שופטים, פרק ג׳, פסוק י״ח

Following the formal presentation of the tribute to the Moabite king, Ehud ben Gera begins setting the stage for his secret assassination plan. With careful calculation, he takes several precautionary steps. Once the delivery of the tax is entirely complete [מצודת דוד], Ehud dismisses the Israelite delegation that had carried the tribute [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. He does not merely issue an order for them to leave. Instead, he turns back and personally escorts his men away from the palace, accompanying them as far as the area of Gilgal [רש״י, מלבי״ם].

The primary approach among commentators highlights the strategic and tactical motives behind sending the delegation away before the operation. First, Ehud chooses to shoulder the immense danger entirely on his own. By doing so, he ensures his men are safely out of reach and protected from any Moabite retaliation once the assassination is discovered [רלב״ג, מלבי״ם]. Furthermore, from a purely practical standpoint, a lone individual can slip away and escape a scene much more easily than a large group of people [מצודת דוד, רלב״ג].

Finally, this departure serves as a sophisticated psychological trick. By leaving with his men and later returning alone, Ehud creates the natural impression that he has simply remembered a secret message he needs to deliver. This clever deception successfully removes any suspicion from the king's mind, ultimately prompting him to dismiss all his guards from the room [רלב״ג, מלבי״ם].