EHUD - AN UNLIKELY JUDGE - PART 2 (Judges 3:12-30)
INTRODUCTION:
Two Sundays ago, we began looking at the judge that followed Othniel. As I stated then, Othniel was a model judge to deliver Israel, it was easy to understand why he had been chosen by God. Two weeks ago, we met Ehud, the Benjamite, a left-handed man, the man God chose to deliver Israel from Eglon, the king of Moab who had oppressed Israel for 18 years. From a human stand-point Ehud was an unlikely choice for a judge of Israel, he was from the wrong tribe, and he would not be seen as a mighty warrior because of his left-handedness. Even though God had raised him up to be a deliverer for Israel, the people of Israel chose him to be the deliverer of the tribute that they were required to pay to Eglon, king of Moab. It is when Ehud is named the tribute bearer that we begin to see what kind of man he is. Ehud sees this role of tribute bearer as an opportunity, and he makes plans of his own devising to assassinate the king of Moab and free Israel from their oppressor. He makes a double-edged sword about 18 inches longs and straps to his right thigh under his cloak, concealing it until just the right time when he will draw it with his left hand and kill the king. As I said last week, even though God raised Ehud up as Israel’s deliverer we find God strangely absent from the end of verse 15-27. We are never told that the Spirit of the LORD was upon Ehud or that the LORD gave Eglon into the hand of Ehud. It is not even clear if Ehud knew that he had been raised up as Israel’s deliverer, instead, he makes his own plans for doing away with Eglon. Let’s see how the rest of this history unfolds, as we do, we will see the author weave some humor into the rest of this event, but it is a disturbing and uncomfortable type of humor. We want to laugh or chuckle, but we feel uncomfortable doing so. Let’s pray and get back into this passage.
--PRAY--
SCRIPTURE:
Turn in your Bibles again this morning to Judges 3:12-30. We left off at verse 16 last time, so we will begin in verse 17 this week but I will read the whole passage to refresh our memories and to pick up the context. Please stand if you are able in honor of the reading of God’s Word. Follow along as I read.
Judges 3:12-30,
“Now the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord. And he gathered to himself the sons of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and defeated Israel, and they possessed the city of the palm trees. The sons of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. But when the sons of Israel cried to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for them, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. And the sons of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab. Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length, and he bound it on his right thigh under his cloak. He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man. It came about when he had finished presenting the tribute, that he sent away the people who had carried the tribute. But he himself turned back from the idols which were at Gilgal, and said, ‘I have a secret message for you, O king.’ And he said, ‘Keep silence.’ And all who attended him left him. Ehud came to him while he was sitting alone in his cool roof chamber. And Ehud said, ‘I have a message from God for you.’ And he arose from his seat. Ehud stretched out his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh and thrust it into his belly. The handle also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not draw the sword out of his belly; and the refuse came out. Then Ehud went out into the vestibule and shut the doors of the roof chamber behind him, and locked them. When he had gone out, his servants came and looked, and behold, the doors of the roof chamber were locked; and they said, ‘He is only relieving himself in the cool room.’ They waited until they became anxious; but behold, he did not open the doors of the roof chamber. Therefore they took the key and opened them, and behold, their master had fallen to the floor dead. Now Ehud escaped while they were delaying, and he passed by the idols and escaped to Seirah. It came about when he had arrived, that he blew the trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he was in front of them. He said to them, ‘Pursue them, for the Lord has given your enemies the Moabites into your hands.’ So they went down after him and seized the fords of the Jordan opposite Moab, and did not allow anyone to cross. They struck down at that time about ten thousand Moabites, all robust and valiant men; and no one escaped. So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land was undisturbed for eighty years.” (Judges 3:12–30, NASB95)[1]
LAUGHABLE MOMENTS (Judges 3:17-29)
A FATTENED CALF (Judges 3:17)
As the author continues to recount the judgeship of Ehud, he interjects several phrases that his Jewish readers would have at least chuckled about if not outright laughed about. At first, in verse 17 we find Ehud doing the very thing he was chosen to do. The author writes, “He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab.” (Judges 3:17a, NASB95)[2] But then the story begins to change, and the author describes Eglon for us and in a way that is quite unusual for Biblical literature, he speaks of Eglon’s bulk. The author writes in the second half of verse 17, “Now Eglon was a very fat man.” (Judges 3:17b, NASB95)[3] We live in a culture and society in which slimness is valued as a sign of fitness, beauty, and self-discipline, and obesity is frowned upon even though it is a huge problem in America. For us this statement is immediately seen as a negative comment about Eglon. However, it is not easy to know how we are to take this statement. In many parts of the world fatness is not generally regarded as something negative. When I lived in Haiti as a missionary, I lived near a gas station and the Haitian man that owned it was fat, but this was not a negative thing, instead it was a status symbol meaning he was wealthy enough to eat well. This was also true in Israel, fatness was not negative, but more often than not was seen as a sign of prosperity and good fortune. This word can even have the idea of being healthy, but in this statement about Eglon he is described as “very fat.” This seems to indicate that he was excessively fat, it was no longer about health, in short, he ate too much. The best clue that we have to how we are to view this statement comes from the meaning of Eglon’s name, which is “calf”, or “young bull” coupled with the type of tribute that was brought to him by the Israelites. Since Israel’s economy was agricultural at this time and the specific term used for tribute is a word that also can be translated “a grain offering” implies that the tribute brought by Ehud and those before him for the past 18 years was agricultural produce, in other words, food. Why is this significant? Because it means that Eglon had been fattening himself on the produce that he exhorted from Israel and without knowing it had turned himself into a fattened calf ripe for slaughter! The author’s Jewish readers would have caught all of this as they read, understanding what Eglon’s name meant. The author basically says, “The calf was very fat.” In other words, ready to be slaughtered. Any Jewish person would be chuckling a little bit at this point knowing what is coming.
A GULLIBLE KING (Judges 3:18-20)
As hoped and in accordance with his plan Ehud is allowed to present the tribute to Eglon in person, however he does not assassinate the king, he simply presents the tribute and leaves. Has he lost his courage? What is Ehud up to? This becomes clear in what he does next. On the road back there are some idols near Gilgal. Gilgal was not far from Jericho or as referred to here, the city of palm trees. This seems to be where Eglon is staying, it is also near the border of Moab which is just across the Jordan river. So, these carved objects could have acted as boundary markers as well as objects of worship. It is at this place that Ehud chooses to dismiss the porters, those who had carried the tribute and helped him deliver it, but he himself turns back and returns a second time for a second meeting with king Eglon. He is hoping that he will be allowed back in for a second audience with the king, and if he is allowed to see the king again this plan of his has a number of advantages. His first visit to king Eglon falsely assured the king that he had nothing to fear from Ehud, he had simply come and delivered the tribute. Second, if the porters were unaware of his plan, which the text seems to imply, then their presence could complicate his plan. By dismissing them to return home and returning alone he removed that danger and removed them from any danger that they might have been in if they stayed. Finally, since his plan required him to act quickly and by surprise and escape quickly, acting alone was preferable.
When he arrives back, king Eglon receives him again without any question. It is possible that those delivering the tribute had been watched as they left, and the king is curious why Ehud has turned back and why did he turn back where he did, at the place of the idols. If this is the case, Ehud uses this curiosity to his advantage and builds on it. It is here that the deception and deviousness of this plot is revealed. His words to Eglon are, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” (Judges 3:19a, NASB95)[4] This word message can be translated as a “word” or as a “thing.” Eglon is curious and intrigued by what Ehud has for him, especially by the addition of the word “secret.” Possibly he thinks that Ehud has received a message from the idols, the gods and that is why he has returned. Possibly he is bringing the king information concerning the Israelites. Whatever he is bringing it is secret and not just for the ears of anyone. The king commands, “Silence!” which his attendants take as a dismissal and leave the king alone with Ehud. This is more than Ehud could have hoped for, a personal audience with the king, he has Eglon exactly where he wants him, alone and completely oblivious to the danger he is in. Before
Ehud carries out the assassination we are given a few more details to increase our satisfaction of Eglon’s plight. We are told that Eglon is sitting alone in his cool roof chamber. He is completely at ease in a room that was purposely built on his roof to catch the afternoon breezes to cool himself on hot summer days. He even has a private bathroom attached for his comfort and convenience. Eglon is a true tyrant, he is smug, self-satisfied, enjoying what God had strengthened his hand to receive and he is confident that no one can touch him. But he is about to find out how wrong he is, although it will be too late.
Ehud moves toward the king and says he has a message from God for the king. Now understand that at this time everyone was religious, and kings regularly consulted the gods for guidance in matters of state. If Ehud had an oracle for the king, then Eglon cannot afford to ignore him. He knows that Ehud has turned back from a religious place of significance, so he has added reason to take Ehud seriously. The king stands up to receive this message showing that he has been taken in completely by Ehud’s clever words. By standing he positions his huge belly perfectly as a target for Ehud’s strike. Eglon is a gullible fool, he has fallen right into Ehud’s hands, and he is about to become a dead gullible fool. What takes place next happens quickly, the author uses two verses to describe everything he has been building towards. Ehud’s left hand reaches under his cloak, draws the sword, and plunges it into the belly of Eglon which is so huge it swallows the sword so completely that Ehud does not draw it out. All that comes out is refuse or dung. Eglon is finished, but this event is not yet. The author and Ehud have more fun to make of him yet.
EMBARRASSED SERVANTS (Judges 3:23-25)
Ehud now quickly makes his escape, going out through the doors of the cool room he closes them and locks them. This is the crowning detail of Ehud as a master of deception. He concealed his plan from his fellow Israelites, he hid his sword on his body, he used clever words to hide the real nature of his message for the king, and now he hides the dead king in his private room. If nothing else this gives Ehud some time to escape. The servants return to attend to the king, but they find the door to his private cool room locked. Is the king sleeping? Or maybe he is relieving himself, this thought may have been prompted by the smell beginning to come from the room. So, they wait for him to finish and unlock the doors for them. They try to relax; they try to be patient. They continue to wait and yet the king does not open the door, they begin to get anxious and wonder if something has happened to the king. Finally, they can wait no longer, and they get a key and open the door, rushing in they see what confirms their worst fears, the king lies fallen on the floor dead. For Eglon’s servants this is a complete disaster. They shared the king’s life, now they share his humiliation. Like him they have been made to look like complete fools, and without him they too are nothing.
PORTLY SOLDIERS (Judges 3:26-29)
While all this has transpired Ehud has made his escape. He passes the idols again and goes to Seirah. This is an unknown place in the hill country of Ephraim, once Ehud reaches this place, he blows his trumpet. By going into the territory of Ephraim, Ehud has positioned himself outside the relatively small allotment of his own tribe, Benjamin. By going to the highest and most central point in the whole region, he makes clear that his trumpet blast is a rallying call to all Israel. This is the first indication and a very public presentation of himself as Israel’s deliverer. He may have known this from the time God raised him up, but it was important for him to appear to be nothing more than the tribute-bearer until he had struck the decisive blow. Now was the time to go public and he did so with the trumpet blast. Word must have spread quickly because soon he was leading an army of the sons of Israel. As the event unfolds, from the central hills toward the Jordan Valley, they could see that the Moabites were already fleeing from the Israelite territory. Ehud sees this as confirmation that the LORD has given the enemy into Israel’s hand, and he spurs them on by telling them. Ammon and Amalek, Moab’s allies are nowhere to be seen. This is one more indication of the hopeless position that the Moabites now find themselves in. The Israelites cut them off at the fords of the Jordan, the only crossing point that gave them any hope of escape, they slaughter them all. Ten thousand Moabite soldiers are killed. It is either terrible or glorious depending on what side you are on.
The author took his time in describing the downfall of Eglon, now he tells the rest of the story in a compact, matter-of-fact way, except for one detail that is impossible to detect in our English translations. My Bible describes those Moabite soldiers who were killed as all robust and valiant men in verse 29. Both of these words can be read in more than one sense. Like the Hebrew word used to describe Eglon as fat, this word translated robust is a word that can be translated fat. It has the same possibilities as the word stout in English—either brave or large (overweight). The second word translated valiant means substantial in importance, strength, or just size. Like Eglon, his followers, his soldiers have prospered at Israel’s expense, and because they have it now works against them. They are too fat to run fast. In other words, while at one time they may have seemed strong and able-bodied, now in defeat they look merely obese and cumbersome. They have been humiliated and stripped of their dignity like their king and his bumbling servants had been. Eglon’s fall has foreshadowed and ensured the downfall of all of them. Ehud has made them all look laughable. He has brought down the oppressor, rid the land of his minions, and secured eighty years of rest for the people of Israel.
EXPOSING A TYRANT
No one was laughing at Eglon during his 18 years of tyranny over Israel. He was a commander of men. He was able to form an alliance of nations and unify and command them. He was a military leader who knew how to strategize and achieve victories. He knew how to make conquered people serve him and pay tribute. He knew how to get power and wield it to his advantage. He knew how to hold on to that power and enrich himself at the expense of those he ruled. He was a strong, ruthless leader, and Israel had been powerless to resist him. What he did not know was it was God who had strengthened his hand to do all that he did. As long as God strengthened his hand, he was strong, and so were his servants and his warriors. They were his agents and enforcers and there was nothing funny about them. They became laughable only when they were confronted with Ehud, the deliverer and judge that God had raised up. Then they began to look entirely different. They were exposed for the fools they were, there power was brought to an end so suddenly and completely that it was laughable. And as Eglon’s followers shared his downfall, Ehud’s followers shared his victory. They were like those, much later in the history of Israel, who saw God break the power of mighty Babylon and set His people free. The Psalmist proclaimed the response of the people in this way in Psalm 126:1-2, “When the Lord brought back the captive ones of Zion, We were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter And our tongue with joyful shouting; Then they said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’” (Psalm 126:1–2, NASB95)[5] Understand that this was not just cheap gloating over someone they had beaten. It was the laughter of sheer delight at something God had done. This history of Ehud rings with this same kind of laughter and joy.
CONCLUSION:
Laughter is not the normal emotional response of God’s people in the Bible. More often we are groaning and weeping, as we see Israel doing in the book of Judges. This is the normal experience of sinful people living in a fallen world. Our Scripture reading this morning spoke of the groaning of creation and the groaning of God’s children as we wait for our full adoption of sons, realized in the redemption of our bodies. But every now and then, laughter breaks through, as it does here in the history of the judge Ehud. It breaks through because we are suddenly shown things as God sees them instead of how we have become accustomed to see them. When we look at tyrants like Eglon we are terrified. They are evil, they do evil, and we seem powerless to resist them. They fill us with fear, anxiety, and despair. But these tyrants to God seem laughable. Psalm 2:1-4 says, “Why are the nations in an uproar And the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, ‘Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!’ He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them.” (Psalm 2:1–4, NASB95)[6] The Lord is not indifferent to the evil such people do or the suffering they cause and inflict. Otherwise, he would not judge them as this Psalm goes on to say. He laughs and scoffs at them because He knows their claims to be able to defy Him without worry of consequences, without fear of judgment are absurd. They are no match for His Anointed. His Anointed is the Lord Jesus Christ who was victorious over sin, Satan, and the evil powers of this world by His death and resurrection.
Ehud’s rest of 80 years is miniscule in comparison to the eternal rest given to us by the Lord Jesus. Ehud’s history is so different from the account of Christ’s victory that it may seem ridiculous to compare the two. Ehud’s character and methods are utterly unlike those of Jesus. Ehud was devious—Jesus was without guilt, without sin. Ehud was a man of violence—Jesus was a man of peace; those are just two examples of how they are different. But there are also some similarities between them. Both were deliverers raised up by God. Both were unlikely deliverers. Both faced the enemy alone and overcame him. Both were later revealed as victorious and summoned others to share in their victory. Both overcame and achieved rest for God’s people. Both in some sense made a spectacle of the evil powers. This was a major theme in the history of Ehud. Paul made this same point in relation to the victory of Christ when he wrote in Colossians 2:15, “When He [God] had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him [the Lord Jesus Christ].” (Colossians 2:15, NASB95)[7]
The main difference is the role that humor plays in the way Ehud’s victory is described, and especially the nature of that humor. It is coarse, and may embarrass us, but it should not do so. It is written this way because it is intended to make a powerful point. Like the famous fairytale by Hans Christian Anderson, The Emperor’s New Clothes, it encourages us to look with childlike simplicity and see the truth that everyone around us can’t or refuses to see: “The emperor has no clothes!” In other words, the portrayal of the apparently invincible are ridiculous. But in this case the humor has theological grounding. The tyrants of this world do have real power, they may be used by God to discipline His people, as Eglon was, but they do not have absolute power, and their days are numbered. Their assumption that they are invincible and will never be called to account for their actions is absurd, for it is God, not they, who rules the world and determines the fate of His people. The One who gave them power can and will end it when He chooses to do so. In fact, He has already exposed their hollow claims for what they are in the death and resurrection of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. “He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them.” (Psalm 2:4, NASB95)[8] By its humor the history of Ehud invites us to see the tyrants of this world as God sees them and join in the laughter of heaven. This is holy laughter and possibly the only thing that can keep us sane in our darkest days. We must receive it thankfully and rejoice that, however overwhelming evil may sometimes seem, we have something to laugh about because we know the end of God’s story.
[1]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[2]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[3]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[4]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[5]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[6]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[7]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[8]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.