Eglon

Eglon is a figure in the Hebrew Bible, identified as the king of Moab who ruled during Israel's period of oppression. He is best known for his assassination by the Israelite judge Ehud, described in Judges 3:12–30.

According to the narrative, Eglon came to the throne after Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, and God strengthened the Moabites through an alliance with Ammon and Amalek. Eglon’s rule endured eighteen years, during which Moab oppressed Israel.

The core episode concerns Ehud, a left-handed member of the tribe of Benjamin who delivered a covertly made dagger and concealed it on his right thigh. He gained an audience with Eglon by delivering a tribute, then killed him with a single stabbing blow. The text emphasizes Eglon’s great girth, noting that the dagger sank into his body and the fat closed over the blade. Ehud then escaped, locked the upper room doors, and fled past the idolatrous images in the palace.

With Eglon dead, Ehud rallied the Israelites, and Moab was defeated. The land then enjoyed eighty years of peace.

In literary and historical terms, the Eglon narrative functions within Judges as part of the cycle of oppression and deliverance, illustrating how deliverance can come through a surprising and unlikely instrument. The account is primarily confined to Judges 3:12–30.

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