The Meaning of Judges 3:21 Explained

Judges 3:21

KJV: And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:

YLT: and Ehud putteth forth his left hand, and taketh the sword from off his right thigh, and striketh it into his belly;

Darby: And Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly;

ASV: And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Ehud  put forth  his left  hand,  and took  the dagger  from his right  thigh,  and thrust  it into his belly: 

What does Judges 3:21 Mean?

Context Summary

Judges 3:15-31 - The "message From God"
The sword is usually worn at the left hand, and Ehud escaped suspicion because his was girded under his raiment on his right thigh. Eglon was also the more ready to listen to him and give a secret audience, because he had just received a tribute from Ehud's hand. It was a terrible deed of vengeance, which must not be judged by our ethical standards. But can we not understand how the hatred of a downtrodden and high-spirited race would express itself in just this manner?
That dagger, thrust in up to the hilt, was indeed a message from God, for it ended Eglon's life and summoned his soul to stand at the bar of divine judgment. A supreme tragedy cannot befall except by the divine permission. Though God's silent permission of evil cannot be construed as acquiescence, yet the results of an evil deed may be wrought into the scheme of His providence, as in the case of Genesis 50:20-21 and Acts 2:23. It is our frequent experience to have thrusts made at us; let us ask if they may not be messages from God! There is no chance in life. [source]

Chapter Summary: Judges 3

1  The nations which were left to prove Israel
5  By communion with them they commit idolatry
8  Othniel delivered them from Chushan-Rishathaim
12  Ehud from Eglon
31  and Shamgar from the Philistines

What do the individual words in Judges 3:21 mean?

And reached Ehud with hand his left and took - the dagger from thigh his right and thrust it into his belly
וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח אֵהוּד֙ אֶת־ יַ֣ד שְׂמֹאל֔וֹ וַיִּקַּח֙ אֶת־ הַחֶ֔רֶב מֵעַ֖ל יֶ֣רֶךְ יְמִינ֑וֹ וַיִּתְקָעֶ֖הָ בְּבִטְנֽוֹ

וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח  And  reached 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
אֵהוּד֙  Ehud 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵהוּד  
Sense: Benjamite judge of Israel, deliverer of Israel from Moab.
יַ֣ד  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
שְׂמֹאל֔וֹ  his  left 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שְׂמֹאל  
Sense: the left, the left hand, the left side.
וַיִּקַּח֙  and  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַחֶ֔רֶב  the  dagger 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
יֶ֣רֶךְ  thigh 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָרֵךְ  
Sense: thigh, side, loin, base.
יְמִינ֑וֹ  his  right 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָמִין  
Sense: right, right hand, right side.
וַיִּתְקָעֶ֖הָ  and  thrust  it 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: תֹּוקְעִים 
Sense: to blow, clap, strike, sound, thrust, give a blow, blast.
בְּבִטְנֽוֹ  into  his  belly 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בֶּטֶן  
Sense: belly, womb, body.

What are the major concepts related to Judges 3:21?

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