Judges 3 · Verse 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.
Judges 3:16, King James Version

Judges 3:16 in other translations

BSBNow Ehud had made for himself a double-edged sword a cubit long. He strapped it to his right thigh under his cloak
WEBEhud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he wore it under his clothing on his right thigh.
ASVAnd Ehud made him a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he girded it under his raiment upon his right thigh.
YLTand 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;
DARBYAnd Ehud made him a sword having two edges, it was of a cubit length; and he girded it under his raiment upon his right hip.
BBESo Ehud made himself a two-edged sword, a cubit long, which he put on at his right side under his robe.
WebsterBut Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he girded it under his raiment upon his right thigh.

What does Judges 3:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
16. Ehud made him a dagger ... and he did gird it ... upon his right thigh--The sword was usually worn on the left side; so that Ehud's was the more likely to escape detection.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 A dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length - The word גמד gomed, which we translate cubit, is of very doubtful signification. As the root seems to signify contracted, it probably means an instrument made for the purpose shorter than usual, and something like the Italian stiletto. The Septuagint translate it by σπιθαμη, a span, and most of the versions understand it in the same sense. Upon his right thigh - Because he was left-handed. Ordinarily the sword is on the left side, that it may be readily drawn out by the right hand; but as Ehud was left-handed, to be convenient his sword must be on the right side.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Judges 3:12-30

When Israel sins again, God raises up a new oppressor. The Israelites did ill, and the Moabites did worse; yet because God punishes the sins of his own people in this world, Israel is weakened, and Moab strengthened against them. If lesser troubles do not do the work, God will send greater. When Israel prays again, God raises up Ehud. As a judge, or minister of Divine justice, Ehud put to death Eglon, the king of…

Read the full comment on Judges 3:12-30 →

Judges 3:16 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיַּעַשׂ֩vai.ya.'Asand he madeH6213
ל֨וֹlofor <the> himself
אֵה֜וּד'e.HudEhudH164
חֶ֗רֶבChe.reva swordH2719
וְלָ֛הּve.Lahand [belonged] to <the> it
שְׁנֵ֥יshe.NeitwoH8147
פֵי֖וֹתfe.YotlipsH6366
גֹּ֣מֶדGo.med[was] a cubitH1574
אָרְכָּ֑הּ'a.re.Kahlength itsH753
וַיַּחְגֹּ֤רvai.yach.Gorand he girdedH2296
אוֹתָהּ֙'o.Tah<obj.> itH853
מִתַּ֣חַתmi.Ta.chatfrom underH8478
לְמַדָּ֔יוle.ma.Davto garments hisH4055
עַ֖ל'alonH5921
יֶ֥רֶךְYe.rekh[the] thigh ofH3409
יְמִינֽוֹ\׃ye.mi.Noright hisH3225

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Judges 3:16

  • Revelation 2:12

    And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;

  • 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.

  • Psalms 45:3

    Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.

  • Judges 3:21

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

  • Revelation 1:16

    And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

  • Song of Solomon 3:8

    They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.

  • Psalms 149:6

    Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand;

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
two edges.
Ps 149:6; Heb 4:12; Re 1:16; 2:12
upon.
21; Ps 45:3; So 3:8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Judges 3:15

    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.

  • 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.

  • Judges 3:17

    And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man.

Read all of Judges 3

Judges 3:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y Aod se había hecho un puñal de dos filos, de un codo de largo; y ciñósele debajo de sus vestidos á su lado derecho.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Éhud se fit faire une épée à deux tranchants, longue d’une petite coudée, et il la ceignit par-dessous ses vêtements, sur la hanche droite.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Ehud machte sich ein Schwert, das zwei Schneiden hatte, eine Elle seine Länge; und er gürtete es unter seinen Rock an seine rechte Hüfte.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Qui fecit sibi gladium ancipitem, habentem in medio capulum longitudinis palmæ manus, et accinctus est eo subter sagum in dextro femore.