New English Translation
Judges 3:20
20When Ehud approached him, he was sitting in his well-ventilated upper room all by himself. Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” When Eglon rose up from his seat,
Judges 3:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.
- New International Version (NIV)Ehud then approached him while he was sitting alone in the upper room of his palace and said, “I have a message from God for you.” As the king rose from his seat,
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Ehud came to him as he was sitting alone in his cool roof chamber. And Ehud said, "I have a message from God for you." And he arose from his seat.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So Ehud came to him (now he was sitting upstairs in his cool private chamber). Then Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” So he arose from his seat.
Context of Judges 3:20
18After Ehud brought the tribute payment, he dismissed the people who had carried it. 19But he went back once he reached the carved images at Gilgal. He said to Eglon, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” Eglon said, “Be quiet!” All his attendants left. When Ehud approached him, he was sitting in his well-ventilated upper room all by himself. Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” When Eglon rose up from his seat, 21Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled the sword from his right thigh, and drove it into Eglon’s belly. 22The handle went in after the blade, and the fat closed around the blade, for Ehud did not pull the sword out of his belly.
Read all of Judges 3Judges 3:20 word by word
וְאֵה֣וּד׀ בָּ֣א אֵלָ֗יו וְהֽוּא־יֹ֠שֵׁב בַּעֲלִיַּ֨ת הַמְּקֵרָ֤ה אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ֙ לְבַדּ֔וֹ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵה֔וּד דְּבַר־אֱלֹהִ֥ים לִ֖י אֵלֶ֑יךָ וַיָּ֖קָם מֵעַ֥ל הַכִּסֵּֽא׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Ehudאֵהוּד'êhûd · EhudH164
- cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- unto him; and he was sittingיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- in a summerמְקֵרָהmeqêrâh · coolnessH4747
- parlourעֲלִיָּה‛ălîyâh · upper roomH5944
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- I have a messageדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- from Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- unto thee. And he aroseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
- seatכִּסֵּאkissê' kissêh · throneH3678
Cross-references for Judges 3:20
- Amos 3:15I will destroy both the winter and summer houses. The houses filled with ivory will be ruined, the great houses will be swept away.” The Lord is speaking!
- Judges 3:19But he went back once he reached the carved images at Gilgal. He said to Eglon, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” Eglon said, “Be quiet!” All his attendants left.
- 2 Samuel 12:1So the Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to David, Nathan said, “There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor.
- 2 Samuel 24:12“Go, tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am offering you three forms of judgment. Pick one of them and I will carry it out against you.’”
- Micah 6:9Listen! The Lord is calling to the city! It is wise to respect your authority, O Lord! Listen, O nation, and those assembled in the city!
- Psalms 29:1Acknowledge the Lord, you heavenly beings, acknowledge the Lord’s majesty and power!
- Jeremiah 10:7Everyone should revere you, O King of all nations, because you deserve to be revered. For there is no one like you among any of the wise people of the nations nor among any of their kings.
Commentaries on Judges 3:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20He was sitting in a summer parlor - Besides the platforms, says Dr. Shaw, which were upon the ancient houses of the East, and which are found there to this day, it is probable that heretofore, as well as at present, most of the great houses had a smaller one annexed, which seldom consisted of more than one or two rooms and a terrace. Others, built as they frequently are above the porch or gateway, have, if we except the ground-floor, all the conveniences…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Probably Ehud‘s first message Judges 3:19 had been delivered to the attendants, and by them carried to the king. Now Ehud is admitted to the king‘s presence, into the cool upper chamber. I have a message from God unto thee - Ehud believed himself to be accomplishing the divine mandate, and so his words were true in a certain sense. But it was also a stratagem to cause the king to rise, that the thrust might be sure. (The king rose at once, in true…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. 20The cool upstairs room was likely a rooftop chamber, often used for summer meetings in hot countries.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. a summer parlour--Hebrew, "chamber of cooling"--one of those retired edifices which Oriental grandees usually have in their gardens, and in which they repose during the heat of the day.Read the comment
Topics related to Judges 3:20
In the dictionaries
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
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries