So the children of Israel served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years. ] Ten years longer than they served the king of Mesopotamia, ( Judges 3:8 ) , as a severer correction of them for their relapse into idolatry.
12
Again the people of Israel did what the Lord said was wrong. So the Lord gave Eglon king of Moab power to defeat Israel because of the evil Israel did.
13
Eglon got the Ammonites and the Amalekites to join him. Then he attacked Israel and took Jericho, the city of palm trees.
14
So the people of Israel were ruled by Eglon king of Moab for eighteen years.
15
When the people cried to the Lord, he sent someone to save them. He was Ehud, son of Gera from the people of Benjamin, who was left-handed. Israel sent Ehud to give Eglon king of Moab the payment he demanded.
16
Ehud made himself a sword with two edges, about eighteen inches long, and he tied it to his right hip under his clothes.