Episode Overview

Podcast: Renewing Your Mind
Episode: Ehud, Judge of Israel
Date: December 2, 2025
Host: Ligonier Ministries (Nathan W. Bingham introducing Dr. Derek Thomas)

This episode explores the dramatic and graphic biblical account of Ehud, the second judge of Israel, found in Judges chapter 3. Dr. Derek Thomas carefully unpacks the narrative, addresses its moral and theological complexities, and connects it to broader themes of deliverance, judgment, and the messy realities of spiritual life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Graphic Story of Ehud and Eglon

• Scripture Reading & Scene Setting

  • Dr. Thomas reads Judges 3:18–22, highlighting the details of Ehud assassinating Eglon, King of Moab.
  • Ehud, described as left-handed and likely disabled in his right hand, conceals a dagger and fatally stabs Eglon—so thoroughly that his hand is enveloped in the king’s belly, and the dung comes out.

    “He plunges this 18 inch dagger, including the handle, and his hand goes right into his belly. And the dung came out.” — Dr. Derek Thomas [01:22]

• Why Include Graphic Details?

  • The Bible presents history honestly, even when unpleasant.
  • The episode takes place after a period of Israel’s rebellion (“again did what was evil”), and God raises up Ehud as an unlikely deliverer.

2. Contextual and Literary Observations

• A Time of Apostasy and Oppression
  • Israel is oppressed by Moab; Eglon has taken Jericho ("City of Palms").
  • For 18 years, the Israelites suffer until they cry out to God for a deliverer.
• The Irony of Ehud's Identity
  • Ehud is left-handed, potentially with a disability—a significant note considering he is from the tribe of Benjamin ("son of my right hand").

    “Ben is the Hebrew word for son and Jamin is the Hebrew word for right. He's the son of my right hand, Benjamin. That's what Benjamin means. But he's a left, he's left handed.” — Dr. Derek Thomas [04:20]

3. The Plan and the Deed

• Premeditation and Execution
  • Ehud presents tribute, clears the room with the claim of a secret message, and kills Eglon.
  • Eglon’s physical size is integral to the story, as it enables Ehud to conceal the deed briefly and escape.
  • Eglon's attendants mistake the smell for a private moment in the privy, delaying discovery and ensuring Ehud’s escape and subsequent rally of Israel.
• Significance of the Act
  • The killing is not sanitized—it’s presented as it happened, with all its messiness.
  • Ehud acts as a judge, ruler, and military chief, not simply as an individual seeking private vengeance.

4. Theological & Moral Reflections

• Deliverer, Savior, and the Messiness of Redemption

  • Ehud is called a “deliverer” or “savior,” prefiguring the biblical pattern of God sending saviors in times of crisis.
  • This moment of deliverance leads to 80 years of peace.

    “God uses...well, he uses messy business to bring about good. That's often the case, isn't it?” — Dr. Derek Thomas [12:45]

  • The episode reflects the cycle of apostasy, judgment, deliverance, and restoration evident across Judges.

• Modern Parallels & Honest Faith

  • Dr. Thomas draws a parallel to Peanuts’ Linus, highlighting that even those with "messy" hands can be used for God's purposes.

    “Ehud's hands have something other than jelly on them as he makes his escape. He's a...well, he's a nobody that God raises up.” — Dr. Derek Thomas [17:30]

• Just War and Ethical Complexity

  • The story is situated in a time of theocracy and "just war," a concept discussed in Christian tradition (citing Augustine).
  • Taking the land involved confronting evil at God’s command—a morally complex but biblically rooted reality.

    “Without a belief that this is God's command, the whole thing becomes an ethically difficult issue to deal with.” — Dr. Derek Thomas [20:50]

• Is Allegorizing or Moralizing Helpful?

  • Allegorizing or simply moralizing the story (e.g., “don’t be like Ehud”) misses its point: God’s provision of a deliverer and the raw truth of Israel's history.
  • The episode asserts the importance of reading the Bible in its historical and theological context, not as sanitized fable.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “He plunges this 18 inch dagger, including the handle, and his hand goes right into his belly. And the dung came out.” — Dr. Derek Thomas [01:22]
• “He says in verse 20, I have a message from God for you. That's pretty bold, isn't it? He was doing God's business. He was a warrior.” — Dr. Derek Thomas [10:41]
• “Use a different word. He's their savior. He saves them from their enemies. He gives them the promise of God, a part of the promised Land. What does a savior...in 1300 BC actually look like? Well, the answer is he looks like Ehud.” — Dr. Derek Thomas [13:52]
• “God uses messy business to bring about good. That's often the case, isn't it?” — Dr. Derek Thomas [12:45]
• “Most of our Christian lives have messy aspects to it.” — Dr. Derek Thomas [16:52]
• Linus and Lucy from Peanuts: “These hands build bridges and they write novels and they heal the sick and they hit home runs and they change the course of history. And Lucy says, they have jelly on them. And that's our life, isn't it?” — Dr. Derek Thomas [17:03]
• “Well, this is not a story that you'd read to your children at bedtime. Perhaps they would have all sorts of questions and the answers would be difficult perhaps to provide in all honesty. But this is history.” — Dr. Derek Thomas [22:38]
• “This was no time for a peacemaker. This was a time of war. There was a declaration of war against those who would try to destroy the people of God.” — Dr. Derek Thomas [23:30]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:22–05:30 — Reading and detailed breakdown of Judges 3 and the episode’s setting in Israel’s history.
• 05:30–11:15 — Character study: Ehud’s identity, left-handedness, and selection as deliverer.
• 11:15–14:30 — The assassination, escape, and aftermath: Israel’s response and 80-year peace.
• 14:30–18:00 — The messy nature of deliverance, theological reflections, and parallels to Christ the Deliverer.
• 18:00–23:00 — War, justice, judgment, and the moral landscape of the passage.
• 23:00–24:00 — Concluding thoughts: the importance and difficulties of confronting biblical history honestly.

Conclusion

This episode provides a candid, vivid exploration of the biblical account of Ehud, using the story's graphic realism to confront the messiness of redemption and God’s use of unlikely instruments. Rather than dodging difficult questions or glossing over violence, Dr. Thomas invites listeners to see God's sovereign hand at work in history—as well as in the messiness of their own lives. It’s an episode that blends honesty, theological depth, and relevant reflection for believers grappling with the reality of sin, deliverance, and God’s faithfulness.