King James Version
What Does Judges 3:23 Mean?
“Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them.”
Context
21
And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:
22
And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out. the dirt: or, it came out at the buttocks
23
Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them.
24
When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber. covereth: or, doeth his easement
25
And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.
Commentary
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers(23) **Then Ehud went forth through the porch.**—Rather, *into. *The word rendered “porch”—*misderōnah*—is derived from *seder *(“order”). The Chaldee represents it by a transliteration of the Greek word *exedra, *“a hall decorated with pillars.” Kimchi supposes it to mean an ante-chamber where people waited to see the king, standing in order; and this seems to be the view of the LXX. (in the Vatican Codex), who render it, “he went out through those set in order” (*tous diatetagmenous*)*. *If this be the meaning, it can only refer to his walking boldly out through the attendants after he had fastened the doors. But the fact is that the ancient versions were as uncertain of the meaning as ourselves. The Syriac has, “through the xystos” or colonnade; the Arabic, “through the window.”
**Shut the doors of the parlour upon him**—*i.e., *upon Eglon.
**Locked them.**—The LXX. have “wedged them” (*esphēnose*)*. *The lock was probably of a character similar to that used by all ancient nations, namely, wooden slides which entered into a hole in the doorpost, and were secured by catches cut into it. See Jahn, *Archœol. Bibl. *2:6-37.
Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.
Historical Context
This verse is found in the book of Judges. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.
Theological Significance
Judges 3:23 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.