Judges 3:16 Explained in Context

Verse 12. ¹² And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.

Verse 13. ¹³ And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.

Verse 14. ¹⁴ So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

Verse 15. ¹⁵ But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.

Verse 16. ¹⁶ But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh.

Verse 17. ¹⁷ And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man.

Verse 18. ¹⁸ And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present.

Verse 19. ¹⁹ But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.

Verse 20. ²⁰ And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.

Verse 21. ²¹ And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:

Verse 22. ²² And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out.

Verse 23. ²³ Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them.