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:
• New International Version (NIV)Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king’s 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.

Context of Judges 3:21

19But when Ehud reached the stone idols near Gilgal, he turned back. He came to Eglon and said, “I have a secret message for you.” So the king commanded his servants, “Be quiet!” and he sent them all out of the room. 20Ehud walked over to Eglon, who was sitting alone in a cool upstairs room. And Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you!” As King Eglon rose from his seat, Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled out the dagger strapped to his right thigh, and plunged it into the king’s belly. 22The dagger went so deep that the handle disappeared beneath the king’s fat. So Ehud did not pull out the dagger, and the king’s bowels emptied. 23Then Ehud closed and locked the doors of the room and escaped down the latrine.

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 and grandson of Aaron the priest saw this, he jumped up and left the assembly. He took a spear
• 1 Samuel 15:33But Samuel said, “As your sword has killed the sons of many mothers, now your mother will be childless.” And Samuel cut Agag to pieces before the Lord at Gilgal.
• Job 20:25The arrow is pulled from their back, and the arrowhead glistens with blood. The terrors of death are upon them.
• Zechariah 13:3If anyone continues to prophesy, his own father and mother will tell him, ‘You must die, for you have prophesied lies in the name of the Lord.’ And as he prophesies, his own father and mother will stab him.
• 2 Corinthians 5:16So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now!

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