Ehud

Ehud was a person from the Bible. He was a man who was known as a Judge or Deliverer. The history of Ehud exists in the book of Judges, which is in the History section of the Bible (after the Five Books of Moses). There are only nine verses in all of Scripture that have his name but he was still important. The first seven are in Judges and the other two are from 1st Chronicles. From our perspective he is like an ant amongst airplanes but for those Israelites who cried out for God's mercy in those days, Ehud was never to be forgotten.

Judges 3:15 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. Judges 3:16 But Ehud made him a dagger that had two edges, a cubit of length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh. Judges 3:17 And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man. Judges 3:18 And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present. Judges 3:19 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. Judges 3:20 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. Judges 3:21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly: Judges 3:22 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. Judges 3:23 Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them. Judges 3: 24 When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, "Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber". Judges 3:25 And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth. Judges 3:26 And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped into Seirath. Judges 3:27 And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mount of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them. And he said unto them, "Follow after me: fot the Lord hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand". And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over. Judges 3:29 And they slew of Moab as that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man. Judges 3:30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.

1st Chronicles 7:10 The sons of Jediael; Bilhan: and the sons of Bilhan; Jeush, and Benjamin, and Ehud , and Chenaanah, and Zethan, and Tharshish, and Ahishahar. 1st Chronicles 8:6 And these are the sons of Ehud : these are the heads of the father of the inhabitants of Geba, and they removed them to Manahath.

Thus concludes the immense history of Ehud the Benjamite. He was brave, he was a leader, he was never mentioned in the Proverbs or in the New Testament or in the books of Prophecy but Ehud was still an instrument for the Lord, as I hope to be. I am lefthanded too. But I doubt I will ever kill a fat tyrant and loose my sword in his stomach.