Judges 3:15 - But when the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a savior for them, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.
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What does "Judges 3:15" mean?
Judges 3:15 describes a recurring cycle in the book of Judges:
Israel sins: The Israelites stray from Yahweh (God) and do evil in his sight.
God punishes: As a consequence, God allows them to be oppressed by their enemies, in this case, the Moabites under King Eglon.
Israel repents: The Israelites, suffering under oppression, cry out to Yahweh for help.
God delivers: Yahweh, in his mercy, raises up a "savior" or "deliverer" (in Hebrew, moshia) to rescue them.
In this specific verse:
"But when the children of Israel cried to Yahweh..." This establishes the repentance/cry for help stage of the cycle. They are suffering under Moabite rule and turning to God for deliverance.
"...Yahweh raised up a savior for them, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite..." God responds to their cries by appointing Ehud as the deliverer. He is identified as coming from the tribe of Benjamin and being the son of Gera.
"...a left-handed man..." This detail is significant. Being left-handed would have been unusual in that society, and it becomes crucial later in the story (Judges 3:21-22) when Ehud uses his left-handedness to conceal his dagger and assassinate Eglon. It gives him an element of surprise, as guards wouldn't typically search the right side of a right-handed person for a weapon. Some scholars suggest that it may indicate he was disabled.
"The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab." This sets the stage for Ehud's plan. Tribute was a regular payment from the Israelites to the Moabites, signifying their subjugation. Ehud is entrusted with delivering this payment, giving him access to Eglon and allowing him to carry out his mission. He is using this opportunity to get close to the king under the guise of loyalty.
In essence, this verse explains that Ehud was chosen by God to save the Israelites from Moabite oppression. It highlights his unique characteristic (being left-handed) and describes the situation that allowed him to approach King Eglon. The verse sets up the subsequent events leading to Ehud's successful assassination of Eglon and the subsequent liberation of Israel. It is important to note that God uses unexpected people with unexpected skills to accomplish his purposes.
Judges 3:15 - But when the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a savior for them, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.
What does "Judges 3:15" mean?
Judges 3:15 describes a recurring cycle in the book of Judges:
Israel sins: The Israelites stray from Yahweh (God) and do evil in his sight.
God punishes: As a consequence, God allows them to be oppressed by their enemies, in this case, the Moabites under King Eglon.
Israel repents: The Israelites, suffering under oppression, cry out to Yahweh for help.
God delivers: Yahweh, in his mercy, raises up a "savior" or "deliverer" (in Hebrew, moshia) to rescue them.
In this specific verse:
"But when the children of Israel cried to Yahweh..." This establishes the repentance/cry for help stage of the cycle. They are suffering under Moabite rule and turning to God for deliverance.
"...Yahweh raised up a savior for them, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite..." God responds to their cries by appointing Ehud as the deliverer. He is identified as coming from the tribe of Benjamin and being the son of Gera.
"...a left-handed man..." This detail is significant. Being left-handed would have been unusual in that society, and it becomes crucial later in the story (Judges 3:21-22) when Ehud uses his left-handedness to conceal his dagger and assassinate Eglon. It gives him an element of surprise, as guards wouldn't typically search the right side of a right-handed person for a weapon. Some scholars suggest that it may indicate he was disabled.
"The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab." This sets the stage for Ehud's plan. Tribute was a regular payment from the Israelites to the Moabites, signifying their subjugation. Ehud is entrusted with delivering this payment, giving him access to Eglon and allowing him to carry out his mission. He is using this opportunity to get close to the king under the guise of loyalty.
In essence, this verse explains that Ehud was chosen by God to save the Israelites from Moabite oppression. It highlights his unique characteristic (being left-handed) and describes the situation that allowed him to approach King Eglon. The verse sets up the subsequent events leading to Ehud's successful assassination of Eglon and the subsequent liberation of Israel. It is important to note that God uses unexpected people with unexpected skills to accomplish his purposes.