In brief
Ehud, son of Gera, is a Benjamite who was left-handed (Judges 3:15). After eighteen years of servitude to Eglon, king of Moab, Israel cries out to the Lord, who raises up this deliverer. Sent to bring the tribute to the king, Ehud hides a double-edged sword under his clothes, obtains a private audience with Eglon and kills him in his summer room. He then gathers Israel in the hill country of Ephraim, defeats the Moabites at the fords of the Jordan, and the land has rest for eighty years.
What does the name Ehud mean?
The name Ehud is of Hebrew origin; its meaning is debated, and some link it to a root evoking unity or praise, but the Bible does not explain it. It presents him as the son of Gera, a Benjamite, and stresses a physical particularity: he is left-handed, a detail that will play a decisive role in his plan (Judges 3:15).
The story of Ehud
Eighteen years under Eglon
Judges 3:12-14After the death of Othniel, Israel again does what displeases the Lord. God then strengthens Eglon, king of Moab, who allies himself with the Ammonites and the Amalekites, defeats Israel and seizes the city of palms. For eighteen years the children of Israel serve this foreign king. The text makes clear that this oppression is the consequence of their unfaithfulness.
A left-handed deliverer
Judges 3:15-16The people cry out to the Lord, who raises up Ehud, son of Gera, a left-handed Benjamite. Israel sends him to bring a gift to Eglon. Ehud makes himself a double-edged sword, a cubit long, and straps it under his clothes on his right thigh. A guard looking for a weapon would check the left side: his left hand becomes the instrument of deliverance.
The death of Eglon
Judges 3:17-23Ehud presents the tribute, sends away those who carried it, then returns alone and tells the king he has a secret message for him. Eglon has everyone leave. In the summer room, Ehud announces that he has a message from God for him. The king rises; Ehud draws the sword with his left hand and thrusts it into his belly. He goes out, shuts the doors and locks them.
The escape and the gathering of Israel
Judges 3:24-27The servants find the doors locked and think the king is relieving himself. They wait a long time, then open the doors and find their master dead. Meanwhile Ehud has escaped as far as Seirah. There he blows the trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; the children of Israel go down with him and he takes the lead.
Victory and eighty years of rest
Judges 3:28-30Ehud issues a call that credits the victory to God: follow me, for the Lord has given the Moabites, your enemies, into your hands. Israel seizes the fords of the Jordan and strikes down about ten thousand Moabites, all of them strong men. That day Moab was subdued under the hand of Israel, and the land had rest for eighty years.
What Ehud teaches us
- What others see as a weakness, God can make the instrument of his deliverance: your particularity is not an obstacle for him.
- Ehud credits the victory to the Lord before the fight even begins; learn to recognize that it is God who delivers your enemies into your hands.
- Israel’s oppression came from its unfaithfulness: when you go through a season of defeat, begin by returning to God.
- One faithful man opened eighty years of peace; your faithfulness can bear fruit well beyond your own life.
Key verses
Israel cries out to the Lord, who raises up Ehud, a left-handed Benjamite. The verse links deliverance to the people’s prayer and introduces the detail that will make Ehud’s plan possible.
Ehud calls the people to follow him because the Lord has given the Moabites, their enemies, into their hands. He leads the people into battle by proclaiming that the victory already belongs to God.
Moab is subdued under the hand of Israel and the land has rest for eighty years, the longest period of peace mentioned in the book of Judges.
Bible verses to meditate on
Sermons about Ehud
Frequently asked questions
Who was Ehud in the Bible?
Ehud is the second judge of Israel. Son of Gera, of the tribe of Benjamin, he is left-handed. God raises him up after eighteen years of oppression by Eglon, king of Moab. Sent to bring the tribute, he kills the king in his summer room with a hidden sword, then leads Israel to victory at the fords of the Jordan. The land then has rest for eighty years (Judges 3:12-30).
Why does the Bible say Ehud was left-handed?
Judges 3:15 describes him as a man who was restricted in his right hand. This detail explains his plan: he straps his sword to his right side, where no one looks for a weapon, and draws it with his left hand in front of Eglon (Judges 3:16, 21). The Bible thus shows that God uses what seems unusual to bring about deliverance.
Where can I find the story of Ehud in the Bible?
The whole story of Ehud is in Judges 3:12-30. The passage describes the oppression by Eglon, king of Moab, Ehud’s call, his double-edged sword, the death of the king in his summer room, the escape to Seirah, the gathering of Israel and the victory at the fords of the Jordan. Judges 4:1 then mentions his death.