Ehud the son of Gera. — In Genesis 46:21 Gera is a son of Benjamin; in 1 Chronicles 8:3 he is a son of Bela, son of Benjamin. The name Gera was hereditary in the tribe of Benjamin (see 2 Samuel 19:18; 1 Chronicles 8:1-7), and the Jews so constantly omit steps in their genealogies that we can never be sure that “son” means more than “descendant.” Ehud seems to be another form of Abihud (1 Chronicles 8:1-8). St. Jerome explains it to mean “one who praises “or “is
praised.” Josephus calls him a young man, and even “a youth” (neaniskos).
A Benjamite. — “Ben-ha-jemînî,” as in Psalms 7:1. The word is generally written undivided, so that here the LXX., Vulgate, and Luther have “son of Jemini.” No doubt the Syriac, Arabic, and Chaldee rightly understood it to mean a Benjamite, but still there seems to be an intentional play on words, for “Ben-ha-jemînî” may also mean “a son of the right hand, who,” as the writer adds, “was helpless with his right hand” (Ben-ha-jemînî eesh ittêr jad-jemînî).
Lefthanded — Marg., “Shut of his right hand.” Luther also renders it “links” but the LXX. and the Vulgate take it to mean “ambidextrous,” i.e., able to use his left hand as well as his right (LXX., amphoterodexion; Vulg., qui utrague manu pro dexterâ utebatur). Josephus says that he was “best skilled in using his left hand, in which was his whole strength” (Antt. v. 4, § 2). This rendering is merely an inference, from the fact that in Judges 20:15-16 (comp. 1 Chronicles 12:2) there are “700 chosen men left-handed.” (See the Note on that verse.) The Hebrew ittêr, however, is correctly rendered “shut” in the margin of our version (comp. Psalms 69:16, “lest the pit shut her mouth upon me “), and cannot possibly mean “ambidextrous.” No doubt Ehud, like other Benjamites, might have been trained to use the sling with the left hand, but it does not follow that he may not have had some accident which maimed the right hand; and if so it would avert all suspicion from him in his dreadful purpose. Ehud in that case was a Hebrew Scœvola. Stobæus mentions some African tribes which, like the Benjamites, were “left-hand fighters” (aristeromachoi), and for the same cause an Egyptian tribe was known as the Euonymitae. The Greek Laius has the same meaning.
By him. — Either because he was the chief of one of their houses (1 Chronicles 8:6), or perhaps because he had intimated to them his design. The narrative in Judges 20 falls chronologically in the days of Phinehas and, therefore, Ehud’s act occurred at a still earlier period after the conquest; for Ehud would hardly have been chosen for this honourable function after the terrible degradation and decimation of the tribe of Benjamin. Possibly Eglon’s invasion occurred soon after Joshua’s death.
Sent a present. — The Hebrew word is minchah, here euphemistically used for “tribute,” as it is elsewhere. (2 Samuel 8:6 : “And the Syrians became servants to David, and brought gifts.” 1 Kings 4:21 : “They [the Philistines] brought presents and served Solomon.” Psalms 72:10 : “The kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring gifts.”)