Judges 3:17-20

Contemporary English Version

^17-18Ehud and some other Israelites took the taxes to Eglon, who was a very fat man. As soon as they gave the taxes to Eglon, Ehud said it was time to go home.

^19-20Ehud went with the other Israelites as far as the statues^[a] at Gilgal.^[b] Then he turned back and went upstairs to the room^[c] where Eglon had his throne. Ehud said, “Your Majesty, I need to talk with you in private.”

Eglon replied, “Don't say anything yet!” His officials left the room, and Eglon stood up as Ehud came closer.

“Yes,” Ehud said, “I have a message for you from God!”

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Footnotes

3.19,20 statues: Or “stone idols” or “stone monuments.”
3.19,20 Gilgal: About two and a half kilometers from Jericho, where Eglon probably was (see verse 13).
3.19,20 upstairs … room: Houses usually had flat roofs, and sometimes a room was built on one corner of the roof where it could best catch the breeze and be kept cooler than the rest of the house.