Ehud's assassination plan

[tonychanyt]

Judges 3:

15 Then the people of Israel cried out to the LORD, and the LORD raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud, the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a left-handed man.

Was Ehud acting under God's orders?

Yes, at least in the sense of God's general mission order. God authorized Ehud's action against Eglon.

If God did not specifically tell Ehud to do this, would it still be morally OK?

Yes, I believed Ehud's conscience was clear before God. He knew he was a judge used by God.

The people of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab. 16 And Ehud made for himself a sword with two edges, a cubit in length, and he bound it on his right thigh under his clothes.

1.5 ft or 45 cm, short enough to hide it under loose clothing.

17 And he presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab.

This first meeting probably took place in his formal throne court. Ehud probably did not have the sword with him at this time.

Now Eglon was a very fat man. 18 And when Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute. 19 But he himself turned back at the idols near Gilgal

Most people were right-handed. They would hide their swords on the left side for easy drawing. In the 2nd meeting, Eglon's security people were more relaxed. They missed the weapon hidden on his right thigh. God might have interfered with the security check so that Eglon's guard would not have noticed the hidden dagger.

and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.”

This secret message was the plot device to secure a private audience with Eglon. It was the centerpiece of his cunning assassination scheme. Ironically, the secret message was the hidden sword. This was a dramatic moment. Would Eglon fall into the trap?

And he commanded, “Silence.” And all his attendants went out from his presence. 20 And Ehud came to him as he was sitting alone in his cool roof chamber.

They were not in his throne room. It was a relaxing chamber. It even came with a restroom (toilet).

And Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” And he arose from his seat. 21 And Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly.

It was a surprise move to Eglon.

22 And the hilt also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not pull the sword out of his belly; and the dung came out.

Eglon went into a hypovolemic shock, leading to quick unconsciousness.

23 Then Ehud went out into the porch [H4528] and closed the doors of the roof chamber behind him and locked them.

Ehud was calm and collected. He locked the doors carefully from the inside of the chamber.

H4528 was an obscure word that appeared only once in the Bible. No one really knows what it means.

New Living Translation:

Then Ehud closed and locked the doors of the room and escaped down the latrine.

24 When he had gone, the servants came, and when they saw that the doors of the roof chamber were locked, they thought, “Surely he is relieving himself in the closet of the cool chamber.” 25 And they waited till they were embarrassed. But when he still did not open the doors of the roof chamber, they took the key and opened them,

from the outside

and there lay their lord dead on the floor.

The king was dead, time to follow up with general attack:

26 Ehud escaped while they delayed, and he passed beyond the idols and escaped to Seirah. 27 When he arrived, he sounded the trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim.

He planned the whole thing beforehand strategically. He knew the geography and likely observed the arrangements inside the court and chamber from previous tribute encounters.

30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest for eighty years.

Behind the scenes, everything was orchestrated by God.

 

[KevinT]

Judges 3:


Was Ehud acting under God's orders?

Yes, at least in the sense of God's general mission order. God authorized Ehud's action against Eglon.

If God did not specifically tell Ehud to do this, would it still be morally OK?

Yes, I believed Ehud's conscience was clear before God. He knew he was a judge used by God.


1.5 ft or 45 cm, short enough to hide it under loose clothing.


This first meeting probably took place in his formal throne court. Ehud probably did not have the sword with him at this time.


Most people were right-handed. They would hide their swords on the left side for easy drawing. In the 2nd meeting, Eglon's security people were more relaxed. They missed the weapon hidden on his right thigh. God might have interfered with the security check so that Eglon's guard would not have noticed the hidden dagger.


This secret message was the plot device to secure a private audience with Eglon. It was the centerpiece of his cunning assassination scheme. Ironically, the secret message was the hidden sword. This was a dramatic moment. Would Eglon fall into the trap?


They were not in his throne room. It was a relaxing chamber. It even came with a restroom (toilet).


It was a surprise move to Eglon.


Eglon went into a hypovolemic shock, leading to quick unconsciousness.


Ehud was calm and collected. He locked the doors carefully from the inside of the chamber.

H4528 was an obscure word that appeared only once in the Bible. No one really knows what it means.

New Living Translation:



from the outside


The king was dead, time to follow up with general attack:


He planned the whole thing beforehand strategically. He knew the geography and likely observed the arrangements inside the court and chamber from previous tribute encounters.


Behind the scenes, everything was orchestrated by God.

Nice review. I knew I had read about going “down the latrine” somewhere. But I couldn’t find it when writing my other post about this. I thought I was hallucinating. Thanks!