The book of Judges introduces us to some unexpected heroes… men and women raised up by God to deliver His people in times of deep spiritual and political decay. Among them stands a man named Ehud, a left-handed Benjamite, who delivered Israel from the oppressive hand of the Moabites through cunning, courage, and conviction. His account, though brief, is filled with spiritual insight and prophetic depth.
Ehud”s account in Judges 3 is not just a tale of assassination or warfare. It is an account about how God works through weakness, how He delivers in ways no one expects, and how He uses those who are overlooked. God raised up Ehud not despite his left-handedness, but because of it. What others saw as a disadvantage, God used as a weapon of deliverance.
The Oppression of Moab
“And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord strengthened Eglon king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord” (Judges 3:12).
The cycle of sin in Judges is familiar: rebellion, oppression, repentance, deliverance. Israel turned from the Lord, and in response, God strengthened Eglon of Moab. Eglon joined forces with the Ammonites and Amalekites, captured the city of palms (Jericho), and ruled over Israel for eighteen years.
This was not a random political shift. It was divine judgment. The Lord allowed Israel to be conquered to bring them to repentance. He always disciplines with purpose.
“But when the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man” (Judges 3:15).
Ehud the Left-Handed Man
Ehud was from the tribe of Benjamin, whose name means “son of the right hand.” Yet Ehud was left-handed. This detail is not trivial. In ancient cultures, the right hand was a symbol of strength and authority. The left hand was considered weaker, even dishonorable.
But the text implies more than personal trait. The Hebrew literally suggests that Ehud”s right hand was either restricted or unusable… he was bound to use his left. What you might call a disability, God called a strategy. The Lord delights in using what the world sees as weak to accomplish His power. aul wrote,
“God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and… the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty” (1 Corinthians 1:27).
Ehud was sent to deliver tribute to King Eglon. But before leaving, he made himself a double-edged dagger and strapped it to his right thigh. Most warriors would carry a weapon on the left side, to draw with the right hand. Ehud”s concealed weapon would not be expected.
The Assassination of Eglon
“Now Ehud came to him while he was sitting upstairs in his cool private chamber. Then Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” So he arose from his seat. Then Ehud reached with his left hand, took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly” (Judges 3:20–21).
Eglon was caught off guard. His guards had left the room. Ehud”s approach was not expected. The dagger sank so deep into the king”s fat that the handle followed the blade. Ehud left the weapon in him and locked the doors behind him.
This moment is graphic, but it is not recorded for shock. It shows the complete judgment of God against the oppressor of His people. The hidden dagger, the silent chamber, the sudden strike… it was precise, calculated, and divinely timed.
The Escape and the Battle
Ehud escaped through the porch, passed beyond the stone images, and returned to Israel. When he arrived, he blew the trumpet in the mountains of Ephraim and rallied the Israelites.
“Follow me, for the Lord has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand” (Judges 3:28).
Israel followed him. They seized the fords of the Jordan, cutting off Moab”s retreat. They struck down about ten thousand Moabite men. None escaped.
“So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest for eighty years” (Judges 3:30).
This was not just military victory. It was divine deliverance. The Lord used a left-handed man with a hidden dagger to break the yoke of bondage. What began with personal risk turned into national liberation.
Spiritual Lessons from Ehud”s Life
This account from Ehud’s life is rich in spiritual application. God is speaking through every detail, if we have ears to hear.
God Uses the Unexpected
Ehud was not the obvious choice. He did not fit the image of a deliverer. He was left-handed, perhaps disabled. But God delights in raising up the unexpected. Moses did not speak well. Gideon was afraid. David was a shepherd boy. Paul had a thorn in the flesh.
God looks at the heart. He uses the vessel that is yielded. Do not despise what seems like a weakness. If surrendered to God, it becomes a weapon in His hand.
Deliverance Requires Courage
Ehud risked everything. He walked into the chamber of the enemy king with only a hidden dagger and the hand of God. True deliverance always involves courage. Whether it is confronting sin, leading a family, or standing for truth, you must act in faith. Hebrews 11:34 says the heroes of faith “out of weakness were made strong.”
Ehud believed God. And he moved in obedience, even when it was dangerous.
God Delivers When His People Cry Out
The pattern of Judges is consistent. Sin brings bondage. Bondage brings sorrow. Sorrow brings repentance. Repentance brings deliverance.
Psalm 34:17 says, “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.” God is still the Deliverer. He hears. He responds. He raises up help in unlikely ways.
The Dagger Was Double-Edged
Ehud”s dagger was not just a weapon, it was a picture. Hebrews 4:12 says,
“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.”
God”s Word exposes, divides, judges, and delivers. It pierces where no physical blade can reach.
We are not called to assassinate kings, but we are called to destroy spiritual strongholds. The Word of God is our weapon. It is concealed in our hearts. It is drawn in moments of battle. And when used rightly, it brings down the enemies of truth.
Private Obedience Leads to Public Victory
Ehud”s private act in the chamber of the king led to national freedom. Sometimes your obedience in secret is what paves the way for public breakthrough. What you do when no one is watching matters. Holiness in the hidden places prepares you for effectiveness in the open. Jesus said,
“But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place” (Matthew 6:6).
Deliverance begins in the secret place.
My Final Thoughts
Ehud was not perfect. But he was available. He was not what Israel expected. But he was who God had chosen to use. And because he trusted the Lord, he became a vessel of deliverance for an entire nation.
Your weaknesses do not disqualify you. Your obscurity does not make you unusable. If you will be faithful, if you will be courageous, if you will obey, God can use you to set others free.
In a world filled with oppression, compromise, and confusion, the Church needs people like Ehud. People who carry the hidden weapon of the Word. People who are not afraid to confront darkness. People who walk in boldness, humility, and faith. Let the enemy underestimate you. Let others overlook you. But let God fill you with His Spirit, and send you to deliver those in bondage.
And when He does, may the land have rest once again.
