Bible Commentary

And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over. 28. Follow after me ] lit. pursue after me; the slight correction of … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 3:28”

And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them. 27. when he was come ] If Se‘rah was meant, ‘thither’ should have been written. Some indication of the place … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 3:27”

And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath. 26. and passed beyond the quarries ] lit. he having passed the sculptured stones. The construction in Hebr. (a circumstantial clause dependent on the preceding) is harsh and awkward: it is accounted for if we may suppose that clause b … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 3:26”

And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlor; therefore they took a key, and opened [them]: and, behold, their lord [was] fallen down dead on the earth. 25. till they were ashamed ] Cf. 2Ki 2:17; 2Ki 8:11; an idiom expressive of surprise and perplexity. the … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 3:25”

When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlor [were] locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber. 24. his servants came ]. It is implied that Eglon’s servants saw Ehud go out by the usual way, for they evidently believe … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 3:24”

Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlor upon him, and locked them. 23. into the porch ] The rendering is a guess; the Hebr. word misdron, perhaps = ‘a row’ of pillars, must denote the part of the building to which Ehud went out when he left the … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 3:23”

And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out. 22. and it came out behind ] i.e. the sword; but this is hardly grammatical, for sword is fem. and came out … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 3:22”

And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly: 21-26. Ehud put forth his lefthandThe whole circumstance of this daring actthe death ofEglon without a shriek, or noisethe locking of the doorsthecarrying off the keythe calm, unhurried deportment of Ehudshowthe strength of his … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 3:21”

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 … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 3:20”

But he himself turned again from the quarries that [were] by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him. 19. the quarries ] Everywhere else (e.g. Isa 21:9; Mic 5:13 etc.), and in the margin of A. … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 3:19”