Ehud

Judges 3

12 m And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD. So the LORD strengthened n Eglon king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD. 13 Then he gathered to himself the people of Ammon and o Amalek, went and 1 defeated Israel, and took possession of p the City of Palms. 14 So the children of Israel q served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years.

15 But when the children of Israel r cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a s left-handed man. By him the children of Israel sent tribute to Eglon king of Moab. 16 Now Ehud made himself a dagger (it was double-edged and a cubit in length) and fastened it under his clothes on his right thigh. 17 So he brought the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. (Now Eglon was a very fat man.) 18 And when he had finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the people who had carried the tribute. 19 But he himself turned back t from the 2 stone images that were at Gilgal, and said, "I have a secret message for you, O king." He said, "Keep silence!" And all who attended him went out from him. 20 So Ehud came to him (now he was sitting upstairs in his cool private chamber). Then Ehud said, "I have a message from God for you." So he arose from his seat. 21 Then Ehud reached with his left hand, took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly. 22 Even the 3 hilt went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not draw the dagger out of his belly; and his entrails came out. 23 Then Ehud went out through the porch and shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.

24 When he had gone out, 4 Eglon's servants came to look, and to their surprise, the doors of the upper room were locked. So they said, "He is probably u attending 5 to his needs in the cool chamber." 25 So they waited till they were v embarrassed, and still he had not opened the doors of the upper room. Therefore they took the key and opened them. And there was their master, fallen dead on the floor.

26 But Ehud had escaped while they delayed, and passed beyond the 6 stone images and escaped to Seirah. 27 And it happened, when he arrived, that w he blew the trumpet in the x mountains of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mountains; and 7 he led them. 28 Then he said to them, "Follow me, for y the LORD has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand." So they went down after him, seized the z fords of the Jordan leading to Moab, and did not allow anyone to cross over. 29 And at that time they killed about ten thousand men of Moab, all stout men of valor; not a man escaped. 30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And a the land had rest for eighty years.

  1. Cross References
    Judges 2:19
    And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they reverted and behaved more corruptly than their fathers, by following other gods, to serve them and bow down to them. They did not cease from their own doings nor from their stubborn way.
  2. Cross References
    1 Samuel 12:9
    And when they forgot the LORD their God, He sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them.
  3. Cross References
    Judges 5:14
    From Ephraim were those whose roots were in Amalek. After you, Benjamin, with your peoples, From Machir rulers came down, And from Zebulun those who bear the recruiter's staff.
  4. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 34:3
    The South, and the plain of the Valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar.
    Judges 1:16
    Now the children of the Kenite, Moses' father-in-law, went up from the City of Palms with the children of Judah into the Wilderness of Judah, which lies in the South near Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people.
    2 Chronicles 28:15
    Then the men who were designated by name rose up and took the captives, and from the spoil they clothed all who were naked among them, dressed them and gave them sandals, gave them food and drink, and anointed them; and they let all the feeble ones ride on donkeys. So they brought them to their brethren at Jericho, the city of palm trees. Then they returned to Samaria.
  5. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 28:48
    Therefore you shall serve your enemies, whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in need of everything; and He will put a yoke of iron on your neck until He has destroyed you.
  6. Cross References
    Psalms 78:34
    When He slew them, then they sought Him; And they returned and sought earnestly for God.
  7. Cross References
    Judges 20:16
    Among all this people were seven hundred select men who were left-handed; every one could sling a stone at a hair's breadth and not miss.
  8. Cross References
    Joshua 4:20
    And those twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal.
  9. Cross References
    1 Samuel 24:3
    So he came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to attend to his needs. ( David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave.)
  10. Cross References
    2 Kings 2:17
    But when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, "Send them!" Therefore they sent fifty men, and they searched for three days but did not find him.
    2 Kings 8:11
    Then he set his countenance in a stare until he was ashamed; and the man of God wept.
  11. Cross References
    Judges 6:34
    But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon; then he blew the trumpet, and the Abiezrites gathered behind him.
    1 Samuel 13:3
    And Jonathan attacked the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear!
  12. Cross References
    Joshua 17:15
    So Joshua answered them, "If you are a great people, then go up to the forest country and clear a place for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and the giants, since the mountains of Ephraim are too confined for you.
  13. Cross References
    Judges 7:9
    It happened on the same night that the LORD said to him, "Arise, go down against the camp, for I have delivered it into your hand.
    Judges 7:15
    And so it was, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, that he worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel, and said, "Arise, for the LORD has delivered the camp of Midian into your hand.
    1 Samuel 17:47
    "Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD's, and He will give you into our hands."
  14. Cross References
    Joshua 2:7
    Then the men pursued them by the road to the Jordan, to the fords. And as soon as those who pursued them had gone out, they shut the gate.
    Judges 12:5
    The Gileadites seized the fords of the Jordan before the Ephraimites arrived. And when any Ephraimite who escaped said, "Let me cross over," the men of Gilead would say to him, " Are you an Ephraimite?" If he said, "No.
  15. Cross References
    Judges 3:11
    So the land had rest for forty years. Then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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