שופטים, פרק ג׳, פסוק כ״ו

While the king's servants stand outside locked doors, entirely unaware of the assassination that just took place inside, the assassin uses their hesitation to secure his escape and cross the border to safety. Ehud successfully flees the scene [רש״י], taking full advantage of the time the servants spend waiting outside until they feel ashamed to wait any longer. According to [מלבי״ם], this escape is highly calculated. Ehud estimates exactly how long the servants will wait before they finally dare to enter the room. He rushes to get away within this specific window of time, completely unaware that the servants will actually delay much longer than he originally guessed.

As he makes his way out, he passes by stone idols belonging to the Moabite gods. Getting past this specific point is the most critical step in escaping danger [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The area is highly risky to navigate because the Moabites constantly visit these idols for worship [רלב״ג]. Once he safely crosses past this site, he successfully leaves Moabite territory and steps back into the land of Israel [מצודת דוד].

His flight ultimately leads him to Seiratah. There are two ways to understand the nature of this destination. Some identify it simply as a specific place located within Israelite borders [מצודת ציון, רד״ק, רלב״ג]. Alternatively, others explain that it is not a standard geographic name, but rather a description of a thick, dense forest. In this view, the name relates to the word for hair, as the tangled branches of the trees resemble a thick head of hair. This rugged, overgrown terrain serves as the ultimate hiding spot for the escaping fugitive [רש״י, ביאור שטיינזלץ].