Judges 3:16

Judges 3:16

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.

a. ASV: And Ehud made him a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he girded it under his raiment upon his right thigh.

b. YLT: and Ehud maketh for himself a sword, and it hath two mouths (a cubit is its length), and he girdeth it under his long robe on his right thigh;

c. Amplified Bible Classic: Ehud made for himself a sword, a cubit long, which had two edges, and he girded it on his right thigh under his clothing.

d. Septuagint: And God made himself a dagger of two edges, of a span long, and he girded it under his cloak upon his right thigh. 

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: And Ehud made himself a sword with two sharp edges, a cubit its length, and he girded it under his garments on his right thigh.

1. “But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length…”

a. [But] Ehud [164 * 'Ehuwd] [Strong: from the same as 161; united; Ehud, the name of two or three Israelites:--Ehud.]

b. made [him] [6213 * `asah] [Strong: a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application (as follows):--accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, + finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin, spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be (warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.]

c. [a] dagger [2719 * chereb][Strong:  drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implement:--axe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.]

d. [which had] two [8147 *  shnayim; dual of 8145; feminine shttayim] [Strong: two; also (as ordinal) twofold:--both, couple, double, second, twain, + twelfth, + twelve, + twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.]

e. edges [6366 * peyah; or piyah] [Strong: feminine of 6310; an edge:-- (two-)edge(-d).]

f. a cubit [1574 * gomed] [Strong: from an unused root apparently meaning to grasp; properly, a span:--cubit.]

g. [a] cubit [Strong: 1574 gômed, go'-med; from an unused root apparently meaning to grasp; properly, a span:—cubit.]

h. [in] length [753 * 'orek] [Strong: from 748; length:--+ forever, length, long.]

1). The fact this dagger or sword had two edges is significant. Notice the similarity with other verses.

a). Psalm 149:5, 6 Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.

149:6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand;

b). Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

c). Revelation 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

2). Ehud’s sword is a type of the word of God. This whole passage about the judge Ehud is an exhortation to believers to use the word of God in their daily lives against the enemy of our souls. Notice what Ehud said to Eglon as he delivered the sword into him.

a). Judges 3:20, 21 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.

3:21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:

3). Jesus used the word of God in his battling the temptations of satan, during his earthly ministry.

a). Matthew 4:1-10 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

4:3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

4:5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

4:6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written,  He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

4:7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

4:9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

4). The sword of the Spirit is part of our spiritual armor God has provided us.

a). Ephesians 6:10-18 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

2. “...and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh.”

a. [and he] did gird [Strong: 2296 châgar, khaw-gar'; a primitive root; to gird on (as a belt, armor, etc.):—be able to put on, be afraid, appointed, gird, restrain, × on every side.]

b. it [Strong: 853 'eth ayth apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).]

c. under [Strong: 8478 tachath takh'-ath from the same as 8430; the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc.:--as, beneath, X flat, in(-stead), (same) place (where...is), room, for...sake, stead of, under, X unto, X when...was mine, whereas, (where-)fore, with.]

d. [his] raiment [Strong: 4055 mad, mad; or מֵד mêd; from H4058; properly, extent, i.e. height; also a measure; by implication, a vesture (as measured); also a carpet:—armour, clothes, garment, judgment, measure, raiment, stature.]

e. upon [Strong: 5921 `al al properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications (as follow):--above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, X with.]

f. [his] right [Strong: 3225 yâmîyn, yaw-meen'; from H3231; the right hand or side (leg, eye) of a person or other object (as the stronger and more dexterous); locally, the south:— left-handed, right (hand, side), south.]

g. thigh [Strong: 3409 yârêk, yaw-rake'; from an unused root meaning to be soft; the thigh (from its fleshy softness); by euphemistically the generative parts; figuratively, a shank, flank, side:—× body, loins, shaft, side, thigh.