View source for Ehud

{{Short description|Israelite described in the biblical Book of Judges}}
{{other uses|Ehud (given name)}}
{{Infobox person
| image                     = 19 Ehud kills Eglon - Judges 3 21 - Ford Madox Brown.jpg
| image_size                = 300px
| caption                   = Illustration by [[Ford Madox Brown]] of Ehud assassinating the [[Moab]]ite king [[Eglon (king)|Eglon]]  
| occupation                = Second Judge of Israel 
| nationality               = 
| predecessor               = [[Othniel]]
| successor                 = [[Deborah]] (or possibly [[Shamgar]])
| other_names               = 
| spouse                    = 
}}
{{Judges}}

'''Ehud ben‑Gera''' ({{IPAc-en|ɛ|ˈ|h|uː|d}}; {{langx|he|אֵהוּד בֶּן־גֵּרָא}}, <small>[[Tiberian vocalization|Tiberian]]</small> ''ʾĒhūḏ ben‑Gērāʾ'') is described in the [[Bible|biblical]] [[Book of Judges]] [[Judges 3|chapter 3]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges%203:12-28&version=KJV |title=Judges 3:12-28 (King James Version) |publisher=BibleGateway.com}}</ref> as a [[Biblical judges|judge]] who was sent by God to deliver the [[Israelites]] from [[Moab]]ite domination. He is described as being [[left-handed]] and a member of the [[Tribe of Benjamin]].

==Biblical narrative==
According to {{bibleverse||Judges|3:12-30|NKJV}}, Ehud was sent by the Israelites to the Moabite King [[Eglon (king)|Eglon]] on the pretext of delivering the Israelites' annual [[tribute]]. He made a double-edged shortsword about a [[Cubit (Biblical)|cubit]] (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. Left handedness is significant because the left side of the body is often associated with deception or darkness, it is a tactical advantage in war against the majority who are often right-handed, and is symbolic for being outside of the culturally accepted social norm of leadership in ancient Israel.<ref name=":02">{{Cite book |last=Niditch |first=Susan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jZa7BwAAQBAJ&dq=The+term+used+for+Ehud%E2%80%99s+ample+belly+is+the+term+used+for+%E2%80%98womb%2C%E2%80%99+while+the+image+of+the+fat+closing+around+the+blade+is+strongly+vaginal.&pg=PA58 |title=Judges: A Commentary |date=2011-03-01 |publisher=Presbyterian Publishing Corp |isbn=978-0-664-23831-5 |language=en}}</ref> 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. The Hebrew for the location of the private meeting is  בַּעֲלִיַּת הַמְּקֵרָה ''ba-ʿăliyat ha-məqērāh'', translated as cooling roof chamber,<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Holladay|first1=W. L.|title=The Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament|last2=Köhler|first2=L.|publisher=Brill|year=2000|location=Leiden|page=274}}</ref> which was likely a bathroom<ref>{{Cite book|last=van Wijk-Bos|first=Johanna W. H.|title=The End of the Beginning; Joshua & Judges|publisher=William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company|year=2019|isbn=978-0-8028-6838-1|location=Grand Rapids, MI|page=211}}</ref> given that the servants believed Eglon was relieving himself (v24). Ehud said, "I have a message from God for you", drew his sword, and stabbed the king in his [[abdomen]]. The Hebrew word for abdomen בְּבִטְנֽוֹ (beten), is the same word that is used for the womb of a woman.<ref name=":02"/> After Ehud stabbed the king, the end of Judges 3:22 reads in Hebrew וַיֵּצֵא הַֽפַּרְשְׁדֹֽנָה ''wa-yēṣē ha-paršədōnāh'' usually translated as "and the dirt came out", a phrase of uncertain meaning as it is only used once in the Hebrew Bible. "Dirt" could be translated as feces.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Harris|first1=R. L.|title=Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament|last2=Archer|first2=G. L.|last3=Waltke|first3=B. K.|publisher=Moody Press|year=1999|location=Chicago|page=740 |edition=Electronic }}</ref> The translations of the room, abdomen, and dirt lend to a translation that implies sexual undertones and feminizes Eglon, demeaning him to a lower status.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bachmann |first=Mercedes L. García |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M_JmDwAAQBAJ&dq=the+inner+organs+closing+around+the+stuck+phallus-like+dagger%2C+the+upper+room%27s+location+where+both+men+are&pg=PA36 |title=Judges |date=2018-07-02 |publisher=Liturgical Press |isbn=978-0-8146-8131-2 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":02" /><ref name="Jr.2013">{{cite book|first=Robert B. Jr. |last=Chisholm|title=A Commentary on Judges and Ruth|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iFnaAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA186|date=14 November 2013|publisher=Kregel Academic|isbn=978-0-8254-2556-1|page=186}}</ref>{{refn|group=nb|The word may be an architectural term, indicating the area into which Ehud moved as he left the king and began his escape. Some take the noun as "back", and understand "sword" (from the preceding clause) as the subject, and translate "the sword came out [of] his back". The [[American Standard Version]] says "it [the sword] came out behind" and also provides the variant, "he went out into the antechamber" (ASV version of {{bibleverse||Judges|3:22|ASV}}). The [[Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges]] regards this wording as "based upon a guess of the [[Septuagint]] ({{lang|grc|τὴν προστάδα}})", whose writers may, according to [[Charles Ellicott|Ellicott]], have been "consulting propriety", whereas many [[English translations of the bible|translations]] refer to excrement coming out of the body. The [[King James Version]] uses the euphemism of "dirt". [[Young's Literal Translation]], more cryptically, states that "it goeth out at the fundament".<ref>[https://biblehub.com/judges/3-22.htm Judges 3:22], parallel translations. ''BibleHub''. Accessed 17 February 2021.</ref><ref>[https://biblehub.com/commentaries/judges/3-22.htm Judges 3:22], parallel commentaries. ''BibleHub''. Accessed 17 February 2021</ref>}} The sword disappeared into the wound and Ehud left it there. He locked the doors to the king's chamber and left.

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, the narrative reports that there was peace in the land for 80 years.<ref>{{bibleverse||Judges|3:30|NKJV}}</ref>
[[File:Weltchronik Fulda Aa88 168r detail.jpg|thumb|The Jews (wearing anachronistic [[Judenhut|Judenhüte]]) rejoice as Ehud kills [[Eglon (king)|Eglon]]; from [[Rudolf von Ems]]' ''Weltchronik'', late 14th century]]

== Biblical criticism ==
Coogan argues that the story of Ehud was probably a folk tale of local origin that was edited by the [[Deuteronomist|Deuteronomistic historians]].<ref name=coogan176>Coogan, M., ''A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible in its Context'', Oxford University Press: Oxford, 2009. pp.176.</ref> The Deuteronomistic historians "incorporated a variety of previously existing sources into their narrative of life in early Israel"<ref name=coogan176/> and the story of Ehud is one such example of a "previously existing source",<ref name=coogan176/> that has been edited to include "the cyclical pattern" typical of the stories of the major judges.<ref name=nelson352>[[Richard D. Nelson|Nelson, Richard D.]] Harper Collins Study Bible, Revised Edition. HarperCollins: New York,  2006. p. 352.</ref> This pattern consists of apostasy, hardship, crying out to the Lord, and rescue<ref>Nelson, Richard D. ''Harper Collins Study Bible'', Revised Edition. HarperCollins: New York,  2006. p. 350.</ref> and it is clearly present in the tale of Ehud: apostasy and hardship occur in Judges 3.12, "The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord strengthened King Eglon of Moab against Israel." The "crying out to the Lord" and the subsequent rescue are evident in Judges 3.15: "but when the Israelites cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud son of Gera". The rather lively and glorious tale is ended with the refrain of "and the land had rest 80 years", (Judges 3.30) an ending typical to [[Gideon]] and other "major" judge stories in the book of Judges.<ref name=nelson352/> He was the second judge chosen by God.

[[Barry Webb]] sees Ehud as "directed by the Lord, who used this most unlikely hero to bring deliverance to his undeserving but desperate people".<ref>''[[Inter-Varsity Press]] New Bible Commentary'' p.269</ref>

== See also ==
*[[Ehud (given name)]]
*[[Biblical judges]]
*[[Book of Judges]]

== Notes ==
{{reflist|group=nb}}

== References ==
<references/>

== External links ==
* [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=689&letter=J&search=Judges Book of Judges article] of the [[Jewish Encyclopedia]]
* [http://www.biblestoryteller.co.uk/Ehud.asp The story of Ehud retold for children (text and audio)]
{{s-start}}
{{s-hou|[[Tribe of Benjamin]]|||||}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Othniel Ben Kenaz|Othniel]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Biblical judges|Judge of Israel]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Shamgar]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Assassins of heads of state]]
[[Category:Israelite regicides]]
[[Category:Book of Judges people]]
[[Category:Hebrew Bible judges]]
[[Category:Tribe of Benjamin]]
[[Category:Heroes in mythology and legend]]