Judges

Judges 3:16–22

¹⁶Now Ehud had made for himself a double-edged sword a cubit long.^c He strapped it to his right thigh under his cloak ¹⁷and brought the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was an obese man.

¹⁸After Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he ushered out those who had carried it. ¹⁹But upon reaching the idols near Gilgal, he himself turned back and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.”

“Silence,” said the king, and all his attendants left him.

²⁰Then Ehud approached him while he was sitting alone in the coolness of his upper room. “I have a word from God for you,” Ehud said, and the king rose from his seat.

²¹And Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled the sword from his right thigh, and plunged it into Eglon’s belly. ²²Even the handle sank in after the blade, and Eglon’s fat closed in over it, so that Ehud did not withdraw the sword from his belly. And Eglon’s bowels emptied.

Footnotes

c 3:16 A cubit is approximately 18 inches or 45.7 centimeters.

Read all of Judges 3

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Judges 3:16

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Now Ehud	אֵה֜וּד	’ê·hūḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H164 Ehud
had made	וַיַּעַשׂ֩	way·ya·‘aś	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
for himself	ל֨וֹ	lōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular
a double-edged	שְׁנֵ֥י	šə·nê	Number - masculine dual construct	H8147 two
sword	חֶ֗רֶב	ḥe·reḇ	Noun - feminine singular	H2719 sword
a cubit	גֹּ֣מֶד	gō·meḏ	Noun - masculine singular	H1574 cubit
long	אָרְכָּ֑הּ	’ā·rə·kāh	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine singular	H753 length
He strapped	וַיַּחְגֹּ֤ר	way·yaḥ·gōr	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H2296 gird, gird on, gird oneself
it to	עַ֖ל	‘al	Preposition	H5921 height
his right	יְמִינֽוֹ׃	yə·mî·nōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3225 right hand
thigh	יֶ֥רֶךְ	ye·reḵ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H3409 thigh, loin, side, base
under	מִתַּ֣חַת	mit·ta·ḥaṯ	Preposition-m	H8478 the under part
his cloak	לְמַדָּ֔יו	lə·mad·dāw	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H4055 measure

Judges 3:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
and brought	וַיַּקְרֵב֙	way·yaq·rêḇ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7126 come near, approach
the tribute	הַמִּנְחָ֔ה	ham·min·ḥāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H4503 gift, tribute, offering
to Eglon	לְעֶגְל֖וֹן	lə·‘eḡ·lō·wn	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H5700 Eglon
king	מֶ֣לֶךְ	me·leḵ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4428 king
of Moab	מוֹאָ֑ב	mō·w·’āḇ	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4124 Moab
who	וְעֶגְל֕וֹן	wə·‘eḡ·lō·wn	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H5700 Eglon
was an obese	מְאֹֽד׃	mə·’ōḏ	Adverb	H3966 muchness, force, abundance, exceedingly
man	אִ֥ישׁ	’îš	Noun - masculine singular	H376 man

Judges 3:18

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
After	כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר	ka·’ă·šer	Preposition-k; Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
Ehud had finished	כִּלָּ֔ה	kil·lāh	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H3615 be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent
presenting	לְהַקְרִ֖יב	lə·haq·rîḇ	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H7126 come near, approach
the tribute	הַמִּנְחָ֑ה	ham·min·ḥāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H4503 gift, tribute, offering
he ushered out	וַיְשַׁלַּח֙	way·šal·laḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7971 send
those	הָעָ֔ם	hā·‘ām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
who had carried	נֹשְׂאֵ֖י	nō·śə·’ê	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct	H5375 lift, take, carry
it	הַמִּנְחָֽה׃	ham·min·ḥāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H4503 gift, tribute, offering

Judges 3:19

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But upon reaching	מִן־	min-	Preposition	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
the idols	הַפְּסִילִים֙	hap·pə·sî·lîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H6456 id.
near	אֶת־	’eṯ-	Preposition	H854 with
Gilgal	הַגִּלְגָּ֔ל	hag·gil·gāl	Article; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1537 Gilgal
he himself	וְה֣וּא	wə·hū	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
turned back	שָׁ֗ב	šāḇ	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7725 turn back, return
and said	וַיֹּ֕אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
I have a secret	סֵ֥תֶר	sê·ṯer	Noun - masculine singular	H5643 covering, hiding-place, secrecy
message	דְּבַר־	də·ḇar-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1697 speech, word
for you	אֵלֶ֖יךָ	’ê·le·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular	H413 motion to
O king	הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ	ham·me·leḵ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4428 king
Silence	הָ֔ס	hās	Interjection	H2013 hush
said the king	וַיֹּ֣אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
and all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
his attendants	הָעֹמְדִ֖ים	hā·‘ō·mə·ḏîm	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H5975 take one's stand, stand
left him	וַיֵּֽצְאוּ֙	way·yê·ṣə·’ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3318 go or come out

Judges 3:20

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then Ehud	וְאֵה֣וּד׀	wə·’ê·hūḏ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H164 Ehud
approached him	בָּ֣א	bā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
while he	וְהֽוּא־	wə·hū-	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
was sitting	יֹ֠שֵׁב	yō·šêḇ	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H3427 sit, remain, dwell
alone	לְבַדּ֔וֹ	lə·ḇad·dōw	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H905 separation
in the coolness of	הַמְּקֵרָ֤ה	ham·mə·qê·rāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H4747 coolness
his upper room	בַּעֲלִיַּ֨ת	ba·‘ă·lî·yaṯ	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct	H5944 roof-chamber
I have a word	דְּבַר־	də·ḇar-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1697 speech, word
from God	אֱלֹהִ֥ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
for you	אֵלֶ֑יךָ	’ê·le·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular	H413 motion to
Ehud	אֵה֔וּד	’ê·hūḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H164 Ehud
said	וַיֹּ֣אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
and the king rose	וַיָּ֖קָם	way·yā·qām	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6965 arise, stand up, stand
from	מֵעַ֥ל	mê·‘al	Preposition-m	H5921 height
seat	הַכִּסֵּֽא׃	hak·kis·sê	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3678 seat

Judges 3:21

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And Ehud	אֵהוּד֙	’ê·hūḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H164 Ehud
reached	וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח	way·yiš·laḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7971 send
with his left	שְׂמֹאל֔וֹ	śə·mō·lōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H8040 the left
hand	יַ֣ד	yaḏ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H3027 hand
pulled	וַיִּקַּח֙	way·yiq·qaḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3947 take
the sword	הַחֶ֔רֶב	ha·ḥe·reḇ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H2719 sword
from	מֵעַ֖ל	mê·‘al	Preposition-m	H5921 height
his right	יְמִינ֑וֹ	yə·mî·nōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3225 right hand
thigh	יֶ֣רֶךְ	ye·reḵ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H3409 thigh, loin, side, base
and plunged	וַיִּתְקָעֶ֖הָ	way·yiṯ·qā·‘e·hā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H8628 thrust, clap, give a blow, blast
it into Eglon’s belly	בְּבִטְנֽוֹ׃	bə·ḇiṭ·nōw	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H990 belly, body, womb

Judges 3:22

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Even	גַֽם־	ḡam-	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
the handle	הַנִּצָּ֜ב	han·niṣ·ṣāḇ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5325 haft
sank in	וַיָּבֹ֨א	way·yā·ḇō	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
after	אַחַ֣ר	’a·ḥar	Adverb	H310 behind
the blade	הַלַּ֗הַב	hal·la·haḇ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3851 flame, blade
and Eglon’s fat	הַחֵ֙לֶב֙	ha·ḥê·leḇ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H2459 fat
closed in	וַיִּסְגֹּ֤ר	way·yis·gōr	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5462 shut, close
over	בְּעַ֣ד	bə·‘aḏ	Preposition	H1157 separation
it	הַלַּ֔הַב	hal·la·haḇ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3851 flame, blade
so that	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
Ehud did not	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
withdraw	שָׁלַ֛ף	šā·lap̄	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H8025 draw out, off
the sword	הַחֶ֖רֶב	ha·ḥe·reḇ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H2719 sword
from his belly	מִבִּטְנ֑וֹ	mib·biṭ·nōw	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H990 belly, body, womb
And Eglon’s bowels	הַֽפַּרְשְׁדֹֽנָה׃	hap·par·šə·ḏō·nāh	Article; Noun - masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H6574 crotch
emptied	וַיֵּצֵ֖א	way·yê·ṣê	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3318 go or come out

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Judges 3:16 Revelation 2:12 · Psalm 45:3 · Hebrews 4:12

Judges 3:17 Job 15:27 · Ezekiel 34:20 · Judges 3:29 · Jeremiah 5:28 · Jeremiah 50:11 · Psalm 73:19

Judges 3:19 Joshua 4:20

Judges 3:20 Jeremiah 10:7 · Amos 3:15

Judges 3:21 1 Samuel 15:33

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.