Discovery BoxJudges 3:9-15 
Context3:9 When the Israelites cried out for help to the Lord, he 1 raised up a deliverer for the Israelites who rescued 2 them. His name was Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. 3 3:10 The Lord’s spirit empowered him 4 and he led Israel. When he went to do battle, the Lord handed over to him King Cushan-Rishathaim of Aram and he overpowered him. 5 3:11 The land had rest for forty years; then Othniel son of Kenaz died.
3:12 The Israelites again did evil in the Lord’s sight. 6 The Lord gave King Eglon of Moab control over Israel 7 because they had done evil in the Lord’s sight. 3:13 Eglon formed alliances with 8 the Ammonites and Amalekites. He came and defeated Israel, and they seized the City of Date Palm Trees. 3:14 The Israelites were subject to 9 King Eglon of Moab for eighteen years.
3:15 When the Israelites cried out for help to the Lord, he 10 raised up a deliverer for them. His name was Ehud son of Gera the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. 11 The Israelites sent him to King Eglon of Moab with their tribute payment. 12
1 tn Heb “the
2 tn Or “delivered.”
3 tn “Caleb’s younger brother” may refer to Othniel or to Kenaz (in which case Othniel is Caleb’s nephew).
4 tn Heb “was on him.”
5 tn Heb “his hand was strong against Cushan-Rishathaim.”
6 tn Heb “in the eyes of the
7 tn Heb “strengthened Eglon…against Israel.”
8 tn Heb “and he gathered to him.”
9 tn Or “the Israelites served Eglon.”
10 tn Heb “the
11 tn The phrase, which refers to Ehud, literally reads “bound/restricted in the right hand,” apparently a Hebrew idiom for a left-handed person. See Judg 20:16, where 700 Benjaminites are described in this way. Perhaps the Benjaminites purposely trained several of their young men to be left-handed warriors by restricting the use of the right hand from an early age so the left hand would become dominant. Left-handed men would have a distinct military advantage, especially when attacking city gates. See B. Halpern, “The Assassination of Eglon: The First Locked-Room Murder Mystery,” BRev 4 (1988): 35.
12 tn Heb “The Israelites sent by his hand an offering to Eglon, king of Moab.”
