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Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Judges 3:12–30. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Ehud is the next of the judges whose achievements are related in this history, and here is an account of his actions.
I.When Israel sins again God raises up a new oppressor, Jdg 3:12-14.
It was an aggravation of their wickedness that they did evil again after they had smarted so long for their former iniquities, promised so fair when Othniel judged them, and received so much mercy from God in their deliverance. What, and after all this, again to break his commandments! Was the disease obstinate to all the methods of cure, both corrosives and lenitives? It seems it was. Perhaps they thought they might make the more bold with their old sins because they saw themselves in no danger from their old oppressor; the powers of that kingdom were weakened and brought low. But God made them know that he had variety of rods wherewith to chastise them: He strengthened Eglon king of Moab against them. This oppressor lay nearer to them than the former, and therefore would be the more mischievous to them; God's judgments thus approached them gradually, to bring them to repentance. When Israel dwelt in tents, but kept their integrity, Balak king of Moab, who would have strengthened himself against them, was baffled; but now that they had forsaken God, and worshipped the gods of the nations round about them (and perhaps those of the Moabites among the rest), here was another king of Moab, whom God strengthened against them, put power into his hands, though a wicked man, that he might be a scourge to Israel. The staff in his hand with which he beat Israel was God's indignation; howbeit he meant not so, neither did his heart think so, Isa 10:6, Isa 10:7. Israelites did ill, and, we may suppose, Moabites did worse; yet because God commonly punishes the sins of his own people in this world, that, the flesh being destroyed, the spirit may be saved, Israel is weakened and Moab strengthened against them. God would not suffer the Israelites, when they were the stronger, to distress the Moabites, nor give them any disturbance, though they were idolaters (Deu 2:9); yet now he suffered the Moabites to distress Israel, and strengthened them on purpose that they might: Thy judgments, O God! are a great deep. The king of Moab took to his assistance the Ammonites and Amalekites (Jdg 3:13), and this strengthened him; and we are here told how they prevailed.
1.They beat them in the field: They went and smote Israel (Jdg 3:13), not only those tribes that lay next them on the other side Jordan, who, though first settled, being frontier-tribes, were most disturbed; but those also within Jordan, for they made themselves masters of the city of palm-trees, which, it is probable, was a strong-hold erected near the place where Jericho had stood, for that was so called (Deu 34:3), into which the Moabites put a garrison, to be a bridle upon Israel, and to secure the passes of Jordan, for the preservation of the communication with their own country. It was well for the Kenites that they had left this city (Jdg 1:16) before it fell into the hands of the enemy. See how quickly the Israelites lost that by their own sin which they had gained by miracles of divine mercy.
2.They made them to serve (Jdg 3:14), that is, exacted tribute from them, either the fruits of the earth in kind or money in lieu of them. They neglected the service of God, and did not pay him his tribute; thus therefore did God recover from them that wine and oil, that silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal, Hos 2:8. What should have been paid to the divine grace, and was not, was distrained for, and paid to the divine justice. The former servitude (Jdg 3:8) lasted but eight years, this eighteen; for, if less troubles do not do the work, God will send greater.
II.When Israel prays again God raises up a new deliverer (Jdg 3:15), named Ehud. We are here told,
1.That he was a Benjamite. The city of palm-trees lay within the lot of this tribe, by which it is probable that they suffered most, and therefore stirred first to shake off the yoke. It is supposed by the chronologers that the Israelites' war with Benjamin for the wickedness of Gibeah, by which that whole tribe was reduced to 600 men, happened before this, so that we may well think that tribe to be now the weakest of all the tribes, yet out of it God raised up this deliverer, in token of his being perfectly reconciled to them, to manifest his own power in ordaining strength out of weakness, and that he might bestow more abundant honour upon that part which lacked, Co1 12:24.
2.That he was left-handed, as it seems many of that tribe were, Jdg 20:16. Benjamin signifies the son of the right hand, and yet multitudes of them were left-handed; for men's natures do not always answer their names. The lxx. say he was an ambidexter, one that could use both hands alike, supposing that this was an advantage to him in the action he was called to; but the Hebrew phrase, that he was shut of his right hand, intimates that, either through disease of disuse, he made little or no use of that, but of his left hand only, and so was the less fit for war, because he must needs handle his sword but awkwardly; yet God chose this left-handed man to be the man of his right hand, whom he would make strong for himself, Psa 80:17. It was God's right hand that gained Israel the victory (Psa 44:3), not the right hand of the instruments he employed.
3.We are here told what Ehud did for the deliverance of Israel out of the hands of the Moabites. He saved the oppressed by destroying the oppressors, when the measure of their iniquity was full and the set time to favour Israel had come.
(1.)He put to death Eglon the king of Moab; I say, put him to death, not murdered or assassinated him, but as a judge, or minister of divine justice, executed the judgments of God upon him, as an implacable enemy to God and Israel. This story is particularly related.
[1.]He had a fair occasion of access to him. Being an ingenious active man, and fit to stand before kings, his people chose him to carry a present in the name of all Israel, over and above their tribute, to their great lord the king of Moab, that they might find favour in his eyes, Jdg 3:15. The present is called mincha in the original, which is the word used in the law for the offerings that were presented to God to obtain his favour; these the children of Israel had not offered in their season to the God that loved them; and now, to punish them for their neglect, they are laid under a necessity of bringing their offerings to a heathen prince that hated them. Ehud went on his errand to Eglon, offered his present with the usual ceremony and expressions of dutiful respect, the better to colour what he intended and to prevent suspicion.
[2.]It should seem, from the first, he designed to be the death of him, God putting it into his heart, and letting him know also that the motion was from himself, by the Spirit that came upon him, the impulses of which carried with them their own evidence, and so gave him full satisfaction both as to the lawfulness and the success of this daring attempt, of both which he would have had reason enough to doubt. If he be sure that God bids him do it, he is sure both that he may do it and that he shall do it; for a command from God is sufficient to bear us out, and bring us off, both against our consciences and against all the world. That he compassed and imagined the death of this tyrant appears by the preparation he made of a weapon for the purpose, a short dagger, but half a yard long, like a bayonet, which might easily be concealed under his clothes (Jdg 3:16), perhaps because none were suffered to come near the king with their swords by their sides. This he wore on his right thigh, that it might be the more ready to his left hand, and might be the less suspected.
[3.]He contrived how to be alone with him, which he might the more easily be now that he had not only made himself known to him, but ingratiated himself by the present, and the compliments which perhaps, on this occasion, he had passed upon him. Observe, how he laid his plot. First, He concealed his design even from his own attendants, brought them part of the way, and then ordered them to go forward towards home, while he himself, as if he had forgotten something behind him, went back to the king of Moab's court, Jdg 3:18. There needed but one hand to do the execution; had more been engaged they could not so safely have kept counsel, nor so easily have made an escape. Secondly, He returned from the quarries by Gilgal (Jdg 3:19), from the graven images (so it is in the margin) which were with Gilgal, set up perhaps by the Moabites with the twelve stones which Joshua had set up there. Some suggest that the sight of these idols stirred up in him such an indignation against the king of Moab as put him upon the execution of that design which otherwise he had thought to let fall for the present. Or, perhaps, he came so far as to these images, that, telling from what place he returned, the king of Moab might be the more apt to believe he had a message from God. Thirdly, He begged a private audience, and obtained it in a withdrawing-room, here called a summer parlour. He told the king he had a secret errand to him, who thereupon ordered all his attendants to withdraw, Jdg 3:19. Whether he expected to receive some private instructions from an oracle, or some private informations concerning the present state of Israel, as if Ehud would betray his country, it was a very unwise thing for him to be all alone with a stronger and one whom he had reason to look upon as an enemy; but those that are marked for ruin are infatuated, and their hearts hid from understanding; God deprives them of discretion.
[4.]When he had him alone he soon dispatched him. His summer parlour, where he used to indulge himself in ease and luxury, was the place of his execution. First, Ehud demands his attention to a message from God (Jdg 3:20), and that message was a dagger. God sends to us by the judgments of his hand, as well as by the judgments of his mouth. Secondly, Eglon pays respect to a message from God. Though a king, though a heathen king, though rich and powerful, though now tyrannizing over the people of God, though a fat unwieldy man that could not easily rise nor stand long, though in private and what he did was not under observation, yet, when he expected to receive orders form heaven, he rose out of his seat; whether it was low and easy, or whether it was high and stately, he quitted it, and stood up when God was about to speak to him, thereby owning God his superior. This shames the irreverence of many who are called Christians, and yet, when a message from God is delivered to them, study to show, by all the marks of carelessness, how little they regard it. Ehud, in calling what he had to do a message from God, plainly avouches a divine commission for it; and God's inclining Eglon to stand up to it did both confirm the commission and facilitate the execution. Thirdly, The message was delivered, not to his ear, but immediately, and literally, to his heart, into which the fatal knife was thrust, and was left there, Jdg 3:21, Jdg 3:22. His extreme fatness made him unable to resist or to help himself; probably it was the effect of his luxury and excess; and, when the fat closed up the blade, God would by this circumstance show how those that pamper the body do but prepare for their own misery. However, it was an emblem of his carnal security and senselessness. His heart was a fat as grease, and in that he thought himself enclosed. See Psa 119:70; Psa 17:10. Eglon signifies a calf, and he fell like a fatted calf, by the knife, an acceptable sacrifice to divine justice. Notice is taken of the coming out of the dirt or dung, that the death of this proud tyrant may appear the more ignominious and shameful. He that had been so very nice and curious about his own body, to keep it easy and clean, shall now be found wallowing in his own blood and excrements. Thus does God pour contempt upon princes. Now this act of Ehud's may justify itself because he had special direction from God to do it, and it was agreeable to the usual method which, under that dispensation, God took to avenge his people of their enemies, and to manifest to the world his own justice. But it will by no means justify any now in doing the like. No such commissions are now given, and to pretend to them is to blaspheme God, and made him patronize the worst of villanies. Christ bade Peter sheathe the sword, and we find not that he bade him draw it again.
[5.]Providence wonderfully favoured his escape, when he had done the execution. First, The tyrant fell silently, without any shriek or out-cry, which might have been overheard by his servants at a distance. How silently does he go down to the pit, choked up, it may be, with his own fat, which stifled his dying groans, though he had made so great a noise in the world, and had been the terror of the mighty in the land of the living! Secondly, The heroic executioner of this vengeance, with such a presence of mind as discovered not only no consciousness of guilt, but a strong confidence in the divine protection, shut the doors after him, took the key with him, and passed through the guards with such an air of innocence, and boldness, and unconcernedness, as made them not at all to suspect his having done any thing amiss. Thirdly, The servants that attended in the antechamber, coming to the door of the inner parlour, when Ehud had gone, to know their master's pleasure, and finding it locked and all quiet, concluded he had lain down to sleep, had covered his feet upon his couch, and gone to consult his pillow about the message he had received, and to dream upon it (Jdg 3:24), and therefore would not offer to open the door. Thus by their care not to disturb his sleep they lost the opportunity of revenging his death. See what comes of men's taking state too much, and obliging those about them to keep their distance; some time or other it may come against them more than they think of. Fourthly, The servants at length opened the door, and found their master had slept indeed his long sleep, Jdg 3:25. The horror of this tragical spectacle, and the confusion it must needs put them into, to reflect upon their own inconsideration in not opening the door sooner, quite put by the thoughts of sending pursuers after him that had done it, whom now they despaired of overtaking. Lastly, Ehud by this means made his escape to Sierath, a thick wood; so some, Jdg 3:26. It is not said any where in this story what was the place in which Eglon lived now; but, there being no mention of Ehud passing and repassing Jordan, I am inclined to think that Eglon had left his own country of Moab, on the other side Jordan, and made his principal residence at this time in the city of palm-trees, within the land of Canaan, a richer country than his own, and that there he was slain, and then the quarries by Gilgal were not far off him. There where he had settled himself, and thought he had sufficiently fortified himself to lord it over the people of God, there he was cut off, and proved to be fed for the slaughter like a lamb in a large place.
(2.)Ehud, having slain the king of Moab, gave a total rout to the forces of the Moabites that were among them, and so effectually shook off the yoke of their oppression.
[1.]He raised an army immediately in Mount Ephraim, at some distance form the headquarters of the Moabites, and headed them himself, Jdg 3:27. The trumpet he blew was indeed a jubilee-trumpet, proclaiming liberty, and a joyful sound it was to the oppressed Israelites, who for a long time had heard no other trumpets than those of their enemies.
[2.]Like a pious man, and as one that did all this in faith, he took encouragement himself, and gave encouragement to his soldiers, from the power of God engaged for them (Jdg 3:28): "Follow me, for the Lord hath delivered your enemies into your hands; we are sure to have God with us, and therefore may go on boldly, and shall go on triumphantly." [3.] Like a politic general, he first secured the fords of Jordan, set strong guards upon all those passes, to cut off the communications between the Moabites that were in the land of Israel (for upon them only his design was) and their own country on the other side Jordan, that if, upon the alarm given them, they resolved to fly, they might not escape thither, and, if they resolved to fight, they might not have assistance thence. Thus he shut them up in that land as their prison in which they were pleasing themselves as their palace and paradise. [4.] He then fell upon them, and put them all to the sword, 10,000 of them, which it seems was the number appointed to keep Israel in subjection (Jdg 3:29): There escaped not a man of them. And they were the best and choicest of all the king of Moab's forces, all lusty men, men of bulk and stature, and not only able-bodied, but high spirited too, and men of valour, Jdg 3:29. But neither their strength nor their courage stood them in any stead when the set time had come for God to deliver them into the hand of Israel. [5.] The consequence of this victory was that the power of the Moabites was wholly broken in the land of Israel. The country was cleared of these oppressors, and the land had rest eighty years, Jdg 3:30. We may hope that there was likewise a reformation among them, and a check give to idolatry, by the influence of Ehud which continued a good part of this time. It was a great while for the land to rest, fourscore years; yet what is that to the saints' everlasting rest in the heavenly Canaan?
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Summary
Judges 3:24 serves as a pivotal moment of dramatic irony and suspense in the narrative of Ehud, the left-handed deliverer, immediately following his assassination of King Eglon of Moab. As Ehud makes his discreet escape, Eglon's servants arrive at the king's private upper chamber, only to find the doors securely locked. Their culturally informed, yet tragically mistaken, assumption is that the king is privately relieving himself in his "summer chamber," a common euphemism for defecating, thereby inadvertently providing Ehud with the crucial time needed to flee the palace and prepare for Israel's deliverance.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is strategically placed as a tension-building interlude in the account of Ehud, Israel's second judge. It directly follows Ehud's audacious and divinely empowered act of assassinating the oppressive Moabite king, Eglon, in his private upper room, as vividly detailed in Judges 3:20-23. Ehud has just made his escape through the portico, leaving the dead king locked within. The subsequent delay caused by the servants' misinterpretation of the locked doors is absolutely critical to Ehud's successful getaway and the unfolding of God's larger plan for Israel's liberation. This momentary pause creates palpable suspense for the reader, who is privy to the grim truth, and highlights the providential timing that allows Ehud to distance himself from the scene before the inevitable discovery in Judges 3:25.
Historical & Cultural Context
The narrative unfolds during the tumultuous period of the Judges, a time when Israel frequently fell into idolatry and subsequent oppression by surrounding nations, in this case, Moab. King Eglon is portrayed as a particularly obese and tyrannical ruler. The "summer chamber" (Hebrew cheder or aliyah) refers to an upper room or private apartment, often designed for coolness and privacy during hot weather. Such secluded spaces could indeed serve as private latrines or areas for personal hygiene. The phrase "covereth his feet" was a widely understood and polite euphemism in the ancient Near East for relieving oneself. This practice involved squatting, often pulling one's outer garments around the body to ensure privacy, thus literally "covering the feet." This common cultural understanding makes the servants' assumption entirely plausible within their worldview, underscoring the narrative's realism and the cleverness of Ehud's timing.
Key Themes
Judges 3:24 profoundly contributes to several overarching themes within the book of Judges and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, Divine Providence and Timing are strikingly evident; the servants' mistaken assumption, though seemingly mundane, is divinely orchestrated to ensure Ehud's unimpeded escape and the successful execution of God's plan for deliverance. This theme resonates throughout Judges, where God consistently raises up unlikely deliverers and orchestrates circumstances, as seen with Gideon's victory in Judges 7. Secondly, the masterful use of Suspense and Dramatic Irony is central; the reader possesses foreknowledge of Eglon's death, while the characters (the servants) remain ignorant, generating significant tension and highlighting the often-hidden nature of God's work, which frequently unfolds through human miscalculations. Lastly, the theme of Deliverance from Oppression is powerfully underscored, as this crucial delay directly facilitates the eventual freedom of Israel from Moabite subjugation, echoing the consistent biblical narrative of God's faithfulness to His covenant people, even in their cycles of disobedience and repentance, a promise found in Deuteronomy 30:1-5.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
From the primitive root H5526, meaning "to entwine as a screen; by implication, to fence in, cover over, (figuratively) protect." In this context, it refers to the act of drawing one's garments around the body to create a private enclosure while attending to bodily functions. This usage is a clear euphemism, indicating the act of defecating or urinating.
Meaning "a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a step; by euphemistically the pudenda." While literally referring to the lower extremities, in the phrase "covereth his feet," it functions as part of a well-established idiom for privacy during excretion, as one would squat and cover the lower body.
Meaning "something lofty, i.e. a stair-way; also a second-story room (or even one on the roof); figuratively, the sky." This term specifically denotes an upper room or roof chamber, often a private and secluded space. In the context of the king's private retreat, especially when coupled with "summer chamber," it strongly suggests a room designed for privacy, which could include facilities for personal hygiene or serve as a latrine.
Verse Breakdown
"When he was gone out, his servants came;"
This initial clause marks the successful completion of Ehud's covert mission and his strategic withdrawal from the immediate scene of the assassination. His departure creates a critical time gap. Simultaneously, the arrival of Eglon's personal attendants, who would typically await the king's summons or presence, sets the stage for the impending, yet delayed, discovery.
"and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour [were] locked,"
This is the pivotal observation that triggers the subsequent dramatic irony. The servants discover that the doors to the king's private upper room are securely fastened from the inside. The use of "behold" emphasizes the suddenness and significance of this unexpected situation, as a king's chamber would not typically be found locked from within after his supposed departure or during his expected accessibility.
"they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber."
This final clause reveals the servants' collective and culturally informed interpretation of the locked door. Their assumption, based on the common understanding of privacy and the typical use of such a secluded "summer chamber" for personal bodily functions, is entirely plausible within their context. This seemingly innocuous conclusion is the linchpin of the narrative's suspense, providing the crucial delay that allows Ehud to complete his escape and prepare for the next phase of Israel's deliverance from Moabite oppression.
Literary Devices
Judges 3:24 is a masterclass in the use of Suspense and Dramatic Irony. The suspense is meticulously crafted through the prolonged delay in the servants' discovery of Eglon's death, creating a palpable tension for the reader who is aware of the king's demise, while the characters remain oblivious. This stark contrast between the audience's knowledge and the characters' ignorance is the essence of Dramatic Irony, making the servants' misinterpretation of the locked door both tragically misguided and darkly humorous. Furthermore, the narrative employs Euphemism through the phrase "covereth his feet," which delicately conveys a sensitive bodily function without explicit vulgarity, yet maintains clarity and impact. These literary techniques work in concert to underscore the providential nature of the events, demonstrating how even human misunderstanding and mundane circumstances can serve God's overarching purposes.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Judges 3:24, though a brief and seemingly minor detail in the narrative, powerfully illustrates the profound theological theme of divine providence working through human circumstances, even those marked by error, miscalculation, or delay. The servants' mistaken assumption about Eglon's private activity, while entirely plausible from their perspective, becomes a crucial, divinely orchestrated element in God's larger plan for Israel's deliverance. It serves as a vivid reminder that God's purposes are not thwarted by human actions or inactions; rather, He can sovereignly weave them into His perfect timing, often using the unexpected, the overlooked, or even human misunderstanding to achieve His will. This verse encourages believers to trust in God's unseen hand, recognizing that His sovereignty extends to the smallest details, ensuring that His chosen deliverers and His redemptive plans ultimately succeed.
Reflection and Application
This seemingly small detail in the dramatic narrative of Ehud's deliverance carries profound and enduring lessons for believers today. Judges 3:24 powerfully highlights that God's work often unfolds through unexpected means, seemingly insignificant delays, or even human miscalculations. The servants' misinterpretation, born of cultural assumptions, inadvertently served God's greater purpose, providing the critical window for Ehud's escape and the subsequent liberation of Israel. This reminds us that God's timing is perfect, even when our circumstances seem stalled, confusing, or contrary to our expectations. We are called to cultivate a deep trust in His unseen hand, knowing that He is sovereignly orchestrating events for His glory and our ultimate good, even when we cannot discern the full picture. It encourages patience, perseverance, and unwavering faith, recognizing that what appears to be a frustrating setback, a "locked door," or a prolonged delay might, in God's divine economy, be precisely what is needed for His perfect plan to come to fruition in our lives and in the world.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "covereth his feet" truly mean in this context?
"Covereth his feet" is a well-established biblical euphemism for relieving oneself, specifically defecating. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, privacy for such acts was often achieved by squatting and drawing one's outer garments around the body, thereby literally "covering the feet." The servants' assumption that King Eglon was engaged in this private act in his "summer chamber" (a private, often cool, upper room that could serve as a latrine or private retreat) was entirely plausible and culturally understood, which is why they delayed entering the room. This delay was crucial for Ehud's escape and the success of God's plan, as detailed in Judges 3:23.
Why is the servants' delay so important to the story of Ehud and Eglon?
The servants' delay in discovering Eglon's body is absolutely critical for the success of Ehud's mission and Israel's deliverance from Moabite oppression. After assassinating Eglon, Ehud needed a significant window of time to escape the palace and the city of Jericho undetected. The servants' plausible, yet mistaken, assumption that Eglon was merely relieving himself provided this vital period. Had they immediately forced the door or suspected foul play, Ehud's escape would have been far more difficult, if not impossible, potentially jeopardizing the entire mission. This delay powerfully underscores the theme of divine providence, demonstrating how God can use even human misunderstanding and mundane circumstances to achieve His redemptive purposes, as He did in raising Ehud to deliver Israel from its oppressors (see Judges 3:15).
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
The dramatic irony and providential delay in Judges 3:24, where the servants' misunderstanding unwittingly facilitates Ehud's escape and Israel's deliverance, powerfully foreshadows the far greater, yet often misunderstood, work of Christ. Just as Ehud's "hidden" act in the private chamber led to public liberation for Israel, so too was Christ's ultimate act of deliverance—His death on the cross—initially perceived by many as a defeat, a scandal, or a mere execution. Yet, it was precisely through this "hidden" and humble act of sacrifice, shrouded in the apparent weakness of crucifixion, that the greatest deliverance was secured: freedom from the bondage of sin and death. The world, much like Eglon's servants, often fails to grasp the profound significance of God's work, especially when it unfolds in unexpected, counter-intuitive, or seemingly weak ways. But God's plan, culminating in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, was meticulously orchestrated, turning human folly and perceived failure into the ultimate victory. Christ, our true Deliverer, did not merely free us from an earthly oppressor but from the spiritual dominion of sin and the grave, granting us eternal life, a truth proclaimed in John 3:16. The "delay" in understanding God's full plan for salvation was eventually overcome by the revelation of the Gospel, demonstrating that God's timing and methods, though often mysterious, are always perfect in accomplishing His redemptive purposes for humanity.