12The Israelites again did evil in YHWH’s sight; and YHWH gave Eglon, king of Moab, power over Israel because they had done evil in YHWH’s sight. 13And he assembled the Ammonites and Amaleq and went and smote Israel; they possessed the City of Palms.
14So the Israelites served Eglon, king of Moab, 18 years. 15And the Israelites cried out to YHWH, and YHWH raised them a savior, Ehud ben-Gera—a man whose right hand was ’it eÅr; by his hand the Israelites sent tribute to Eglon, king of Moab.
16Ehud made himself a dagger with two edges, a gomed [a shortened cubit] long, and girded it under the folds of his garment on his right thigh.
17He presented the tribute to Eglon, king of Moab. Now, Eglon was a very stout fellow.
18When he [Ehud] had finished presenting the tribute, he dismissed the people who bore the tribute. 19But he [Ehud] himself returned from the pesiÆliÆm [meaning unknown] by Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king!” So he [the king] said, “Silence!” And all who attended him went out from his presence.
20Ehud entered unto him—he was sitting in the ‘aliyyat ham-meqeÅraÆ that was his alone. And Ehud said, “It is a message of God I have for you!” And he [Eglon] rose from on the throne.
21Ehud sent forth his left hand, took the dagger from his right thigh, and plunged it into his [Eglon’s] belly. 22The haft entered after the blade, and the fat closed upon the blade, for he did not withdraw the sword from his belly. And out “it” came at the anus (way-yeÅseÅ’ hap-parsûedoÆnaÆ).
23Ehud went out through the misdaµroÆn. He (had) closed the doors of the ‘aliyyaÆ upon him and locked them.
24He went out. And his [the King’s] servants entered and looked, and behold! The doors of the ‘aliyyaÆ were locked. So they said, “Clearly, he is evacuating himself in the room of ham-meqeÅraÆ.”
25They waited to the point of embarrassment, and behold! He did not open the doors of the ‘aliyyaÆ. So they took the key and opened them. And behold! Their lord was fallen to the ground, dead!
26Ehud (had) escaped while they were dithering. He passed the pesiÆliÆm and escaped toward Seir.
27When he arrived, he sounded the trumpet in the Ephraimite hills. The Israelites descended with him from the hills, he at their head.
28He said to them, “Follow me, for YHWH has delivered your enemies, Moab, into your hand.” They followed him and seized the fords of the Jordan toward Moab, and allowed no man to cross.
29They smote Moab at that time, about 10,000 men, all portly, all men of parts; and not a man escaped.
