שופטים, פרק ג׳, פסוק י״ג

A calculated military alliance and the subsequent occupation of Israelite land sparked a dark and prolonged era of foreign subjugation. The king of Moab launched a highly organized military campaign to expand his power. Rather than relying solely on his own army, he recruited additional forces [מצודת דוד]. He allied with the neighboring Ammonites and the Amalekites, nomadic tribes known for attacking the Israelites either on their own or through such coalitions [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This campaign was not merely a brief raid for plunder. After defeating the Israelites, the invading forces took firm hold of the land and established permanent settlements, treating the conquered territory as their rightful inheritance [רד״ק].

The target of this conquest was known as the city of palms. Some identify this location directly as the city of Jericho [רש״י], while the primary approach among other commentators specifies that it was a city or region immediately adjacent to Jericho [רד״ק, אברבנאל, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

This loss of territory forced the Israelites into eighteen years of harsh subjugation under King Eglon of Moab. The oppression continued until the people cried out to God, and He responded by raising a savior named Ehud. Ehud was left-handed, functioning entirely with his left hand as if his right were bound. This unique trait allowed him to conceal a short, double-edged sword beneath his clothing without arousing any suspicion from the king.

Ehud arrived to present the king with a tribute. After delivering the offering, he dismissed his escorts to ensure absolute secrecy. He later returned from the stone quarries and approached the king, claiming to carry a secret, divine message. King Eglon, a heavily overweight man seeking relief from the summer heat in a specially cooled upper chamber, rose from his throne out of deep respect for the word of God. His decision to stand gave Ehud the perfect opening. Ehud drew his weapon and drove it into the king's belly with such immense force that the entire handle sank into the flesh, causing waste to spill from his intestines [אברבנאל].