Judges 3:16 · Bible study
Judges 3:16 Commentary: Ehud's Hidden Sword
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Discover why Ehud strapped his double-edged sword to his right thigh, a clever use of his left-handedness to deliver Israel from Moab.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Ehud prepares a concealed weapon tailored to his left-handedness, using a short, double-edged sword worn on the right thigh to deliver Israel from Moabite oppression.
- Key words: cherev (sword), piyyot (edges, lit. “mouths”), gomed (cubit/span, of uncertain length), chagar (girded), yarekh yamin (right thigh).
- Main debate: The length of the sword (gomed: cubit vs. span) and how “left-handed” is interpreted (pure left-handedness vs. ambidexterity as in the Septuagint).
- Theological theme: God uses human weakness (here physical left-handedness) as an unexpected strength to accomplish deliverance.
- Best use: Illustrating God’s sovereign choice of unlikely deliverers, the importance of preparation, and the moral complexity of the Judges cycle.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Now Ehud had made for himself a double-edged sword a cubit long. He strapped it to his right thigh under his cloak
WEB World English Bible 2000
Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he wore it under his clothing on his right thigh.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And Ehud made him a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he girded it under his raiment upon his right thigh.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and Ehud maketh for himself a sword, and it hath two mouths (a cubit is its length), and he girdeth it under his long robe on his right thigh;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And Ehud made him a sword having two edges, it was of a cubit length; and he girded it under his raiment upon his right hip.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And he made himself a two-edged sword, with a haft in the midst of the length of the palm of the hand, and was girded therewith, under his garment, on the right thigh.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y Aod se había hecho un puñal de dos filos, de un codo de largo; y ciñósele debajo de sus vestidos á su lado derecho.
E Eúde se havia feito um punhal de dois fios, de um côvado de comprimento; e cingiu-se com ele debaixo de suas roupas à seu lado direito.
Éhud se fit une épée à deux tranchants, longue d’ une coudée, et il la ceignit sous ses vêtements, au côté droit.
machte sich Ehud ein zweischneidig Schwert, eine Elle lang, und gürtete es unter sein Kleid auf seine rechte Hüfte
En Ehud maakte zich een zwaard, dat twee scherpten had, welks lengte een el was; en hij gordde dat onder zijn klederen, aan zijn rechterheup.
Ehud si fece una spada a due tagli, lunga un cubito; e se la cinse sotto la veste, al fianco destro.
I uczynił sobie Aod miecz z obu stron ostry, na łokieć wzdłuż, i przypasał go pod szaty swe do prawego biodra swojego.
Аод сделал себе меч с двумя остриями, длиною в локоть, и припоясал его под плащом своим к правому бедру,
以笏 打了 一把兩 刃 的劍，長 一肘，帶 在 右 腿 上衣服 裡面。
So Ehud made himself a two-edged sword, a cubit long, which he put on at his right side under his robe.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Judges 3:16
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Ehud’s sword placement on his right thigh is the natural choice for a left-handed man. Adam Clarke, noting that Ehud was left-handed (v.15), explains that the sword ordinarily rides on the left side for a right-handed draw; on the right side it was both hidden and ready to the left hand. Barnes observes that this gave Ehud the appearance of being unarmed, a key part of his plan. The word translated “cubit” (gomed) is debated: Clarke and the Septuagint take it as a shorter measure (a span), making the weapon a concealable dagger rather than a full sword. Gill adds that the two edges (piyyot, literally “two mouths”) allowed the blow to cut both ways. The sword’s small size and unusual side thus served Ehud’s purpose: a hidden weapon, drawn with the stronger left hand, against an unsuspecting king.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Left-handedness as primary explanation: The Hebrew narrative in v.15 directly links Ehud's left-handedness to the right-thigh placement; multiple commentators (Clarke, Gill, JFB) affirm this as the plain sense.
- Ambidexterity (LXX/Vulgate): The Greek and Latin traditions interpret the term as ambidextrous, suggesting Ehud could fight equally with either hand, making him a more conventional warrior figure.
What is clear: Ehud deliberately placed his sword on his right thigh, a position that concealed the weapon and suited his physical makeup, and the Bible presents this as part of God's plan to deliver Israel.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose of right-thigh placement | Christians across traditions agree that Ehud wore the sword on his right thigh because he was left-handed, allowing him to draw it with his stronger hand and to appear unarmed. | Catholics and some Protestants (following LXX and Vulgate) have read left-handed as ambidextrous; most modern translations and commentaries follow the Hebrew sense of a restriction or weakness in the right hand. |
| Length of the sword (gomed) | All note the word is a hapax legomenon; the weapon was short enough to conceal. | The Septuagint and many early versions render it as a span (about 9 inches), while later interpreters (Keil, Delitzsch) and the KJV favor a cubit (about 18 inches). The difference affects whether it was a true sword or a long dagger. |
| Moral evaluation of the assassination | Historic Christian teaching recognizes Ehud as a deliverer raised by God and commends his courage and reliance on God’s calling. | Some traditions see the deception and killing as a divinely sanctioned act of holy war (just war theory); others struggle with the deceit and violence, reading the story as a descriptive account of a flawed period, not a prescriptive model. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The surrounding story places this verse in a time of Moabite domination. Eglon, king of Moab, had crossed the Jordan, seized Jericho (“the city of palm trees”), and pressed the Benjaminite region of Israel into servitude for eighteen years (vv.12-14). The tribute that Ehud carries (v.15) was a regular payment from the oppressed. Ehud, a Benjaminite, belonged to a tribe famous for left-handed warriors (Jdg.20:16). The Cambridge Bible notes that the narrative is one of the oldest in Judges, preserving the local character of the deliverance. The “stone idols” (pesilim) at Gilgal (v.19) may have been Moabite monuments, possibly placed in defiance of Israel’s heritage. In that culture, a sword on the left thigh was the normal display of readiness (Song 3:8). Ehud’s choice of the right thigh marked him as either unarmed or careless, exactly the impression he needed. Gill and JFB both underline that this placement, combined with the short sword, escaped detection.
Textual Notes
The Hebrew text of Judges 3:16 is stable across manuscripts. The main variant concerns the interpretation of “left-handed” in v.15: the LXX (Greek) translates it as amphoterodexion (ambidextrous) and the Vulgate as qui utraque manu pro dextera utebatur (who used either hand as the right). This interpretive shift likely arose to explain how a left-handed warrior could fight effectively. In verse 16 itself, the word gomed (“cubit”) has no variant, but its meaning was already unclear to the ancient translators, as shown by the LXX’s spithame (span).
Reception History
Early Christian writers such as Augustine read Ehud as a type of deliverer whose act prefigured Christ’s victory over the oppressor, though with caution about imitating the violence. Medieval exegetes often allegorized the two-edged sword as the word of God (Heb. 4:12). Reformation commentators (Geneva Bible, Matthew Henry) emphasized divine providence and the moral courage of a leader who acted alone. In modern scholarship, the left-handed motif has received focused attention: researchers note that Benjamin’s left-handed warriors were likely a tactical elite, and the sword’s placement on the right thigh is a mark of both cultural identity and strategic brilliance.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Preparation with purpose: Ehud made the sword (v.16). He did not borrow a weapon; he crafted one suited to his plan, a short, double-edged blade that could be hidden and used with one hand.
- Concealment by design: The right-thigh placement hid the sword in plain sight. Because it was where a left-handed man naturally wears it, it became invisible to a culture that looked for a weapon on the left.
- Deliverance through disadvantage: Ehud’s left-handedness, often seen as a weakness (the Hebrew says he was “impeded in his right hand”), becomes the very tool God uses to free His people.
Five-point outline
- Oppression remembered: Israel cried to God after eighteen years of servitude.
- Deliverer raised: God chose Ehud, a left-handed Benjaminite, an unlikely hero in any army.
- Weapon prepared: The two-edged sword, sized to be concealed.
- Strategy executed: A private audience, a secret message, a hidden blade on the right thigh.
- Rescue completed: One clean stroke brings freedom.
Illustration hooks
- A pocketknife that looks like a keychain. The concealment isn’t deception; it’s readiness that fits the moment.
- A coworker whose weakness (public speaking) turns into strength when she prepares a written report that changes the company’s direction.
- Gift wrapping a fragile item under layers of cloth, the hidden protection matches the vulnerability.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does the Bible approve of assassination or deception in this story? Many traditions see Ehud’s act as a just war by one man, a judgment on the oppressor, not a model for peacetime ethics.
- How could God use “left-handed” traits, things I see as weaknesses, in my life?
- Why are the details of the weapon (two edges, size, placement) given so much attention in Scripture?
Leading a Discussion
This verse is the hinge of the Ehud story: the weapon that will bring deliverance is prepared and hidden. The details of size, edge and placement are not merely technical, they reveal the care God takes in equipping His servant for the task.
Discussion questions
- What do you notice about the sword’s description: “two edges” and “a cubit in length”? Why might both details matter for the story?
- Ehud wore the sword on his right thigh, not the left. What does this tell you about his left-handedness and the culture’s expectations?
- Read verse 15 aloud. How does the note “a left-handed man” prepare you for the weapon placement in verse 16?
- When has God used something about you that others saw as a disadvantage to accomplish something good?
- The sword was hidden under Ehud’s clothing. When is it wise to keep part of God’s work hidden until the right moment?
- How does Ehud’s careful preparation (making the sword, placing it deliberately) challenge or encourage your own spiritual readiness?
- If you were telling this story to a child, what one detail would you emphasize to show God’s involvement?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Judges 3:21 | Ehud put out his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body. |
| Psalms 45:3 | Strap your sword on your thigh, O mighty one, in your splendor and your majesty. |
| Psalms 149:6 | May the high praises of God be in their mouths, and a two-edged sword in their hand, |
| Song of Solomon 3:8 | They all handle the sword, and are expert in war. Every man has his sword on his thigh, because of fear in the night. |
| Hebrews 4:12 | For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. |
| Revelation of John 1:16 | He had seven stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest. |
| Revelation of John 2:12 | “To the angel of the assembly in Pergamum write: “He who has the sharp two-edged sword says these things: |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke suggests the Hebrew word for the dagger's length points to a short, stiletto-like blade, not a full cubit. He also notes the weapon was placed on Ehud's right thigh precisely because he was left-handed, making it easier for him to draw.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes observes that Ehud concealed his dagger on his right thigh, the side opposite where a right-handed man would carry a weapon, making him appear unarmed. The detail confirms that his attack on Eglon was planned in advance.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary notes that the Deuteronomic editor framed a much older, localized Benjamite story within an introduction and conclusion that extends the deliverance to all Israel. The original narrative itself is seen as a fresh, vigorous account of Ehud’s personal stratagem.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights Ehud's strategic choice to strap the dagger on his right thigh, the opposite side from a right-handed fighter. This detail underscores how his left-handedness became a tactical advantage, allowing him to conceal the weapon where guards would not expect it and to draw it readily when approaching the king.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill draws attention to the dagger's placement on Ehud's right thigh, which was unusual since swords were typically worn on the left. He explains that Ehud, being left-handed, chose this position so he could draw the weapon easily and without raising suspicion, and the two-edged blade allowed him to strike effectively from either direction.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB draws attention to the unusual placement of Ehud's dagger, which was strapped to his right thigh rather than the customary left side. This positioning made it far less likely to be noticed during a routine search, since guards would expect the weapon to be worn on the left.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch carefully notes that Ehud's sword was two-edged and a full cubit long, not a span as some translations suggest. He also emphasizes that Ehud concealed it under his clothing on his right thigh, a detail that highlights the deliberate planning behind the assassination.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that Scripture never says the Spirit of the Lord was upon Ehud, nor does it praise his assassination of Eglon. He distinguishes Ehud's deed from later tyrannicide, arguing it cannot be used to justify political murder. The writer presents Ehud as a deliverer, not an inspired model.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that God deliberately chose a left-handed deliverer, a detail he sees as providential rather than incidental. Ehud's unusual trait let him conceal the dagger on his right thigh, where guards would not expect it, and his claim to have a message from God gave him the king's full attention.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley rejects Matthew Henry's claim that the goodness of God's promised land will intensify the punishment of those who perish. He argues that this reasoning fails under predestination: if some are not elected, they never had a genuine offer, and if all the elect are saved, the grant was never free to the others.