אִטֵּר (it.ter)
it.ter
lefthanded
H:AQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:A
Word Overview
The Hebrew adjective itter describes someone who is left-handed, literally meaning "bound" or "impeded" in relation to the right side. In the ancient Near East, where the right hand was associated with strength and normalcy, this term marked a physical distinction that set individuals apart.
This word appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, both times in the book of Judges. It is used to identify the Benjamite judge Ehud, whose left-handedness allowed him to conceal a sword on his right thigh—a detail crucial to his unexpected victory over the Moabite king Eglon (Judges 3:15-21).
The lexical sources note that itter implies being shut up or bound, reflecting a cultural perception of left-handedness as an impediment rather than a neutral trait. By highlighting Ehud’s physical difference, the text underscores how God often uses unconventional means to deliver His people.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word itter, meaning left-handed, appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible. In Judges 3:15, it describes Ehud, a judge of Israel whose physical trait became the key to his mission. Because he was left-handed, he could hide a sword on his right side, where guards would not expect to search. This detail shows how God uses unexpected tools to bring about deliverance.
In Judges 20:16, the term identifies seven hundred elite Benjamite slingers who were left-handed. Their skill was so precise they could hit a hair without missing. This passage highlights that physical differences are not weaknesses but distinct strengths given by God for specific purposes.
For your faith, this word reminds us that our perceived limitations or unique traits can be used by God in ways we might not anticipate. Instead of seeing difference as a hindrance, we can trust that God equips His people with exactly what is needed for the task He has set before them.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- impeded2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- אִטֵּ֖ר2×
Key Verses
-
Judges 3:15
But when the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a savior for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.
This verse identifies Ehud as left-handed, a physical trait that allowed him to conceal his sword on his right thigh and successfully assassinate King Eglon.
-
Judges 20:16
Among all these soldiers there were seven hundred chosen men who were left-handed. Every one of them could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.
Here the term describes seven hundred chosen Benjamite warriors whose left-handedness contributed to their exceptional accuracy with the sling.