Judges 3:19
in Judges 3But upon reaching the idols near Gilgal, he himself turned back and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” “Silence,” said the king, and all his attendants left him.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But he himself turned back from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king. And he said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.
KJV
But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.
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This verse in Judges 3
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Gilgal was in the immediate neighborhood of Jericho Jdg 2:1, where doubtless Eglon held his court at this time Jdg 3:13. Quarries - Some take the original of this word in its common meaning of carved images or idols (see the margin).
This site's exposition
who was an obese man
on Judges 3:17-19
Eglon is "an obese man" before the blade goes anywhere, and at verse 22 that detail is why the sword stays in. At verse 19 the Hebrew names carved images, "the idols near Gilgal", where Israel first camped and where the angel of 2:1 came from. Ehud sends the tribute party away, turns back alone, and "a secret message" makes the king clear his own room.
This site's exposition
upon reaching the idols near Gilgal
Albert Barnes places Gilgal near Jericho, where Eglon then held court. Ehud calls his message secret here, and in verse 20 he calls it a word from God.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
What did you mean by saying, two thousand fall at the side? Naturally, when the right hand is designated and the left is not, the side is named in place of the left hand. It would not be right, certainly, for the just man to have a left hand: "If someone strikes you on the right cheek," counsels the Lord, "turn to him the other also." Notice that he did not say, "the left also," for it is not the left cheek that is offered, but another right cheek.
Let's observe how Ehud, whose name means "praise," discharged his leadership. History teaches us, in its writings about King Eglon, how this most wise Ehud with particular skill and, if I may say, cunning but praiseworthy deception, would kill the tyrant Eglon, whose name means "round" or "circular." It was necessary, then, to have the quality of judges of our people as was this Ehud, whose name means "praise," so to cut through all his rolling motion and circuit of evil ways and to destroy the king of the Moabites. But Moabite is translated as "flow" or "effusion." Who can the ruler or leader of this flowing and dissolute people be seen or understood to be, therefore, other than the word of that philosophy which adjudges pleasure to be the highest good, a philosophy which the word of the gospel, which has been compared to a sword, killed and destroyed? And this prophetic word would become enclosed within their belly and lowest stomach by means of the "ambidextrous" judge's arguments, to extinguish the Moabites by assertion of the truth, enclosing also every sense of perverse doctrine and dull understanding "which extols itself and rises against the spiritual knowledge of Christ," so that by acting thus and by doing battle with the word of God, each judge of the church may also become a praising Ehud, about whom the Lord would say, "Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few, so I will set you over many."
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
), from the graven images (so it is in the margin) which were with Gilgal, set up perhaps by the Moabites with the twelve stones which Joshua had set up there.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal,...., For so far he accompanied the men that came with him.
Whether he expected to receive some private instructions from an oracle, or some private informations concerning the present state of Israel, as if Ehud would betray his country, it was a very unwise thing for him to be all alone with a stronger and one whom he had reason to look upon as an enemy; but those that are marked for ruin are infatuated, and their hearts hid from understanding;
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
He - turned - from the quarries - פסילים pesilim. Some of the versions understand this word as meaning idols or graven images, or some spot where the Moabites had a place of idolatrous worship. As פסל pasal signifies to cut, hew, or engrave, it may be applied to the images thus cut, or to the place, or quarry whence they were digged: but it is most likely that idols are meant. Some think that trenches are meant, and that pesilim here may mean the boundaries of the two countries: and when Ehud had got thus far, he sent away the people that were with him, under pretense of having a secret message to Eglon, and so got rid of his attendants, in presence of whom he could not have executed his scheme, nor have secured his escape afterwards. But I do not see the evidence of this mode of interpretation.
The words behind it
20 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְה֣וּא | vehu' | and he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| שָׁ֗ב | shav | he returned | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| מִן־ | min- | from | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הַפְּסִילִים֙ | hapesilim | the idols | H6456 → | |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | [were] with | H854 → | 929 times |
| הַגִּלְגָּ֔ל | hagilgal | <the> Gilgal | H1537 → | |
| וַיֹּ֕אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| דְּבַר־ | devar- | a word of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| סֵ֥תֶר | seter | secrecy | H5643 → | |
| לִ֛י | li | [belongs] to <the> me | ||
| אֵלֶ֖יךָ | ʾeleikha | to you | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ | hamelekh | O king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| הָ֔ס | has | hush! | H2013 → | |
| וַיֵּֽצְאוּ֙ | vaiyetzeu | and they went out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| מֵֽעָלָ֔יו | mealav | from with <the> him | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָעֹמְדִ֖ים | haomedim | those [who] stood | H5975 → | 521 times |
| עָלָֽיו׃ | ʾalav | with him | H5921 → | 5755 times |
וְה֣וּאand he
vehu'H1931 →1879 times
שָׁ֗בhe returned
shavH7725 →1056 times
מִן־from
min-H4480 →1188 times
הַפְּסִילִים֙the idols
hapesilimH6456 →
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
אֶת־[were] with
ʾet-H854 →929 times
הַגִּלְגָּ֔ל<the> Gilgal
hagilgalH1537 →
וַיֹּ֕אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
דְּבַר־a word of
devar-H1697 →1440 times
סֵ֥תֶרsecrecy
seterH5643 →
לִ֛י[belongs] to <the> me
li
אֵלֶ֖יךָto you
ʾeleikhaH413 →5510 times
הַמֶּ֑לֶךְO king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
הָ֔סhush!
hasH2013 →
וַיֵּֽצְאוּ֙and they went out
vaiyetzeuH3318 →1067 times
מֵֽעָלָ֔יוfrom with <the> him
mealavH5921 →5755 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הָעֹמְדִ֖יםthose [who] stood
haomedimH5975 →521 times
עָלָֽיו׃with him
ʾalavH5921 →5755 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Joshua 4:20And there at Gilgal Joshua set up the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan.
it leads to
- Joshua 4:8
Thus the Israelites did as Joshua had commanded them. They took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, one for each tribe of Israel, just as the LORD had told Joshua; and…
- Joshua 4:3
and command them: ‘Take up for yourselves twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan where the priests were standing, carry them with you, and set them down in the place where you spend…
- Joshua 4:8
Through
Genesis 45:1Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me!” So none of them were with Joseph when he made himself known to his…
it leads to
- Matthew 18:15
If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.
- Genesis 43:30–31
Joseph hurried out because he was moved to tears for his brother, and he went to a private room to weep.
- Isaiah 42:14
“I have kept silent from ages past; I have remained quiet and restrained. But now I will groan like a woman in labor; I will at once gasp and pant.
- Matthew 18:15
Through
Judges 3:20Then Ehud approached him while he was sitting alone in the coolness of his upper room. “I have a word from God for you,” Ehud said, and the king rose from his seat.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 10:7
Who would not fear You, O King of nations? This is Your due. For among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like You.
- Amos 3:15
I will tear down the winter house along with the summer house; the houses of ivory will also perish, and the great houses will come to an end,” declares the LORD.
- 2 Samuel 24:12
“Go and tell David that this is what the LORD says: ‘I am offering you three options. Choose one of them, and I will carry it out against you.’”
- Jeremiah 10:7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Judges
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; Jerome, HOMILIES ON THE PSALMS 20 (Ps 90); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON JUDGES 4.1.