The Story of Ehud Judges 3:12–29

¹²The Israelites again did evil in YHWH’s sight; and YHWH gave Eglon, king of Moab, power over Israel because they had done evil in YHWH’s sight. ¹³And he assembled the Ammonites and Amaleq and went and smote Israel; they possessed the City of Palms.

¹⁴So the Israelites served Eglon, king of Moab, 18 years. ¹⁵And the Israelites cried out to YHWH, and YHWH raised them a savior, Ehud ben-Gera—a man whose right hand was ’it \eÅr; by his hand the Israelites sent tribute to Eglon, king of Moab.

¹⁶Ehud made himself a dagger with two edges, a gomed [a shortened cubit] long, and girded it under the folds of his garment on his right thigh.

¹⁷He presented the tribute to Eglon, king of Moab. Now, Eglon was a very stout fellow.

¹⁸When he [Ehud] had finished presenting the tribute, he dismissed the people who bore the tribute. ¹⁹But he [Ehud] himself returned from the p^esiÆliÆm [meaning unknown] by Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king!” So he [the king] said, “Silence!” And all who attended him went out from his presence.