Judges 3:24
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.
When he was gone out {H3318}, his servants {H5650} came {H935}; and when they saw {H7200} that, behold, the doors {H1817} of the parlour {H5944} were locked {H5274}, they said {H559}, Surely he covereth {H5526} his feet {H7272} in his summer {H4747} chamber {H2315}.
After Ehud had left, the king's servants came. Seeing that the doors of the upper room were locked, they said, "He must be relieving himself in the inner part of the cool room."
After Ehud was gone, Eglon’s servants came in and found the doors of the upper room locked. “He must be relieving himself in the cool room,” they said.
Now when he was gone out, his servants came; and they saw, and, behold, the doors of the upper room were locked; and they said, Surely he is covering his feet in the upper chamber.
Cross-References
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1 Samuel 24:3 (5 votes)
And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where [was] a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.
Commentary
Judges 3:24 describes a pivotal moment of suspense following Ehud's assassination of Eglon, the king of Moab. After Ehud had made his escape, Eglon's servants arrived at the king's private chambers, only to find the doors locked from the inside. Their immediate assumption, as stated in the verse, was that the king was taking a private moment to "cover his feet" in his "summer chamber," a common euphemism for relieving oneself.
Context
This verse is set immediately after Ehud, the left-handed deliverer of Israel, has assassinated Eglon, the oppressive king of Moab, who had enslaved Israel for eighteen years. Ehud had used a specially designed dagger to kill the very fat king in his private upper room. The locked door and the servants' delay are crucial to Ehud's successful escape and the unfolding of God's plan for Israel's deliverance from Moabite oppression. The servants' assumption serves to buy Ehud precious time to distance himself from the scene before the discovery of the king's body.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The phrase "he covereth his feet" is a well-known biblical euphemism. In the context of ancient Near Eastern hygiene practices, it refers to a person squatting down to relieve themselves, often covering their feet with their robes for privacy. This interpretation is supported by the mention of the "summer chamber," which could have been a private latrine or a cool, secluded room where one might retreat for such a purpose. Other interpretations suggest it could refer to resting or sleeping, but given the circumstances that follow in Judges 3:25, the former is widely accepted. The "parlour" (KJV) or "summer chamber" refers to an upper room, typically a private, well-ventilated space, often used for quiet retreat during hot weather.
Practical Application
Judges 3:24, while a small detail in a dramatic story, reminds us of the intricate ways divine providence works, often through seemingly mundane or mistaken human actions. The servants' miscalculation of the situation ultimately contributed to Ehud's success and Israel's deliverance. It highlights that God's plans can unfold in unexpected ways, even amidst human assumptions and delays. For believers, it can be a reminder to trust in God's timing, as His purposes are often accomplished through circumstances beyond our immediate understanding.
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