Judges 3:21

Judges 3:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Ehud reached with his left hand, took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled out the dagger strapped to his right thigh, and plunged it into the king’s belly.

Context of Judges 3:21

19But on reaching the stone images near Gilgal he himself went back to Eglon and said, “Your Majesty, I have a secret message for you.” The king said to his attendants, “Leave us!” And they all left. 20Ehud 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, Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king’s belly. 22Even the handle sank in after the blade, and his bowels discharged. Ehud did not pull the sword out, and the fat closed in over it. 23Then Ehud went out to the porch; he shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.

Judges 3:21 word by word

וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח אֵהוּד֙ אֶת־יַ֣ד שְׂמֹאל֔וֹ וַיִּקַּח֙ אֶת־הַחֶ֔רֶב מֵעַ֖ל יֶ֣רֶךְ יְמִינ֑וֹ וַיִּתְקָעֶ֖הָ בְּבִטְנֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Ehudאֵהוּד'êhûd · EhudH164
• put forthשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: reachH7971
• his leftשְׂמֹאלώemô'l ώem'ôl · leftH8040
• handיָדyâd · handH3027
• and tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• the daggerחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• from his rightיָמִיןyâmîyn · rightH3225
• thighיָרֵךְyârêk · thighH3409
• and thrustתָּקַעtâqa‛ · to blowH8628
• it into his bellyבֶּ֫טֶןbeţen · belly: abdomenH990

Cross-references for Judges 3:21

• Numbers 25:7When Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw this, he left the assembly, took a spear in his hand
• 1 Samuel 15:33But Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so will your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel put Agag to death before the Lord at Gilgal.
• Job 20:25He pulls it out of his back, the gleaming point out of his liver. Terrors will come over him;
• Zechariah 13:3And if anyone still prophesies, their father and mother, to whom they were born, will say to them, ‘You must die, because you have told lies in the Lord’s name.’ Then their own parents will stab the one who prophesies.
• 2 Corinthians 5:16So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.

Commentaries on Judges 3:21

• 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. 19-21The message needed to be secret so Ehud could be alone with the king. It had to be from God to make sure the plan worked. Eglon likely stood up because he expected a message from the Lord, which he did receive.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 21-2621-26. Ehud put forth his left hand--The whole circumstance of this daring act--the death of Eglon without a shriek, or noise--the locking of the doors--the carrying off the key--the calm, unhurried deportment of Ehud--show the strength of his confidence that he was doing God service.Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 3:21

• Assassination
• Confidence
• Dagger
• Deception
• Eglon
• Falsehood
• Gilgal
• Homicide
• Hypocrisy
• Israel
• Judge
• Regicide

In the dictionaries

• Left hand
• Close
• Dirt
• Ehud
• Errand
• Moabite
• Rest
• Secret
• Abdon (1)
• Crime; Crimes

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