14. The Israelites were subject to Eglon for eighteen years.
15. Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord, and he sent a man to free them. This was Ehud, a left-handed man, who was the son of Gera, from the tribe of Benjamin. The people of Israel sent Ehud to King Eglon of Moab with gifts for him.
16. Ehud had made himself a double-edged sword nearly fifty centimetres long. He had it fastened on his right side under his clothes.
17. Then he took the gifts to Eglon, who was a very fat man.
18. When Ehud had given him the gifts, he told the men who had carried them to go back home.
19. But Ehud himself turned back at the carved stones near Gilgal, went back to Eglon, and said, “Your Majesty, I have a secret message for you.”So the king ordered his servants, “Leave us alone!” And they all went out.
20. Then, as the king was sitting there alone in his cool room on the roof, Ehud went over to him and said, “I have a message from God for you.” The king stood up.
21. With his left-hand Ehud took the sword from his right side and plunged it into the king's belly.
22. The whole sword went in, handle and all, and the fat covered it up. Ehud did not pull it out of the king's belly, and it stuck out behind, between his legs.
23. Then Ehud went outside, closed the doors behind him, locked them,
24. and left. The servants came and saw that the doors were locked, but they only thought that the king was inside, relieving himself.