Judges 3:15

Judges 3:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Again the Israelites cried out to the Lord, and he gave them a deliverer—Ehud, a left-handed man, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with tribute to Eglon king of Moab.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud, the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. The people of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But when the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. By him the children of Israel sent tribute to Eglon king of Moab.

Context of Judges 3:15

13King Eglon made an agreement with the Ammonites and the Amalekites to join together to attack Israel. They attacked Jericho, ‘The City of Palm Trees’, and they took it for themselves. 14The Israelites were under King Eglon's power for 18 years. Again the Israelites called out to the Lord for help. He chose Ehud to be their leader. He was the son of Gera, from Benjamin's tribe. Ehud's strong hand was his left hand. The Israelites sent him to pay their taxes to King Eglon of Moab. 16Ehud made a short sword that was sharp on both sides. He tied it to the top of his right leg and he hid it under his coat. 17He took the money to give to King Eglon, who was a very fat man.

Judges 3:15 word by word

וַיִּזְעֲק֣וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ אֶל־יְהוָה֒ וַיָּקֶם֩ יְהוָ֨ה לָהֶ֜ם מוֹשִׁ֗יעַ אֶת־אֵה֤וּד בֶּן־גֵּרָא֙ בֶּן־הַיְמִינִ֔י אִ֥ישׁ אִטֵּ֖ר יַד־יְמִינ֑וֹ וַיִּשְׁלְח֨וּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל בְּיָדוֹ֙ מִנְחָ֔ה לְעֶגְל֖וֹן מֶ֥לֶךְ מוֹאָֽב׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But when the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• criedזָעַקzâ‛aq · to cry outH2199
• unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• raised them upקוּםqûm · to arise: raiseH6965
• a delivererיָשַׁעyâsha‛ · to saveH3467
• Ehudאֵהוּד'êhûd · EhudH164
• the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of Geraגֵּרָאgêrâ' · GeraH1617
• a Benjamiteבֶּן־יְמִינִיben-yemîynîy ben-ha-yemînîy ben-'îysh yemîynîy · BenjaminiteH1145
• a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• lefthandedיָמִיןyâmîyn · rightH3225
• lefthandedאִטֵּר'iţţêr · lefthandedH334
• and by himיָדyâd · handH3027
• sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• a presentמִנְחָהminchâh · offering: tributeH4503
• unto Eglonעֶגְלוֹן‛eglôn · EglonH5700
• the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• of Moabמוֹאָבmô'âb · MoabH4124

Cross-references for Judges 3:15

• Judges 3:9Then the Israelites called out to the Lord for help. So he chose Othniel to be their leader. He was the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother. Othniel rescued them from their enemies.
• Psalms 50:15Pray to me when you are in trouble. Then I will rescue you, and you will praise me.’
• Psalms 78:34When God killed some of them, the other people turned to God. They were sorry and they prayed to him.
• Psalms 90:15For many years you have sent trouble to us. Now, please make us happy for as many years as you have given us pain.
• Jeremiah 29:12At that time, when you call out to me for help, I will hear your prayers.
• Jeremiah 33:3“Call out to me and I will answer you. I will tell you about great things. They are secret things that you do not yet know.”
• Judges 20:16In Benjamin's army there were 700 men who used their left hands to fight. Each of them could use a sling to throw a stone at a very small thing. They could even hit a hair!
• 1 Chronicles 12:2They could shoot with bows and arrows. They could use slings to throw stones with either their right hand or their left hand. They were relatives of Saul, from Benjamin's tribe. Their names were:
• 1 Samuel 10:27But some wicked men were complaining. They said, ‘This man will never be able to save us.’ They did not respect Saul. They did not bring him any gifts. But Saul did not say anything against them.
• Proverbs 18:16A gift will give you a chance to meet new people. Important people may become your friends.
• Proverbs 19:6Many people want an important person to like them. Everyone wants to be the friend of someone who gives lots of gifts.
• Proverbs 21:14If someone is angry with you, give him a gift secretly. A secret bribe will make him quiet, even if he is very angry.
• Isaiah 36:16Do not believe what Hezekiah says!” This is what the king of Assyria says to you: “Show me that you accept my offer of peace and come out of your city. Then you will all live safely in your homes. You will eat the fruit from your own vines and fig trees. You will drink the water from your own wells.

Commentaries on Judges 3:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Ehud the son of Gera - a man left handed - ימינו יד אטר איש ish itter yad yemino, a man lame in his right hand, and therefore obliged to use his left. The Septuagint render it , an ambidexter, a man who could use both hands alike. The Vulgate, qui utraque manu pro dextera utebatur, a man who could use either hand as a right hand, or to whom right and left were equally ready. This is not the sense of the original, but it is the sense in which most…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15But when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised them up a deliverer - The very same words as are used at Judges 3:9. See, too, Judges 2:16, Judges 2:18, and Nehemiah 9:27. Ehud “the Benjamite” was of the family or house of Gera 2 Samuel 16:5, the son of Bela, Benjamin‘s first-born, born before Jacob‘s descent into Egypt Genesis 46:21, and then included among “the sons of Benjamin.” The genealogy in 1 Chronicles 8:6 intimates that Ehud…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-30Verses 12-30 When Israel sins again, God raises up a new oppressor. The Israelites did ill, and the Moabites did worse; yet because God punishes the sins of his own people in this world, Israel is weakened, and Moab strengthened against them. If lesser troubles do not do the work, God will send greater. When Israel prays again, God raises up Ehud. As a judge, or minister of Divine justice, Ehud put to death Eglon, the king of Moab, and thus executed the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15left-handed (literally restricted in the right hand): This trait allowed Ehud to hide his weapon on his right hip. The Greek Old Testament translates this phrase as “ambidextrous.” The term is linked to the tribe of Benjamin (“son of my right hand,” Genesis 35:18; see Judges 20:16) and is associated with heroic military skills (compare 1 Chronicles 12:1–2). The tribute money was either pieces of metal or, more likely, agricultural goods that needed a team…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. Ehud the son of Gera--descended from Gera, one of Benjamin's sons (Ge 46:21). left-handed--This peculiarity distinguished many in the Benjamite tribe (Jud 20:16). But the original word is rendered in some versions "both-handed," a view countenanced by 1Ch 12:2. by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab--the yearly tribute, which, according to Eastern fashion, would be borne with ostentatious ceremony and offered (Jud…Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 3:15

• Assassination
• Benjamin
• Confidence
• Deception
• Eglon
• Gera
• Gilgal
• God Continued...
• Hypocrisy
• Israel
• Judge
• Left-Handed
• Prayer

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Moab
• Children of Israel
• Lord; the Lord
• Close
• Dirt
• Ehud
• Errand
• Gera
• Lefthanded

Commentaries on Judges 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary