Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 3:20
And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlor, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of [his] seat.
Probably Ehuds first message Jdg 3:19 had been delivered to the attendants, and by them carried to the king. Now Ehud is admitted to the kings presence, into the cool upper chamber.
I have a message from God unto thee – Ehud believed himself to be accomplishing the divine mandate, and so his words were true in a certain sense. But it was also a stratagem to cause the king to rise, that the thrust might be sure. (The king rose at once, in true Oriental respect for a divine message, or from fear, compare Jos 9:24.)
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 20. He was sitting in a summer parlour] Besides the platforms, says Dr. Shaw, which were upon the ancient houses of the East, and which are found there to this day, it is probable that heretofore, as well as at present, most of the great houses had a smaller one annexed, which seldom consisted of more than one or two rooms and a terrace. Others, built as they frequently are above the porch or gateway, have, if we except the ground-floor, all the conveniences belonging to the house, properly so called. There is a door of communication from them into the gallery of the house, kept open or shut at the discretion of the master of the house, besides another door which opens immediately from a privy stairs down into the porch or street, without giving the least disturbance to the house. In these back houses strangers are usually lodged and entertained; hither the men are wont to retire from the hurry and noise of their families, to be more at leisure for meditation or diversions; and they are often used for wardrobes and magazines. These the Arabs call oleah, which exactly answers to the Hebrew word aliyath found in this place; and without doubt such was the apartment in which Eglon received Ehud, by the privy stairs belonging to which he escaped, after having killed Eglon. The doors of the Eastern buildings are large, and their chambers spacious, conveniences well adapted to those hotter climates; but in the present passage something more seems to be meant; at least there are now other conveniences in the East to give coolness to particular rooms, which are very common. In Egypt the cooling their rooms is effected by openings at the top, which let in the fresh air. Mons. Maillet informs us that their halls are made very large and lofty, with a dome at the top, which towards the north has several open windows, so constructed as to throw the north wind down into the rooms; and by this means, though the country is excessively hot, they can make the coolness of those apartments so great, as often not to be borne without being wrapped in furs. Eglon’s was a chamber; and some contrivance to mitigate the heat of it was the more necessary, as he appears to have kept his court at Jericho, Jdg 3:13; Jdg 3:28, where the heat is so excessive as sometimes to prove fatal. See Harmer’s Observations.
I have a message from God unto thee] debar elohim li aleycha, a word of the gods to me, unto thee. It is very likely that the word elohim is used here to signify idols, or the pesilim mentioned above, Jdg 3:19. Ehud, having gone so far as this place of idolatry, might feign he had there been worshipping, and that the pesilim had inspired him with a message for the king; and this was the reason why the king commanded silence, why every man went out, and why he rose from his seat or throne, that he might receive it with the greater respect. This, being an idolater, he would not have done to any message coming from the God of Israel. I have a message from God unto thee is a popular text: many are fond of preaching from it. Now as no man should ever depart from the literal meaning of Scripture in his preaching, we may at once see the absurdity of taking such a text as this; for such preachers, to be consistent, should carry a two-edged dagger of a cubit length on their right thigh, and be ready to thrust it into the bowels of all those they address! This is certainly the literal meaning of the passage, and that it has no other meaning is an incontrovertible truth.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
They had divers houses and chambers, some for winter, others for summer. See Jer 36:22; Amo 3:15.
Which he had for himself alone; into which he used to retire himself from company; which is mentioned as the reason why his servants waited so long ere they went in to him, Jdg 3:25.
I have a message, to be delivered not in words, but by actions; Heb. a word, or thing, or business. So that there is no need to charge Ehud with a lie, as some do.
From God: this he saith to amuse him, by raising his expectation and wonder, to divert him from any apprehension of his danger, and to oblige him to rise out of his seat, which he knew he would do from the common practice of the heathens in their intercourses with God. And he designedly useth the name Elohim, which was common to the true God and false ones, and not Jehovah, which was peculiar to the true God, because Ehud not knowing whether the message came not from his own false god, he would more certainly rise, and thereby give Ehud more advantage for his blow; whereas he would possibly show his contempt of the God of Israel by sitting still to hear his message.
He arose out of his seat, in token of humble subjection and reverence to God; see Num 23:18; 2Ki 23:3; which condemns those Christians that behave themselves irreverently in the presence and service of the true God.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
20. a summer parlourHebrew,“chamber of cooling”one of those retired edifices whichOriental grandees usually have in their gardens, and in which theyrepose during the heat of the day.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Ehud came unto him,…. Somewhat nearer him than he was before; it seems probable that Eglon retired from the presence chamber, where he received company, into his summer parlour; which was smaller and more private, and in which he had used to be alone, as follows, and whither Ehud went in unto him, as he directed him:
and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone: into which he was wont to go and sit alone, for the sake of coolness and refreshment in the hot season of the year, which it seems it now was; a room this was, in which, as Kimchi and others observe, were many windows to let in air to cool and refresh; or it was in such a part of the palace that was cool, and sheltered from the heat of the sun; see Am 3:15;
and Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee; which was to kill him; and undoubtedly he was sent of God on this errand to him: whether it be rendered a “word” or “thing” from God, as it signifies both, it was true, and no lie; for it was the Lord that spoke to him by an impulse on his spirit, and the thing was from the Lord he was to do, for nothing less could have justified him in such an action; and therefore this instance can be no warrant for the assassination of princes; as Ehud did not this of himself, but of the Lord, so neither did he do it as a private man, but as a judge of Israel. Josephus c says, he told him that he had a dream at the order of God to declare unto him; but for this there is no warrant; however it seems pretty plain that his view in making mention of the name of God, and of Elohim, a name given to false gods as well as the true, rather than Jehovah, was to strike his mind with awe and reverence, and cause him to rise from his seat, that he might the better thrust him with his dagger; and it had the desired effect:
and he arose out of [his] seat; in reverence of God, from whom he expected to receive a message; this he did, though in his mind a blind ignorant idolater; in his body fat, corpulent, and unwieldy; and in his office a king, and a proud and tyrannical man. The above writer says, that, for joy at the dream he was to hear, he rose from his throne.
c Antiqu. l. 5. c. 4. sect. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(20) Ehud came unto him.The previous message had either been spoken at some distance, in a loud voice, or had been merely a message sent to the king by the attendants.
In a summer parlour.Literally, a parlour of cooling (comp. Amo. 3:15). The room is one of the kind known in the East as alijah (Greek, huperon; Mar. 14:15), the coolest part of an Eastern house. Obergemache der Khlung (De Wette). Sommer-laube (Luther). The expression reminds us that the scene of the incident is placed in the Ghrthe Jordan valley, which lies nearly a thousand feet below the level of the Mediterranean, and is probably the hottest district in the world. Eglon had retired into this room after the public reception of the present, and Ehud had anticipated this as part of his deeply-laid design.
Which he had for himself alone.Rather, in his solitude. The words merely mean (as in the LXX. and Vulg.) that he was sitting alone.
I have a message from God unto thee.Josephus makes him say that he had a dream to impart to Eglon, by command of God. The whole narrative implies that Ehud was, to some extent, an honoured person even among the Moabites. Probably he was reckoned as a prophet. In the East sacred claims are readily conceded, even to enemies. The Mohammedans received St. Francis of Assisi with entire respect.
He arose out of his seat.Probably out of reverence, to receive the Divine message, which would naturally be delivered in low and reverent tones. He rose from his throne (and came) near him (LXX.). Josephus says that he leaped out of his throne for joy of the dream. Thus Cimber pressed close upon Csar (Plut. Cs. 86), and Cleander upon Parmenio (Curt. 72, 27) (Cassel).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
20. Summer parlour Literally, a loft for cooling; an alijah, or upper chamber, which served both for retirement and coolness. “The alijah,” says Thomson, “is the most desirable part of the establishment, and is best fitted up, and is still given to guests who are to be treated with honour.” See note on 2Ki 4:10; 1Ki 17:19.
For himself alone For his own private comfort and refreshment. Eglon’s private room opened into a hall, and the hall had a porch. See on Jdg 3:22.
A message from God Literally, a word of God; a bitter irony to designate the deadly dagger. Every act and word of Ehud seems to have disarmed the king of all suspicion of danger.
He arose Out of reverence for God, whose ambassador he supposed stood before him. The upright posture of his victim was more favourable to the purpose of Ehud.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And Ehud came to him, and he was sitting by himself alone in his upper cooling parlour. And Ehud said, “I have a message from God to you.” And he arose from his seat.’
Ehud now approached him. He was sitting alone seeking to cool himself in his upper cooling parlour, which was presumably on the rooftop and designed to catch the wind. It would have had small windows in order to restrain the heat.
“And Ehud said, “I have a message from God to you.” And he arose from his seat.” Ehud was confident that he was acting in accordance with God’s will as a judge of Israel. Note that his message was from God not Yahweh. He was speaking to someone who believed in other gods, and he spoke accordingly. Eglon stood up. This was not quite what he had expected. He was probably alarmed, not because he feared attack but because he anticipated some awful divine warning.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jdg 3:20. In a summer parlour Beside the platforms which were upon the ancient houses of the East, and which are found there to this day, it is probable that heretofore, as well as at present, most of the great houses had a smaller one annexed, which seldom consisted of more than one or two rooms and a terrace; others, built as they frequently are over the porch or gateway, have, if we except the ground-floor, all the conveniences belonging to the house properly so called. There is a door of communication from them into the gallery of the house, kept open or shut at the discretion of the master of the family; besides another door, which opens immediately from a privy flight of stairs, down into the porch or street, without giving the least disturbance to the house. In these back houses strangers are usually lodged and entertained: hither the men are wont to retire from the hurry and noise of their families, to be more at leisure for meditation or diversions; and they are often used for wardrobes and magazines. The Arabs call these houses oleah, which exactly answers to the Hebrew word alyiah, found in this place; and, without doubt, such was the apartment wherein Eglon received Ehud; by the privy-stairs belonging to which he escaped, after he had avenged Israel upon the king of Moab. See Shaw’s Travels, p. 214.
The doctor further tells us, that the doors of the Eastern buildings are large, and their chambers spacious; conveniences, as he observes, very well adapted to these hotter climates: but in the present passage, something more seems to be meant; at least there are now other contrivances in the East to give coolness to particular rooms, which are very common; and though Eglon’s time is acknowledged to be of very remote antiquity, we are to remember, that he was a prince; and in the palaces of such as these, contrivances, no doubt, began. In Egypt, the cooling of their rooms is effected by openings at the top, which let in the fresh air. Maillet tells us, that their halls are made extremely large and lofty, with a dome at the top, which towards the north has several open windows, so constructed as to throw the north-wind down into the rooms; and by this means, though the country is excessively hot, they can make the coolness of these apartments such, as often not to be borne without being wrapped in furs. Egmont and Hayman speak of chambers cooled after this manner, as well as halls. Eglon’s was a chamber; and to contrive to mitigate the heat of it was the more necessary, as he appears to have kept his court at Jericho, (Judges 3:13, 28.) where the heat is so excessive as sometimes to have proved fatal. See Observations, p. 88.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
DISCOURSE: 263
EHUD AND EGLON
Jdg 3:20. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.
GOD frequently is pleased to make use of his enemies for the correction of his own people: but when he has accomplished by them the purposes of his grace, he then calls them also into judgment for the acts which they have performed. In executing his will they have no respect to him, but follow only the wicked inclinations of their own hearts; and therefore he recompenses them, not as obedient servants, but according to the real quality of their actions. Thus he dealt with Sennacherib, who was only gratifying his own ambition, whilst, as a sword in Jehovahs hand, he was inflicting punishment on Israel: and thus he dealt with Eglon also, whom he had raised up to power for the purpose of chastising his offending people. Yet there is something very remarkable in the way in which God requited the wickedness of Eglon, and in which he delivered his people out of his hand. The man whom God raised up as his instrument, was Ehud; who, by a stratagem, effected the death of Eglon.
We will briefly set before you,
I.
The conduct of Ehud
Eglon, king of Moab, having subdued Israel, himself resided in Canaan, in the city of Palm-trees: and Ehud was sent, as the representative of Israel, to offer to him their accustomed tribute. But Ehud, hoping for an opportunity to assassinate Eglon, took a dagger with him: and, after having presented the tribute and left the city with his attendants, went back alone to Eglon, pretending to have a secret errand to him. Eglon ordered all other persons to depart from his presence, and thus gave Ehud a good opportunity of accomplishing his design. Ehud availed himself of it with great success: being left-handed, he drew forth the dagger without any suspicion, and plunged it, even the haft together with the blade, into the belly of Eglon, who instantly fell down dead. Ehud then retired from the secret chamber where the transaction had taken place, and locked the doors after him, and went composedly away, as though nothing particular had happened; and thus effected his escape; and instantly stirred up Israel to cast off the yoke of Moab, before their enemies should have had time to concert their measures under another head.
Now to form a correct estimate of this action, we must consider it in two different points of view;
1.
As voluntarily undertaken
[In this view it was altogether indefensible. Treachery and murder can never be justified. Though Eglon was an usurper and a cruel oppressor, still the Israelites professed subjection to him; and Ehud went as their messenger, to present to Eglon their acknowledgments of that subjection. If he had chosen to cast off the yoke of Moab, he was at liberty to do so in a way of open warfare: but to become an assassin he had no right: nor could the end which he proposed, sanctify the means he used: the means were wrong; and he had no right to do evil that good might come.]
2.
As divinely commissioned
[No created power could have authorized Abraham to slay his son, or Israel to plunder Egypt, and extirpate the inhabitants of Canaan: nor could any human being have executed such things of his own mind, without contracting very heinous guilt. But God is not bound by the rules which he has imposed on us: he may act towards his creatures as he sees best, and may employ instruments in any way that he pleases: nor would even an angel contract defilement in executing any commission that God had given him. An angel slew in one night all the first-born in the land of Egypt; and on another occasion, a hundred and eighty-five thousand Assyrians: yet no one thinks of imputing guilt to him on that account:so Ehud, if appointed to the work by God, might innocently effect it in the way he did. Jehu was commissioned by God to dethrone Ahab, and destroy his family: and, though he was punished afterwards because he was not actuated by a becoming zeal for the glory of God, yet for the action itself he was rewarded even to the fourth generation. Precisely thus may Ehud at this moment be receiving a reward from God for that act of his, which, under other circumstances, would have been highly sinful. And there is reason to believe that he was directed by God in that action; since not only were his wisdom, courage, and success, beyond all that could have been expected in a merely human enterprise, but we are expressly told that God raised up this man to be the deliverer of his people [Note: ver. 15.].
We must not however imagine, that his conduct is to be followed as a precedent: for no man can dare to follow it, unless he have infallible evidence that he is called of God to do so: but, as no man can expect such a call at this time, no man can without the deepest criminality presume to imitate his example.]
Having thrown what light we can on the dubious conduct of Ehud, we proceed to suggest,
II.
Some reflections arising from it
Supposing Ehud to have been divinely commissioned, he might well say to Eglon, I have a message from God to thee. At all events his language leads us to observe,
1.
That God does send messages to mortal men
[The whole creation is delivering to us, as it were, a message from God, and conveying to us the knowledge of his perfections [Note: Rom 1:20; Psa 19:1-4.] Every providential dispensation also has some important lesson to communicate: the mercies of God declare his goodness to us, and invite us to repentance [Note: Rom 2:4.], and his judgments are intended to discover to us some truths which we did not previously discern: Hear ye the rod, saith the prophet, and Him that hath appointed it [Note: Mic 6:9.]. But it is in his word more especially that God comes down to commune with sinful man. His Gospel is so called from the very circumstance of its being a message of mercy, or, as the word means, good tidings from God to man: and ministers are ambassadors from him, sent to beseech you in his name to accept reconciliation with him through the death of his Son. Indeed this message contains the substance of all that we have to speak to you in Gods name; and from hence it is called by God himself, the ministry of reconciliation. Behold then this day we come unto you and say, We have a message from God to you! He sends us this day to invite you to come to him for all the blessings of salvation, and to receive them freely at his hands, without money, and without price [Note: Isa 55:1-3.]. ]
2.
That, by whomsoever his messages are delivered, we should attend to them with the profoundest reverence
[Though Eglon was a king, and Ehud an oppressed servant, yea, though Eglon was a heathen that did not worship the true God, yet, the very instant that Ehud announced that he had a message from God unto him, he rose up from his seat, that he might receive it with the greater reverence. And does not this idolatrous heathen reproach us, who, when Gods servants are delivering messages to us in his name, scarcely pay any attention to them, or perhaps fall asleep in the midst of them? Behold, how Israel listened to the reading of Gods word in the days of Nehemiah [Note: Neh 8:3; Neh 8:5-6.] that is the way in which we should read or hear the word of God at this time. We should not come to the house of God as critics, to sit in judgment; or as curious persons, to be entertained; but as sinners, to hear what the Lord God will say concerning us. Beautiful is the example of Cornelius and his family [Note: Act 10:33.]: they did not regard Peter as a man, but as a messenger from God: and in like manner should we also receive the word, not as the word of man, but, as it is in truth, the word of God [Note: 1Th 2:13.]. O that the spirit of Samuel were more visible in us [Note: 1Sa 3:10.], and that we sought instruction from the word, only in order to obey it [Note: Joh 9:36.]!]
3.
That we should ever be prepared for whatsoever message he may send
[Who can tell but that as his message to Eglon was a message of death, so he may send to us this day, saying, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die and not live. He needs not the aid of an assassin to take away our lives: there are millions of ways in which death may seize upon us. As for our security, the more secure we are in our own apprehension, the more likely are we to receive such a message from God [Note: 1Th 5:3.]. It was when the rich fool was looking forward to years of enjoyment, that God said to him, This night thy soul shall be required of thee: and it was when Job fondly expected he should die in his nest [Note: Job 29:18. See also Psa 30:6-7.], that God pulled down his nest, and despoiled him of all that he had. Let us not then promise ourselves an hours continuance even of life itself [Note: Pro 27:1.]: but be standing with our loins girt, and our lamps trimmed, that at whatever hour our Lord may come, he may find us watching ]
Application [Note: This may be more appropriate or more general: in the former case, a message may be delivered as from God himself to Oppressors, and the Oppressed; (to awe the one, as Isa 10:5-18 and encourage the other, as Isa 10:24-27.) in the latter case, an Address may be made to the Careless, the Backsliding, and the Faithful, with the prefatory Remark to each, I have a message from God to thee.]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
Jdg 3:20 And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of [his] seat.
Ver. 20. I have a message from God unto thee. ] Or, From the gods, for the word is plural; thy gods at Gilgal: but Elohim is commonly used for the true God. This message was his dagger. Not only the vocal admonitions of God, but also the real judgments are his errands to the world.
And he arose out of his seat.
a Bishop Hall.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
summer parlour. Cooling room. Occurs only here and Jdg 3:24.
message = word; put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject) for what is meant by it: here it is the “errand” of Jdg 3:19.
God = Elohim. App-4. The Creator to the creature; not Jehovah (the Covenant God) to His servant.
seat = throne.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
a summer parlour: Heb. a parlour of cooling, The aleeyah, or upper chamber, seems to have been of the same description as the oleah of the Arabs, but properly ventilated, described by Dr. Shaw, who says, that to most of their houses there is a smaller one annexed, which sometimes rises one story higher than the house; at other times, it consists of one or two rooms only, and a terrace; while others that are built, as they frequently are, over the porch or gateway, have, if we except the ground floor, which they want, all the conveniences that belong to the house itself. There is a door of communication from them into the gallery of the house; besides another, which opens immediately from a private staircase, down into the porch or street, without giving the least disturbance to the house. In these back houses strangers are usually lodged and entertained; and to them likewise the men are wont to retire from the noise and hurry of their families, to be more at leisure for mediation or diversions. Amo 3:15
I have: Jdg 3:19, 2Sa 12:1-15, 2Sa 24:12, Mic 6:9
he arose: Psa 29:1, Jer 10:7
Reciprocal: Num 23:18 – Rise up 2Ki 4:10 – a little chamber 1Ch 8:6 – Ehud Neh 8:5 – stood up
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jdg 3:20. He was sitting in a summer parlour Into which, it is probable, he used to retire from company; which is mentioned as the reason why his servants waited so long ere they went in to him, Jdg 3:25. I have a message from God unto thee To be delivered, not in words, but by actions. This was true if Ehud was stirred up to this, as it appears he was, by a divine influence. Ehud, however, expressed himself in this manner to remove from the king any apprehensions of danger; and likewise to oblige him to rise from his seat, which Ehud knew he would do, since such was the common practice of the heathen, when receiving, or expecting to receive, messages from the gods they worshipped. He designedly made use of the word Elohim, which was common both to the true God and the pagan deities; and not the Word Jehovah, which was peculiar to the true God; because thus Eglon, not knowing whether the message came not from his own false god, would have the greater inclination to rise, whereby Ehud would have an opportunity of directing his blow in the most advantageous manner: whereas he would possibly have shown his contempt of the God of Israel, by sitting still to hear his message. And he arose out of his seat In token of reverence to God. This is a remarkable instance of the ancient veneration men paid to whatsoever carried the name and authority of God in it, and it reproaches those who can now presume to behave themselves irreverently, even in the time and place of divine worship.