Judges 3:13-18

Judges 3:13

And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.

King Eglon was strengthened by the Lord who helped Eglon gather to himself the Ammonites and the Amalekites to fight against Israel and resulted in conquering them.  Deuteronomy 34:3 (KJV)   And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar.  Jericho was called “the city of palm trees” but the city of Jericho was destroyed by Joshua, so at this point it was probably just a village which was left over from the actual destruction.  (Joshua 6)  The name “Jericho means “sweet smell” or “his moon.”

Judges 3:14

So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

King Eglon of the Moabites had the pleasure of having the Israelites under his authority for eighteen years.  They had previously served the King of Mesopotamia for eight years but here they served ten years longer because of their reversion back into idolatry after God heard them and brought them out of captivity.

Judges 3:15

But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.

The Israelites had begun to cry out to the Lord in their captivity.  The word “cry” carries with it the meaning of “shriek or call out.”  Then the Lord had heard their cries and sent another deliverer to bring them out of bondage.  This time it was a Benjamite named Ehud, his name means “he who praises.”  The tribe of Benjamin had been known for training left handed warriors.  Judges 20:15-16 (KJV)   And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men.  {16} Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not miss.  Here they were setting up King Eglon by sending a gift to him courtesy of the children of Israel, which was probably the tribute.

Judges 3:16

But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh.

Ehud had made himself a dagger which would have been about 18 inches in length (46 cm) having two sharp edges.  Because of the length of this dagger which as about the size of a short sword, he had to attach it to his thigh so he had the room to be able to carry it.  He would have been wearing some type of military clothing which would have reached to the floor giving him full concealment of the weapon.

Judges 3:17

And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man.

The present he brought in to the king was probably part of the tribute which a conquered nation would pay to the victor.  So maybe they wanted to make it look like Eglon was being presented personally with the tribute money.  This verse also gives a description of the physical state of the King, that he was a very fat man.  He was probably one who feasted much and did little exercise thus putting on the pounds.

Judges 3:18

And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present.