is apt to forget God; because out of sight, he is out of mind; and here begins all the wickedness that is in the world: they have perverted their way, for they have forgotten the Lord their God.

Jdg 3:8-11

We now come to the records of the government of the particular judges, the first of which was Othniel, in whom the story of this book is knit to that of Joshua, for even in Joshua's time Othniel began to be famous, by which it appears that it was not long after Israel's settlement in Canaan before their purity began to be corrupted and their peace (by consequence) disturbed. And those who have taken pains to enquire into the sacred chronology are generally agreed that the Danites' idolatry, and the war with the Benjamites for abusing the Levite's concubine, though related in the latter end of this book, happened about this time, under or before the government of Othniel, who, though a judge, was not such a king in Israel as would keep men from doing what was right in their own eyes. In this short narrative of Othniel's government we have,

I. The distress that Israel was brought into for their sin, v. 8. God being justly displeased with them for plucking up the hedge of their peculiarity, and laying themselves in common with the nations, plucked up the hedge of their protection and laid them open to the nations, set them to sale as goods he would part with, and the first that laid hands on them was Chushan-rishathaim, king of that Syria which lay between the two great rivers of Tigris and Euphrates, thence called Mesopotamia, which signifies in the midst of rivers. It is probable that this was a warlike prince, and, aiming to enlarge his dominions, he invaded the two tribes first on the other side Jordan that lay next him, and afterwards, perhaps by degrees, penetrated into the heart of the country, and as far as he went put them under contribution, exacting it with rigour, and perhaps quartering soldiers upon them. Laban, who oppressed Jacob with a hard service, was of this country; but it lay at such a distance that one could not have thought Israel's trouble would come from such a far country, which shows so much the more of the hand of God in it.
II. Their return to God in this distress: When he slew them, then they sought him whom before they had slighted. The children of Israel, even the generality of them, cried unto the Lord, v. 9. At first they made light of their trouble, and thought they could easily shake off the yoke of a prince at such a distance; but, when it continued eight years, they began to feel the smart of it, and then those cried under it who before had laughed at it. Those who in the day of their mirth had cried to Baalim and Ashtaroth now that they are in trouble cry to the Lord from whom they had revolted, whose justice brought them into this trouble, and whose power and favour could alone help them out of it. Affliction makes those cry to God with importunity who before would scarcely speak to him.
III. God's return in mercy to them for their deliverance. Though need drove them to him, he did not therefore reject their prayers, but graciously raised up a deliverer, or saviour, as the word is. Observe,
- 1. Who the deliverer was. It was Othniel, who married Caleb's daughter, one of the old stock that had seen the works of the Lord, and had himself, no question, kept his integrity, and secretly lamented the apostasy of his people, but waited for a divine call to appear publicly for the redress of their grievances. He was now, we may suppose, far advanced in years, when God raised him up to this honour, but the decays of age were no hindrance to his usefulness when God had work for him to do.
- 2. Whence he had his commission, not of man, nor by man; but the Spirit of the Lord came upon him (v. 10), the spirit of wisdom and courage to qualify him for the service, and a spirit of power to excite him to it, so as to give him and others full satisfaction that it was the will of God he should engage in it. The Chaldee says, The spirit of prophecy remained on him.
- 3. What method he took. He first judged Israel, reproved them, called them to account for their sins, and reformed them, and then went out to war. This was the right method. Let sin at home be conquered, that worst of enemies, and then enemies abroad will be the more easily dealt with. Thus let Christ be our Judge and Law-giver, and then he will save us, and on no other terms, Isa. 33:22.
- 4. What good success he had. He prevailed to break the yoke of the oppression, and, as it should seem, to break the neck of the oppressor; for it is said, The Lord delivered Chushan-rishathaim into his hand. Now was Judah, of which tribe Othniel was, as a lion's whelp gone up from the prey.
- 5. The happy consequence of Othniel's good services. The land, though not getting ground, yet had rest, and some fruits of the reformation, forty years; and the benefit would have been perpetual if they had kept close to God and their duty.

Jdg 3:12-30

Ehud is the next of the judges whose achievements are related in this history, and here is an account of his actions.

I. When Israel sins again God raises up a new oppressor, v. 12-14. It was an aggravation of their wickedness that they did evil again after they had smarted so long for their former iniquities, promised so fair when Othniel judged them, and received so much mercy from God in their deliverance. What, and after all this, again to break his commandments! Was the disease obstinate to all the methods of cure, both corrosives and lenitives? It seems it was. Perhaps they thought they might make the more bold with their old sins because they saw themselves in no danger from their old oppressor; the powers of that kingdom were weakened and brought low. But God made them know that he had variety of rods wherewith to chastise them: He strengthened Eglon king of Moab against them. This oppressor lay nearer to them than the former, and therefore would be the more mischievous to them; God's judgments thus approached them gradually, to bring them to repentance. When Israel dwelt in tents, but kept their integrity, Balak king of Moab, who would have strengthened himself against them, was baffled; but now that they had forsaken God, and worshipped the gods of the nations round about them (and perhaps those of the Moabites among the rest), here was another king of Moab, whom God strengthened against them, put power into his hands, though a wicked man, that he might be a scourge to Israel. The staff in his hand with which he beat Israel was God's indignation; howbeit he meant not so, neither did his heart think so, Isa. 10:6, 7. Israelites did ill, and, we may suppose, Moabites did worse; yet because God commonly punishes the sins of his own people in this world, that, the flesh being destroyed, the spirit may be saved, Israel is weakened and Moab strengthened against them. God would not suffer the Israelites, when they were the stronger, to distress the Moabites, nor give them any disturbance, though they were idolaters (Deu. 2:9); yet now he suffered the Moabites to distress Israel, and strengthened them on purpose that they might: Thy judgments, O God! are a great deep. The king of Moab took to his assistance the Ammonites and Amalekites (v. 13), and this strengthened him; and we are here told how they prevailed.
- 1. They beat them in the field: They went and smote Israel (v. 13), not only those tribes that lay next them on the other side Jordan, who, though first settled, being frontier-tribes, were most disturbed; but those also within Jordan, for they made themselves masters of the city of palm-trees, which, it is probable, was a strong-hold erected near the place where Jericho had stood, for that was so called (Deu. 34:3), into which the Moabites put a garrison, to be a bridle upon Israel, and to secure the passes of Jordan, for the preservation of the communication with their own country. It was well for the Kenites that they had left this city (ch. 1:16) before it fell into the hands of the enemy. See how quickly the Israelites lost that by their own sin which they had gained by miracles of divine mercy.
- 2. They made them to serve (v. 14), that is, exacted tribute from them, either the fruits of the earth in kind or money in lieu of them. They neglected the service of God, and did not pay him his tribute; thus therefore did God recover from them that wine and oil, that silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal, Hos. 2:8. What should have been paid to the divine grace, and was not, was distrained for, and paid to the divine justice. The former servitude (v. 8) lasted but eight years, this eighteen; for, if less troubles do not do the work, God will send greater.
II. When Israel prays again God raises up a new deliverer (v. 15), named Ehud. We are here told,
- 1. That he was a Benjamite. The city of palm-trees lay within the lot of this tribe, by which it is probable that they suffered most, and therefore stirred first to shake off the yoke. It is supposed by the chronologers that the Israelites' war with Benjamin for the wickedness of Gibeah, by which that whole tribe was reduced to 600 men, happened before this, so that we may well think that tribe to be now the weakest of all the tribes, yet out of it God raised up this deliverer, in token of his being perfectly reconciled to them, to manifest his own power in ordaining strength out of weakness, and that he might bestow more abundant honour upon that part which lacked, 1 Co. 12:24.
- 2. That he was left-handed, as it seems many of that tribe were, ch. 20:16. Benjamin signifies the son of the right hand, and yet multitudes of them were left-handed; for men's natures do not always answer their names. The LXX. say he was an ambi-dexter, one that could use both hands alike, supposing that this was an advantage to him in the action he was called to; but the Hebrew phrase, that he was shut of his right hand, intimates that, either through disease of disuse, he made little or no use of that, but of his left hand only, and so was the less fit for war, because he must needs handle his sword but awkwardly; yet God chose this left-handed man to be the man of his right hand, whom he would make strong for himself, Ps. 80:17. It was God's right hand that gained Israel the victory (Ps. 44:3), not the right hand of the instruments he employed.
- 3. We are here told what Ehud did for the deliverance of Israel out of the hands of the Moabites. He saved the oppressed by destroying the oppressors, when the measure of their iniquity was full and the set time to favour Israel had come.
  - (1.) He put to death Eglon the king of Moab; I say, put him to death, not murdered or assassinated him, but as a judge, or minister of divine justice, executed the judgments of God upon him, as an implacable enemy to God and Israel. This story is particularly related.
    - [1.] He had a fair occasion of access to him. Being an ingenious active man, and fit to stand before kings, his people chose him to carry a present in the name of all Israel, over and above their tribute, to their great lord the king of Moab, that they might find favour in his eyes, v. 15. The present is called mincha in the original, which is the word used in the law for the offerings that were presented to God to obtain his favour; these the children of Israel had not offered in their season to the God that loved them; and now, to punish them for their neglect, they are laid under a necessity of bringing their offerings to a heathen prince that hated them. Ehud went on his errand to Eglon, offered his present with the usual ceremony and expressions of dutiful respect, the better to colour what he intended and to prevent suspicion.
    - [2.] It should seem, from the first, he designed to be the death of him, God putting it into his heart, and letting him know also that the motion was from himself, by the Spirit that came upon him, the impulses of which carried with them their own evidence, and so gave him full satisfaction both as to the lawfulness and the success of this daring attempt, of both which he would have had reason enough to doubt. If he be sure that God bids him do it, he is sure both that he may do it and that he shall do it; for a command from God is sufficient to bear us out, and bring us off, both against our consciences and against all the world. That he compassed and imagined the death of this tyrant appears by the preparation he made of a weapon for the purpose, a short dagger, but half a yard long, like a bayonet, which might easily be concealed under his clothes (v. 16), perhaps because none were suffered to come near the king with their swords by their sides. This he wore on his right thigh, that it might be the more ready to his left hand, and might be the less suspected.
    - [3.] He contrived how to be alone with him, which he might the more easily be now that he had not only made himself known to him, but ingratiated himself by the present, and the compliments which perhaps, on this occasion, he had passed upon him. Observe, how he laid his plot.
      - First, He concealed his design even from his own attendants, brought them part of the way, and then ordered them to go forward towards home, while he himself, as if he had forgotten something behind him, went back to the king of Moab's court, v. 18. There needed but one hand to do the execution; had more been engaged they could not so safely have kept counsel, nor so easily have made an escape.
      - Secondly, He returned from the quarries by Gilgal (v. 19), from the graven images (so it is in the margin) which were with Gilgal, set up perhaps by the Moabites with the twelve stones which Joshua had set up there. Some suggest that the sight of these idols stirred up in him such an indignation against the king of Moab as put him upon the execution of that design which otherwise he had thought to let fall for the present. Or, perhaps, he came so far as to these images, that, telling from what place he returned, the king of Moab might be the more apt to believe he had a message from God.
      - Thirdly, He begged a private audience, and obtained it in a withdrawing-room, here called a summer parlour. He told the king he had a secret errand to him, who thereupon ordered all his attendants to withdraw, v. 19. Whether he expected to receive some private instructions from an oracle, or some private informations concerning the present state of Israel, as if Ehud would betray his country, it was a very unwise thing for him to be all alone with a stronger and one whom he had reason to look upon as an enemy; but those that are marked for ruin are infatuated, and their hearts hid from understanding; God deprives them of discretion.
    - [4.] When he had him alone he soon dispatched him. His summer parlour, where he used to indulge himself in ease and luxury, was the place of his execution.
      - First, Ehud demands his attention to a message from God (v. 20), and that message was a dagger. God sends to us by the judgments of his hand, as well as by the judgments of his mouth.
      - Secondly, Eglon pays respect to a message from God. Though a king, though a heathen king, though rich and powerful, though now tyrannizing over the people of God, though a fat unwieldy man that could not easily rise nor stand long, though in private and what he did was not under observation, yet, when he expected to receive orders form heaven, he rose out of his seat; whether it was low and easy, or whether it was high and stately, he quitted it, and stood up when God was about to speak to him, thereby owning God his superior. This shames the irreverence of many who are called Christians, and yet, when a message from God is delivered to them, study to show, by all the marks of carelessness, how little they regard it. Ehud, in calling what he had to do a message from God, plainly avouches a divine commission for it; and God's inclining Eglon to stand up to it did both confirm the commission and facilitate the execution.
      - Thirdly, The message was delivered, not to his ear, but immediately, and literally, to his heart, into which the fatal knife was thrust, and was left there, v. 21, 22. His extreme fatness made him unable to resist or to help himself; probably it was the effect of his luxury and excess; and, when the fat closed up the blade, God would by this circumstance show how those that pamper the body do but prepare for their own misery. However, it was an emblem of his carnal security and senselessness. His heart was a fat as grease, and in that he thought himself enclosed. See Ps. 119:70; 17:10. Eglon signifies a calf, and he fell like a fatted calf, by the knife, an acceptable sacrifice to divine justice. Notice is taken of the coming out of the dirt or dung, that the death of this proud tyrant may appear the more ignominious and shameful. He that had been so very nice and curious about his own body, to keep it easy and clean, shall now be found wallowing in his own blood and excrements. Thus does God pour contempt upon princes. Now this act of Ehud's may justify itself because he had special direction from God to do it, and it was agreeable to the usual method which, under that dispensation, God took to avenge his people of their enemies, and to manifest to the world his own justice. But it will by no means justify any now in doing the like. No such commissions are now given, and to pretend to them is to blaspheme God, and made him patronize the worst of villanies. Christ bade Peter sheathe the sword, and we find not that he bade him draw it again.
    - [5.] Providence wonderfully favoured his escape, when he had done the execution.
      - First, The tyrant fell silently, without any shriek or out-cry, which might have been overheard by his servants at a distance. How silently does he go down to the pit, choked up, it may be, with his own fat, which stifled his dying groans, though he had made so great a noise in the world, and had been the terror of the mighty in the land of the living!
      - Secondly, The heroic executioner of this vengeance, with such a presence of mind as discovered not only no consciousness of guilt, but a strong confidence in the divine protection, shut the doors after him, took the key with him, and passed through the guards with such an air of innocence, and boldness, and unconcernedness, as made them not at all to suspect his having done any thing amiss.
      - Thirdly, The servants that attended in the antechamber, coming to the door of the inner parlour, when Ehud had gone, to know their master's pleasure, and finding it locked and all quiet, concluded he had lain down to sleep, had covered his feet upon his couch, and gone to consult his pillow about the message he had received, and to dream upon it (v. 24), and therefore would not offer to open the door. Thus by their care not to disturb his sleep they lost the opportunity of revenging his death. See what comes of men's taking state too much, and obliging those about them to keep their distance; some time or other it may come against them more than they think of.
      - Fourthly, The servants at length opened the door, and found their master had slept indeed his long sleep, v. 25. The horror of this tragical spectacle, and the confusion it must needs put them into, to reflect upon their own inconsideration in not opening the door sooner, quite put by the thoughts of sending pursuers after him that had done it, whom now they despaired of overtaking.
      - Lastly, Ehud by this means made his escape to Sierath, a thick wood; so some, v. 26. It is not said any where in this story what was the place in which Eglon lived now; but, there being no mention of Ehud passing and repassing Jordan, I am inclined to think that Eglon had left his own country of Moab, on the other side Jordan, and made his principal residence at this time in the city of palm-trees, within the land of Canaan, a richer country than his own, and that there he was slain, and then the quarries by Gilgal were not far off him. There where he had settled himself, and thought he had sufficiently fortified himself to lord it over the people of God, there he was cut off, and proved to be fed for the slaughter like a lamb in a large place.
  - (2.) Ehud, having slain the king of Moab, gave a total rout to the forces of the Moabites that were among them, and so effectually shook off the yoke of their oppression.
    - [1.] He raised an army immediately in Mount Ephraim, at some distance from the headquarters of the Moabites, and headed them himself, v. 27. The trumpet he blew was indeed a jubilee-trumpet, proclaiming liberty, and a joyful sound it was to the oppressed Israelites, who for a long time had heard no other trumpets than those of their enemies.
    - [2.] Like a pious man, and as one that did all this in faith, he took encouragement himself, and gave encouragement to his soldiers, from the power of God engaged for them (v. 28): "Follow me, for the Lord hath delivered your enemies into your hands; we are sure to have God with us, and therefore may go on boldly, and shall go on triumphantly.'
    - [3.] Like a politic general, he first secured the fords of Jordan, set strong guards upon all those passes, to cut off the communications between the Moabites that were in the land of Israel (for upon them only his design was) and their own country on the other side Jordan, that if, upon the alarm given them, they resolved to fly, they might not escape thither, and, if they resolved to fight, they might not have assistance thence. Thus he shut them up in that land as their prison in which they were pleasing themselves as their palace and paradise.
    - [4.] He then fell upon them, and put them all to the sword, 10,000 of them, which it seems was the number appointed to keep Israel in subjection (v. 29): There escaped not a man of them. And they were the best and choicest of all the king of Moab's forces, all lusty men, men of bulk and stature, and not only able-bodied, but high spirited too, and men of valour, v. 29. But neither their strength nor their courage stood them in any stead when the set time had come for God to deliver them into the hand of Israel.
    - [5.] The consequence of this victory was that the power of the Moabites was wholly broken in the land of Israel. The country was cleared of these oppressors, and the land had rest eighty years, v. 30. We may hope that there was likewise a reformation among them, and a check give to idolatry, by the influence of Ehud which continued a good part of this time. It was a great while for the land to rest, fourscore years; yet what is that to the saints' everlasting rest in the heavenly Canaan?

Jdg 3:31

When it is said the land had rest eighty years, some think it meant chiefly of that part of the land which lay eastward on the banks of Jordan, which had been oppressed by the Moabites; but it seems, by this passage here, that the other side of the country which lay south-west was in that time infested by the Philistines, against whom Shamgar made head.

1. It seems Israel needed deliverance, for he delivered Israel; how great the distress was Deborah afterwards related in her song (ch. 5:6), that in the days of Shamgar the highways were unoccupied, etc.; that part of the country which lay next to the Philistines was so infested with plunderers that people could not travel the roads in safety, but were in danger of being set upon and robbed, nor durst they dwell in the unguarded villages, but were forced to take shelter in the fortified cities.
2. God raised him up to deliver them, as it should seem, while Ehud was yet living, but superannuated. So inconsiderable were the enemies for number that it seems the killing of 600 of them amounted to a deliverance of Israel, and so many he slew with an ox-goad, or, as some read it, a plough-share. It is probable that he was himself following the plough when the Philistines made an inroad upon the country to ravage it, and God put it into his heart to oppose them; the impulse being sudden and strong, and having neither sword nor spear to do execution with, he took the instrument that was next at hand, some of the tools of his plough, and with that killed so many hundred men and came off unhurt. See here,
- (1.) That God can make those eminently serviceable to his glory and his church's good whose extraction, education, and employment, are very mean and obscure. He that has the residue of the Spirit could, when he pleased, make ploughmen judges and generals, and fishermen apostles.
- (2.) It is no matter how weak the weapon is if God direct and strengthen the arm. An ox-goad, when God pleases, shall do more than Goliath's sword. And sometimes he chooses to work by such unlikely means, that the excellency of the power may appear to be of God.

Worthy.Bible » Parallel » Judges » Chapter 3