Focused Passage

Judges 3:19-23

Testing, Oppression, and the First Deliverers

Judges 3 moves from the LORD's testing of Israel through remaining nations, to Israel's assimilation and idolatry, to the first three deliverances that show both the LORD's mercy and the instability of episodic rescue.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

19But upon reaching the idols near Gilgal, he himself turned back and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” “Silence,” said the king, and all his attendants left him.

20Then Ehud approached him while he was sitting alone in the coolness of his upper room. “I have a word from God for you,” Ehud said, and the king rose from his seat.

21And Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled the sword from his right thigh, and plunged it into Eglon’s belly.

22Even the handle sank in after the blade, and Eglon’s fat closed in over it, so that Ehud did not withdraw the sword from his belly. And Eglon’s bowels emptied.

23Then Ehud went out through the porch, closing and locking the doors of the upper room behind him.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 19

Cross-references

Joshua 4:20Classic cross-references

Original words

But upon reachingמִן־H4480Prepositionthe idolsהַפְּסִילִים֙H6456Article | Noun - masculine plural-אֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativenearאֶת־H854PrepositionGilgalהַגִּלְגָּ֔לH1537Article | Noun - proper - feminine singularhe himselfוְה֣וּאH1931Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singularturned backשָׁ֗בH7725Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularand saidוַיֹּ֕אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularI have a secretסֵ֥תֶרH5643Noun - masculine singular. . .לִ֛יPreposition | first person common singularmessageדְּבַר־H1697Noun - masculine singular constructfor youאֵלֶ֖יךָH413Preposition | second person masculine singularO kingהַמֶּ֑לֶךְH4428Article | Noun - masculine singularSilenceהָ֔סH2013Interjectionsaid the kingוַיֹּ֣אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularand allכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructhis attendantsהָעֹמְדִ֖יםH5975Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural. . .עָלָֽיו׃H5921Preposition | third person masculine singular. . .מֵֽעָלָ֔יוH5921Preposition-m | third person masculine singularleft himוַיֵּֽצְאוּ֙H3318Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural

Verse 20

Cross-references

Nehemiah 8:5Classic cross-references Amos 3:15Classic cross-references Jeremiah 10:7Classic cross-references 1 Chronicles 8:6Classic cross-references

Original words

Then Ehudוְאֵה֣וּד׀H164Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singularapproached himבָּ֣אH935Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular. . .אֵלָ֗יוH413Preposition | third person masculine singularwhile heוְהֽוּא־H1931Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singularwas sittingיֹ֠שֵׁבH3427Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularaloneלְבַדּ֔וֹH905Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularin the coolness ofהַמְּקֵרָ֤הH4747Article | Noun - feminine singularhis upper roomבַּעֲלִיַּ֨תH5944Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relative-לוֹ֙Preposition | third person masculine singularI have a wordדְּבַר־H1697Noun - masculine singular constructfrom Godאֱלֹהִ֥יםH430Noun - masculine pluralfor youאֵלֶ֑יךָH413Preposition | second person masculine singularEhudאֵה֔וּדH164Noun - proper - masculine singularsaidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularand the king roseוַיָּ֖קָםH6965Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularfromמֵעַ֥לH5921Preposition-m[his] seatהַכִּסֵּֽא׃H3678Article | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 21

Cross-references

1 Samuel 15:33Classic cross-references 2 Samuel 20:10Classic cross-references Judges 4:21Classic cross-references

Original words

And Ehudאֵהוּד֙H164Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerreachedוַיִּשְׁלַ֤חH7971Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularwith his leftשְׂמֹאל֔וֹH8040Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularhandיַ֣דH3027Noun - feminine singular constructpulledוַיִּקַּח֙H3947Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe swordהַחֶ֔רֶבH2719Article | Noun - feminine singularfromמֵעַ֖לH5921Preposition-mhis rightיְמִינ֑וֹH3225Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularthighיֶ֣רֶךְH3409Noun - feminine singular constructand plungedוַיִּתְקָעֶ֖הָH8628Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singularit into Eglon’s bellyבְּבִטְנֽוֹ׃H990Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular

Verse 22

Original words

Evenגַֽם־H1571Conjunctionthe handleהַנִּצָּ֜בH5325Article | Noun - masculine singularsank inוַיָּבֹ֨אH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularafterאַחַ֣רH310Adverbthe bladeהַלַּ֗הַבH3851Article | Noun - masculine singularand Eglon’s fatהַחֵ֙לֶב֙H2459Article | Noun - masculine singularclosed inוַיִּסְגֹּ֤רH5462Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularoverבְּעַ֣דH1157Prepositionitהַלַּ֔הַבH3851Article | Noun - masculine singularso thatכִּ֣יH3588ConjunctionEhud did notלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particlewithdrawשָׁלַ֛ףH8025Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularthe swordהַחֶ֖רֶבH2719Article | Noun - feminine singularfrom his bellyמִבִּטְנ֑וֹH990Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularAnd Eglon’s bowelsהַֽפַּרְשְׁדֹֽנָה׃H6574Article | Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singularemptiedוַיֵּצֵ֖אH3318Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular

Verse 23

Original words

Then Ehudאֵה֖וּדH164Noun - proper - masculine singularwent outוַיֵּצֵ֥אH3318Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthrough the porchהַֽמִּסְדְּר֑וֹנָהH4528Article | Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singularclosingוַיִּסְגֹּ֞רH5462Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularand lockingוְנָעָֽל׃H5274Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularthe doorsדַּלְת֧וֹתH1817Noun - feminine plural constructof the upper roomהָעַלִיָּ֛הH5944Article | Noun - feminine singularbehind himבַּעֲד֖וֹH1157Preposition | third person masculine singular

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