Ehud's Role In Biblical History
Ehud, a Benjamite, served as the second judge of Israel, delivering them from Moabite oppression [1, 4]. His story is primarily recounted in Judges 3:12-30. The name Ehud means "union" [1, 2]. He is identified as the son of Gera, a descendant of Benjamin [1, 5]. Another Ehud, a great-grandson of Benjamin, is mentioned in 1 Chronicles 7:10 and 8:6, though this is a different individual living during the Divided Monarchy period [1, 3].
After the death of Othniel, the Israelites "did evil again in the sight of the Lord," leading God to strengthen Eglon, the king of Moab, against them [9]. Eglon, in alliance with the Ammonites and Amalekites, conquered Jericho and subjected the Israelites for eighteen years, exacting tribute [2, 6]. This period of oppression was longer than their previous servitude under the king of Mesopotamia, indicating a "severer correction" for their relapse into idolatry [7].
When the Israelites cried out to the Lord, He raised up Ehud as their deliverer [5, 8]. Ehud was notable for being left-handed [1, 5]. This characteristic proved crucial in his plan to assassinate Eglon. The Israelites sent Ehud to deliver their annual tribute to King Eglon [2, 5]. Josephus notes that Eglon had grown to despise the Israelites due to their political disarray [6].
Ehud prepared a two-edged dagger, a cubit (approximately 18 inches) in length, and concealed it on his right thigh [2]. After presenting the tribute, Ehud dismissed his attendants but then returned to Eglon, claiming to have a secret message for the king [10]. Eglon, who was in his cool upper chamber, sent away his own attendants [10]. Ehud approached Eglon, who rose from his seat, and Ehud plunged the dagger into Eglon's belly. Because Eglon was a very fat man, the hilt also went in, and Ehud did not pull the dagger out [2].
Ehud then locked the doors of the chamber and escaped. Eglon's servants, assuming the king was relieving himself, waited for a considerable time before finally opening the doors and discovering their dead king [10]. Meanwhile, Ehud had reached Seirah, a wooded region in the mountains of Ephraim [10]. There, he blew a trumpet to rally the Israelites, announcing the victory God had given them [10]. The Israelites followed Ehud, seized the fords of the Jordan, preventing the Moabites from escaping, and struck down about ten thousand Moabite men [2]. The land then had rest for eighty years [6].
Ehud is referred to as a "deliverer" in the biblical text, a term also applied to Othniel and other judges [1]. His actions demonstrate God's response to Israel's repentance and His use of individuals, even with unique characteristics like being left-handed, to bring about salvation for His people [8].
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Ehud — (union). + Ehud son of Bilhah, and great-grandson of Benjamin the patriarch. (1 Chronicles 7:10; 8:6) + Ehud son of Gera, of the tribe of Benjamin, (Judges 3:15) the second judge of the Israelites. (B.C. about 1370.) In the Bible he is not called a judge, but a deliverer (l.c.): so Othniel, (Judges 3:9) and all the Judges. (Nehemiah 9:27) As a Benjamite he was specially chosen to destroy Eglon, who had established himself in Jericho, which was included in the boundaries of that tribe. He was very strong, and left-handed. [[466]Eglon]”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Ehud — Union. (1.) A descendant of Benjamin (1 Chr. 7:10), his great-grandson. (2.) The son of Gera, of the tribe of Benjamin (Judg. 3:15). After the death of Othniel the people again fell into idolatry, and Eglon, the king of Moab, uniting his bands with those of the Ammonites and the Amalekites, crossed the Jordan and took the city of Jericho, and for eighteen years held that whole district in subjection, exacting from it an annual tribute. At length Ehud, by a stratagem, put Eglon to death with a two-edged dagger a cubit long, and routed the Moabites at the fords ”
- STEPBible TIPNR “Biblical proper name: [email protected]=H0164H — Man living at the time of Divided Monarchy (refs: #A man from the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.7.10)”
- STEPBible TIPNR “Biblical proper name: [email protected]=H0164G — Judge living before Israel's Monarchy (refs: #A Judge from the tribe of Benjamin living before Israel's Monarchy, first mentioned at Jdg.3.15; <b)”
- Judges “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. -- Judges 3:15”
- Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 4, section 1: . How Our People Served The Moabites Eighteen Years, And Were Then Delivered From Slavery By One Ehud Who Retained The Dominion Eighty Years. 1. When Othniel was dead, the affairs of the Israelites fell again into disorder: and while they neither paid to God the honor due to him, nor were obedient to the laws, their afflictions increased, till Eglon, king of the Moabites, did so greatly despise them on account of the disorders of their political government, that he made war upon them, and overcame them in several battles, and mad”
- Judges (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Judges 3:14: So the children of Israel served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years. Ten years longer than they served the king of Mesopotamia, Jdg 3:8, as a severer correction of them for their relapse into idolatry. , as a severer correction of them for their relapse into idolatry. Judges 3:15 jdg 3:15 jdg 3:15 jdg 3:15But when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord,.... After being long oppressed, and groaning under their burdens, and brought to a sense of their sins, and humiliation for them, they asked forgiveness of God, and deliverance from their bondage; for it is very ”
- Judges (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Judges 3:15: But when the Israelites cried to the Lord for help, He set them free through the Benjaminite Ehud, whom He raised up as their deliverer. Ehud was "the son of Gera." This probably means that he was a descendant of Gera, since Gera himself, according to Ch1 8:3, was a son of Bela the son of Benjamin, and therefore was a grandson of Benjamin; and Shimei the contemporary of David, a man belonging to the tribe of Benjamin, is also called a son of Gera in Sa2 16:5; Sa2 19:17. At the same time, it is possible that the name Gera does not refer to the same person in the”
- Judges (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Judges 3:12: EHUD SLAYS EGLON. (Jdg. 3:12-30) the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord--The Israelites, deprived of the moral and political influences of Othniel, were not long in following their native bias to idolatry. the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab--The reigning monarch's ambition was to recover that extensive portion of his ancient territory possessed by the Israelites. In conjunction with his neighbors, the Ammonites and the Amalekites, sworn enemies of Israel, he first subjected the eastern tribes; then crossing the Jord”
- Judges (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Judges 3:26: Ehud had escaped whilst the servants of Eglon were waiting, and had passed the stone quarries and reached Seirah. Seirah is a place that is never mentioned again; and, judging from the etymology (the hairy), it was a wooded region, respecting the situation of which all that can be decided is, that it is not to be sought for in the neighbourhood of Jericho, but "upon the mountains of Ephraim" (Jdg 3:27). For when Ehud had come to Seirah, he blew the trumpet "upon the mountains of Ephraim," to announce to the people the victory that was placed within their reach ”