Judges 3 24

Judges 3:24 kjv

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.

Judges 3:24 nkjv

When he had gone out, Eglon's servants came to look, and to their surprise, the doors of the upper room were locked. So they said, "He is probably attending to his needs in the cool chamber."

Judges 3:24 niv

After he had gone, the servants came and found the doors of the upper room locked. They said, "He must be relieving himself in the inner room of the palace."

Judges 3:24 esv

When he had gone, the servants came, and when they saw that the doors of the roof chamber were locked, they thought, "Surely he is relieving himself in the closet of the cool chamber."

Judges 3:24 nlt

After Ehud was gone, the king's servants returned and found the doors to the upstairs room locked. They thought he might be using the latrine in the room,

Judges 3 verses

Judges 3 24 Meaning

Judges 3:24 describes the reaction of King Eglon's servants immediately after Ehud had assassinated him. Finding the inner chamber doors locked from the outside, they assumed King Eglon was attending to a natural bodily function in privacy, a common custom of the time. This natural assumption and the consequent delay allowed Ehud, the Israelite judge, ample time to escape from the palace without detection, securing Israel's deliverance from Moabite oppression.

Judges 3 24 Context

The book of Judges details a cyclical pattern in Israel's history: apostasy, divine judgment through foreign oppression, Israel's cry for help, and God raising up a "judge" or deliverer. Judges chapter 3 opens with Israel falling into sin after the death of Joshua's generation. Consequently, God allowed Eglon, King of Moab, to oppress Israel for eighteen years. Ehud, a left-handed Benjamite, was God's chosen deliverer.

Prior to verse 24, Ehud, pretending to deliver tribute to King Eglon, used the opportunity to assassinate the extremely fat king with a double-edged dagger in a private, upper-story chamber (the "parlour" or "summer chamber"). Ehud then cleverly locked the doors from the outside and escaped. Judges 3:24 sets the stage for the crucial delay that enabled Ehud's successful getaway. Eglon's servants, finding the doors locked, reasonably but wrongly assumed their master was simply in a private moment, "covering his feet," which refers to attending to nature's call. This delay bought Ehud the necessary time to distance himself from the palace, enabling him to rally Israel and defeat Moab. The narrative emphasizes the human element of strategic thinking by Ehud and the everyday misjudgment of the servants, both serving God's ultimate purpose of delivering Israel.

Judges 3 24 Word analysis

• When he was gone out (וַיֵּצֵא הוּא – wa-yēṣē ʾhûʾ): Refers specifically to Ehud. The completion of Ehud's immediate objective of assassination and his exit from the chamber are crucial. His prompt and quiet departure, immediately securing the chamber doors, sets up the ensuing scene of delay. This signifies the critical importance of his timely actions in the plan.
• Ehud's servants came (וַעֲבָדָיו בָּאוּ – wa-‘ăvāḏāw bāʾû): While "Ehud's servants" might seem like a natural interpretation given "Ehud's" name appearing earlier, grammatically and contextually, "his servants" refers to King Eglon's servants. These are Eglon's personal attendants or palace staff who would typically serve or attend to him. Their arrival marks the moment suspicion might arise if not for the assumption that follows.
• and when they saw (וַיִּרְאוּ – wa-yyirʾû): Implies an observation made after arriving. They directly perceive the locked doors, leading to their subsequent deduction. This visual confirmation fuels their natural assumption.
• that the doors of the parlour (כִּי דַלְתוֹת הַמִּסְדְּרוֹן – kî ḏaltôt ha-mmisdrôn):
  • הַמִּסְדְּרוֹן (ha-mmisdrôn): This Hebrew term likely refers to a "porch," "hallway," "antechamber," or an "inner room" within the palace complex, probably leading to Eglon's private summer chamber. The emphasis is on it being a secured, interior part of the royal residence. The double locking of these doors was an effective tactic by Ehud.
• were shut (סְגוּרִים – səḡûrîm): Locked and sealed, making access impossible without a key or forcing them open. This physical barrier is the direct cause of the servants' deliberation.
• they said (וַיֹּאמְרוּ – wa-yyōʾmrû): Indicates a verbal exchange among the servants. This mutual reinforcement of their shared assumption underscores the general acceptability and privacy associated with the act they surmised.
• Surely he covereth his feet (אַךְ מֵסֵךְ הוּא אֶת־רַגְלָיו – ʾaḵ mēsēḵ hûʾ ʾet-raḡlāyw):
  • This is a well-known Hebrew euphemism for relieving oneself (urination or defecation). It is also found in 1 Sam 24:3, highlighting its common usage. The phrase depicts a person squatting, drawing their garments around themselves for modesty and privacy while tending to bodily needs.
  • Significance: This assumption is pivotal. It speaks to the cultural understanding of royal privacy and modesty, especially during personal functions. The servants' deduction, born of their daily routine and cultural norms, unwittingly provided the crucial window of time for Ehud's escape. It illustrates how ordinary human assumptions can play into God's extraordinary plans of deliverance.
• in the summer chamber (בַּחֲדַר הַמְּקֵרָה – ba-ḥăḏar ha-mməqērāh):
  • הַמְּקֵרָה (ha-mməqērāh): Refers to a "cooling room" or "cool chamber." In the hot climate of the Middle East, such rooms were specifically designed to provide respite from the heat, often situated on an upper story for better airflow. The presence of such a chamber underscores Eglon's wealth and comfort. It also highlights the expected length of a private royal sojourn, further justifying the servants' delay.
  • Significance: This detail adds verisimilitude to their assumption, making it seem a perfectly natural explanation for the King's prolonged absence and the locked door. The setting accentuates the irony of the situation – the powerful king's final moment of indignity in a room meant for comfort.

Judges 3 24 Bonus section

• Dramatic Irony: The audience is aware of Eglon's demise, while his servants remain oblivious, patiently waiting for a dead man. This dramatic irony enhances the narrative's tension and subtly elevates Ehud's ingenuity and divine favor.
• Cultural Courtesy: The servants' prolonged waiting demonstrates a deep cultural respect and adherence to protocol regarding a king's privacy, especially for bodily functions. This societal norm inadvertently sealed Eglon's fate by preventing a timely discovery.
• Fulfillment of prophecy/divine timing: Though not a direct prophecy, the precision of God's timing in arranging for the servants' arrival immediately after Ehud secured his exit underscores divine intervention. Every step, from Ehud's left-handedness to the heat requiring a "summer chamber," fits together perfectly to enable the deliverance of Israel.

Judges 3 24 Commentary

Judges 3:24 serves as a dramatic fulcrum in Ehud's narrative. It showcases the divine orchestration of events, using common human behavior and assumptions for the unexpected delivery of His people. The verse highlights several points: the thoroughness of Ehud’s plan (securing his exit), the cultural normalcy of privacy (the "covering feet" euphemism), and the critical role of the servants’ misinterpretation. This delay, born out of politeness and protocol, becomes a significant factor in God's providence, allowing the unsuspecting Ehud to escape while Eglon’s mighty retinue is fooled by the appearance of a routine private moment. The image of the king, who oppressed Israel for 18 years, meeting his undignified end while his servants waited respectfully for him to finish, is an ironic portrayal of God’s reversal of fortune for His enemies and His chosen. It underscores that God can utilize the most mundane and seemingly insignificant details to accomplish His divine purposes.