When Israel’s first Judge, Othniel, the son of Kenaz died, the Israelites reverted to their evil ways and so God strengthened Eglon, the king of Moab to smite Israel and rule over Israel for eighteen years. When the Israelites repented, God raised up a deliverer. This deliverer was Ehud, the son of Gera, who was left-handed. Ehud made a two edged dagger and strapped it to his right thigh, under his garment. He went to meet with Eglon and when he was found alone with Eglon, Ehud reached out with his left hand and took the dagger from his right thigh and thrust it into Eglon’s belly. Eglon was a fat man; He was so fat that even the handle of the dagger sank into Eglon’s belly and the fat closed in over the dagger. Eglon is killed with his bowels falling out. Ehud escapes and goes to the children of Israel. He mobilizes Israel to fight against the Moabites and ten thousand, lusty Moabite men of valor are killed and Israel sees peace for a period of eighty years.
What can we learn from Ehud?
We are in the business of delivering people from being subjects in the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God’s son Jesus Christ. God made Ehud left-handed which meant that he had to hide the two edged dagger on his right side, which is not the usual side, where a sword is sheathed, and this could have been advantageous for Ehud to take his dagger into the presence of king Eglon. God has made each one of us different and can use each of us just as we are. We must hide the word of God (a two edged sword; Hebrews 4:12) and unleash it in full against the evil one (Ephesians 6:17) to restore the peace that transcends all understanding (Philippians 4:7) in the hearts of men.
Judges 3:11-30 (KJV)
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 parlour, 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 parlour upon him, and locked them.
24 When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour 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 parlour; 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 valour; 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.
