Ehud - Biblical Narrative

Biblical Narrative

Ehud was sent to the Moabite King Eglon on the pretext of delivering the Israelites' annual tribute. He had blacksmiths make a double-edged shortsword about eighteen inches long, useful for a stabbing thrust. Being left-handed, he could conceal the sword on his right thigh, where it was not expected. Once they met, Ehud told Eglon he had a secret message for him. Eglon dismissed his attendants and allowed Ehud to meet him in private. Ehud said, "I have a message from God for you", drew his sword, and stabbed the king in his abdomen. Eglon was eviscerated by the blow, which caused him to leak excrement; he was so overweight that the sword disappeared into the wound and Ehud left it there. He locked the doors to the king's chamber and left.

Judges in the Bible
In the Book of Joshua
  • Joshua†
In the Book of Judges
  • Othniel
  • Ehud
  • Shamgar
  • Deborah
  • Barak†
  • Gideon
  • Abimelech†
  • Tola
  • Jair
  • Jephthah
  • Ibzan
  • Elon
  • Abdon
  • Samson
In First Samuel
  • Eli†
  • Samuel†
Not explicitly described as a judge

Eglon's assistants returned when too much time had elapsed and found the doors locked. Assuming that he was relieving himself, they waited "to the point of embarrassment" before unlocking the door and finding their king dead.

Ehud escaped to the town of Seraiah in Ephraim. He sounded the shofar and rallied the Israelite tribes, who killed the Moabites, cutting off the fords of the Jordan River, and invaded Moab itself, killing about 10,000 Moabite soldiers.

After the death of Eglon there was peace in the land for 80 years.

Read more about this topic:  Ehud

Famous quotes containing the word narrative:

    Yet poetry, though the last and finest result, is a natural fruit. As naturally as the oak bears an acorn, and the vine a gourd, man bears a poem, either spoken or done. It is the chief and most memorable success, for history is but a prose narrative of poetic deeds.
    Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)