Ehud
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Template:Book of Judges Ehud Ben Gera (אֵהוּד "Union", Standard Hebrew Ehud, Tiberian Hebrew ʼĒhûḏ), in the biblical Book of Judges (3:12-4:1) was the judge who fought against the Moabites, which were ruled by King Eglon. Ehud had made a short double edged sword about a foot and a half long useful for a stabbing thrust. He then hid the sword by strapping it to his right thigh under his clothing and met the king under the pretenses of giving him tribute. Being left-handed, he could conceal the sword on the side where it was not expected. Ehud then tricked Eglon by saying he had a secret message intended for the king. Eglon sent all of his attendants away and Ehud drew his sword and stabbed the king, who we are told is so fat that even the handle of the blade sank in. Ehud locked the doors to the king's chamber and left, leading to a very humorous scene. Eglon's assistants came back to check on the king but when they found the doors locked they assumed the king was relieving himself. They "waited to the point of embarressment" until they finally unlocked the door and went in, where they found their king dead. Ehud escaped during this time and made it to the town of Seriah. He then led the tribe of Ephraim to seize the fords of the Jordan, where they killed about 10,000 Moabite soldiers.
Ehud can be looked at as the opposite of the later judge Samson. He was just a normal man who purely by his own wits killed the king of Moab.
| Preceded by: Othniel | Judges of Israel | Succeeded by: Shamgar |