The son of Gera, of the tribe of Benjamin (Judg. 3:15). After the death of Othniel the people again fell into idolatry, and Eglon, the king of Moab, uniting his bands with those of the Ammonites and the Amalekites, crossed the Jordan and took the city of Jericho, and for eighteen years held that whole district in subjection, exacting from it an annual tribute. At length Ehud, by a stratagem, put Eglon to death with a two-edged dagger a cubit long, and routed the Moabites at the fords of the Jordan, putting 10,000 of them to death. Thenceforward the land, at least Benjamin, enjoyed rest “for fourscore years” (Judg. 3:12-30). But in the south-west the Philistines reduced the Israelites to great straits (Judg. 5:6). From this oppression Shamgar was raised up to be their deliverer.
- Judg.3: But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.
- Judg.3: 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.
- Judg.3: And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.
- Judg.3: And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:
- Judg.3: Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them.
- Judg.3: And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath.
- Judg.4: And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead.
- 1Chr.8: And these are the sons of Ehud: these are the heads of the fathers of the inhabitants of Geba, and they removed them to Manahath: