Eglon עֶגְלוֹן
King of Moab who oppressed Israel
Who is Eglon in the Bible?
Eglon was the king of Moab who oppressed the Israelites for eighteen years until his assassination by Ehud, a left-handed Benjamite judge (Judges 3:12-17). After Israel turned to evil, God strengthened Eglon against them, allowing him to conquer and rule over the nation as a form of judgment. When the Israelites cried out for deliverance, God raised up Ehud to free them from Moabite oppression. Ehud famously assassinated the overweight king by concealing a double-edged sword under his clothing and stabbing him while alone in his private chamber. Eglon's defeat marked a turning point in Israel's cycle of apostasy and deliverance, demonstrating God's response to His people's repentance and serving as a significant episode in the era of the judges.
Biography
Eglon was the king of Moab who oppressed the Israelites for eighteen years, as recorded in the book of Judges. After the Israelites did evil in the sight of the Lord, God strengthened Eglon against them and allowed him to conquer and rule over Israel (Jdg.3.12-14).
During this period of oppression, the Israelites cried out to the Lord for deliverance. In response, God raised up Ehud, a left-handed Benjamite, as a deliverer (Jdg.3.15). Ehud crafted a double-edged sword and concealed it under his clothing.
Acting as an emissary, Ehud brought tribute to Eglon, who is described as a very fat man (Jdg.3.17). After presenting the tribute, Ehud sent away the people who had carried it and returned to Eglon, claiming to have a secret message for him. When Eglon dismissed his attendants, Ehud approached him and declared, "I have a message from God for you" (Jdg.3.18-20).
Ehud then drew his concealed sword with his left hand and thrust it into Eglon's belly. The sword's hilt sank in after the blade, and Eglon's fat closed over it. Ehud left the sword in Eglon's body and escaped, locking the doors of the upper room behind him (Jdg.3.21-23).
Eglon's servants later discovered their king dead and Ehud long gone. Ehud rallied the Israelites, who seized the fords of the Jordan leading to Moab and struck down about 10,000 Moabites. This victory brought peace to the land for eighty years (Jdg.3.24-30).
The story of Eglon's oppression and Ehud's assassination highlights the cycle of sin, oppression, and deliverance that characterizes the book of Judges. It also demonstrates God's faithfulness in raising up deliverers for His people when they cry out to Him.
In Scripture
1 biblical bookJudges 4 verses
- Judges 3:12
"Once again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD. So He gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD."
- Judges 3:14
"The Israelites served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years."
- Judges 3:15
"And again they cried out to the LORD, and He raised up Ehud son of Gera, a left-handed Benjamite, as their deliverer. So they sent him with tribute to Eglon king of Moab."
- Judges 3:17
"and brought the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was an obese man."
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | עֶגְלוֹן |
Eglon (1)
in his own kingdom which at that time was probably being used as a battle ground by Edom and the desert tribes (compare Ge 36:35). After 18 years of servitude the children of Israel were delivered by Ehud the Benjamite, who like so many other Benjamites (compare Jud 20:16) was left-handed. Under the pretext of carrying a present to the tyrant, he secured a private interview and assassinated him with a two-edged sword which he had carried concealed on his right side (Jud 3:19-22). Ehud made his escape, rallied the children of Israel about him and returned to conquer the Moabites (Jud 3:30).
Ella Davis Isaacs
A royal Canaanite city whose king joined the league headed by Adonizedek of Jerusalem against the Gibeonites, which suffered overwhelming defeat at the hands of Joshua (<ref osisRef