Judges 3:24

Judges 3:24

When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber.

a. ASV: Now when he was gone out, his servants came; and they saw, and, behold, the doors of the upper room were locked; and they said, Surely he is covering his feet in the upper chamber.

b. YLT: And he hath gone out, and his servants have come in, and look, and lo, the doors of the upper chamber are bolted, and they say, 'He is only covering his feet in the inner chamber of the wall.'

c. Amplified Bible Classic: When [Ehud] had gone out, [Eglon’s] servants came. And when they saw the doors of the upper room were locked, they thought, Surely he [is seeking privacy while he] relieves himself in the closet of the cool chamber.

d. Septuagint: And he went out: and Eglom’s servants came, and saw, and behold, the doors of the upper chamber [were] locked; and they said, Does he not uncover his feet in the summer-chamber?

e. Rubin Edition Early Prophets Joshua & Judges: When he left, [Eglon’s] servants came and saw that, behold! The doors of the upper chamber were locked, they said, “He is but relieving himself in the cool chamber.”

1. “When he was gone out, his servants came…”

a.  [When] he [Strong: 1931 huw' hoo of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.]

b. [was] gone out [Strong: 3318  yâtsâʼ, yaw-tsaw'; a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.:—× after, appear, × assuredly, bear out, × begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), be condemned, depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence, out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out), going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out, lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, × scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring out, stand out, × still, × surely, take forth (out), at any time, × to (and fro), utter.]

c. [his] servants [Strong: 5650 ʻebed, eh'-bed; from H5647; a servant:—× bondage, bondman, (bond-) servant, (man-) servant.]

d. came [Strong: 935 bôwʼ, bo; a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications):—abide, apply, attain, × be, befall, besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, ×certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, ×doubtless again, eat, employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, have, × indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, × (well) stricken (in age), × surely, take (in), way.]

2. “...and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said…”

a. [and when they] saw [Strong: 7200  râʼâh, raw-aw'; a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative):—advise self, appear, approve, behold, × certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, × indeed, × joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), mark, meet, × be near, perceive, present, provide, regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one another), shew (self), × sight of others, (e-) spy, stare, × surely, × think, view, visions.]

b. [that] behold [Strong: 2009 hinneh hin-nay' prolongation for 2005; lo!:--behold, lo, see.]

c. [the] doors [Strong: 1817 deleth, deh'-leth; from H1802; something swinging, i.e. the valve of a door:—door (two-leaved), gate, leaf, lid.]

d. [of the] parlour [Strong: 5944 ʻălîyâh, al-ee-yaw'; feminine from H5927; something lofty, i.e. a stair-way; also a second-story room (or even one on the roof); figuratively, the sky:—ascent, (upper) chamber, going up, loft, parlour.]

e. [were] locked [Strong: 5274 nâʻal, naw-al'; a primitive root; also denominative from H5275 properly, to fasten up, i.e. with a bar or cord; hence, to sandal, i.e. furnish with slippers:—bolt, inclose, lock, shoe, shut up.]

f. [they] said [Strong: 559 ʼâmar, aw-mar'; a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude):—answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, × desire, determine, ×expressly, × indeed, × intend, name, × plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), × still, × suppose, talk, tell, term, × that is, × think, use (speech), utter, × verily, × yet.]

3. “…Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber.”

a. Surely [Strong: 389 'ak ak akin to 403; a particle of affirmation, surely; hence (by limitation) only:--also, in any wise, at least, but, certainly, even, howbeit, nevertheless, notwithstanding, only, save, surely, of a surety, truly, verily, + wherefore, yet (but).]

b. he [Strong: 1931 huw' hoo of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.]

c. covereth [Strong: 5526 çâkak, saw-kak'; or שָׂכַךְ sâkak; (Exodus 33:22), a primitive root; properly, to entwine as a screen; by implication, to fence in, cover over, (figuratively) protect:—cover, defence, defend, hedge in, join together, set, shut up.]

d. [his] feet [7272 * regel] [Strong: a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a step; by euphem. the pudenda:--X be able to endure, X according as, X after, X coming, X follow, ((broken-))foot((-ed, -stool)), X great toe, X haunt, X journey, leg, + piss, + possession, time.]

e. [in his] summer [Strong: 4747 mᵉqêrâh, mek-ay-raw'; from the same as H7119; a cooling off:—× summer.]

f. chamber [Strong: 2315 cheder, kheh'-der; from H2314; an apartment (usually literal):—((bed) inner) chamber, innermost(-ward) part, parlour, south, × within.

1). Patrick/Lowth/Whitby/Lowman Commentary: “They concluded he was easing nature, as this phrase is commonly understood here, and 1Sa 24:3, for when they were about that business, the long garments which they wore in those countries were so disposed as to cover their feet…”

2). Going to the bathroom! Judy Davis was the first person I have ever heard of saying this, Thank you Judy.