Ehud

According to the Old Testament, after the first judge, Othniel, the Israelites once again did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. The Lord allowed King Eglon of Moab to become strong and oppress the Israelites. After eighteen years of serving King Eglon, the Israelites cried out to the Lord, and He raised up a deliverer for them: Ehud.

The name “Ehud” means “I will offer thanks; I will be praised.” Ehud was a Benjamite. The name “Benjamin” literally means “son of the right hand,” yet many in the tribe were left-handed, and Ehud was one of them. When the “sons of the right hand” were unwilling to obey God, He raised up a left-handed man to bring deliverance.

The Israelites sent Ehud to deliver tribute to King Eglon of Moab. Ehud had made a two-edged sword about a cubit long and strapped it to his right thigh, hidden beneath his clothes. Eglon was extremely fat. After Ehud had presented the tribute, he said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” The king ordered his attendants to leave, and he was alone, sitting in his cool upper room. Ehud then said, “I have a message from God for you.” As the king rose from his seat, Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh, and plunged it into the king’s belly. The handle of the sword, along with the blade, was swallowed by the king’s fat, and it came out his back. After Ehud left, the king’s servants later discovered their master dead on the floor.

Ehud then blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites followed him down from the hills. He led the way and told them, “The Lord has given your enemy the Moabites into your hands.” They followed him down, seized the fords of the Jordan River, and killed about ten thousand Moabite men. Moab was subdued by Israel, and the land had peace for eighty years.

The time of the Judges was an era without law and order, so it’s not surprising to read about these political assassinations. The original Hebrew text describes this deliverer as having a “restricted right hand,” which may suggest that Ehud had a physical disability. It’s also possible that being left-handed was considered a defect in ancient times. Ehud’s right hand was not fully functional, but this very weakness became his advantage. God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and He chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. This is because God uses instruments not based on their own abilities but on His mighty power. Perhaps we have many personal defects, yet God can perfectly use them to accomplish His will!