Single lesson
Ehud and King Eglon
Judges 3:12–30
This lesson helps students follow the account of Ehud and King Eglon in order, notice key choices, and see how the passage describes Israel’s trouble, Yahweh’s rescue, and the long rest that followed.
Before you teach
In these verses, Israel again does what is evil in Yahweh’s sight. Yahweh strengthens Eglon king of Moab against them, and Israel serves Eglon for eighteen years. When Israel cries to Yahweh, Yahweh raises up Ehud and the account follows his actions and their outcome.
Students will be able to retell the main sequence in Judges 3:12–30 and identify from the text how Israel’s evil, their cry to Yahweh, Yahweh’s rescue through Ehud, and the resulting rest are connected.
Welcome: Notice the problem and the cry
6 minRead Judges 3:12–15 aloud. Ask students to listen for the problem, the length of Israel’s trouble, and the turning point. Write three headings on paper: Evil, Trouble, Cry. Students fill them with details from the verses: Israel did evil, served Eglon eighteen years, and cried to Yahweh, who raised up Ehud.
Judges 3:12, Judges 3:13, Judges 3:14, Judges 3:15
Read and explain: Follow the account carefully
10 minRead Judges 3:15–26 in sections. Explain simple details from the text only: tribute is what Israel sent to Eglon, Ehud was left-handed, and he returned alone after sending the others away. Keep the description sober and brief when the king is killed. Emphasise the sequence: plan, private meeting, escape.
Judges 3:15, Judges 3:16, Judges 3:17, Judges 3:18, Judges 3:19, Judges 3:20, Judges 3:21, Judges 3:23, Judges 3:24, Judges 3:25, Judges 3:26
Discuss: What choices and outcomes do you see?
8 minGuide students to trace choices and outcomes named in the passage. Israel did evil and then served Eglon. Israel cried to Yahweh and Yahweh raised up Ehud. Ehud blew a trumpet, and Israel went down with him as he led them, and he told them Yahweh had delivered the Moabites into their hand. Discuss what the text clearly says about God and people.
Judges 3:12, Judges 3:14, Judges 3:15, Judges 3:27, Judges 3:28
Make and respond: Build a sequence strip
10 minStudents make a six-part sequence strip with short captions and symbols, not acted scenes. Suggested captions: Israel did evil, Israel served Eglon, Israel cried to Yahweh, Ehud brought the tribute, Ehud escaped, Israel followed and the land had rest. Invite pairs to compare whether each step matches the verses.
Judges 3:12, Judges 3:14, Judges 3:15, Judges 3:17, Judges 3:18, Judges 3:26, Judges 3:27, Judges 3:28, Judges 3:30
Closing: Name the passage’s main message
6 minFinish by rereading Judges 3:15, 28, and 30. Ask students to write one sentence beginning, “This passage shows…” Encourage answers grounded in the wording of the verses, such as Yahweh raising up a saviour, delivering enemies, and giving rest. Close with a calm recap of the full sequence.
Judges 3:15, Judges 3:28, Judges 3:30
Questions to explore
What repeated problem begins this account, and what result follows for Israel?
Look at the exact wording about Israel doing evil, then note who gained power and how long Israel served Eglon.
Judges 3:12, Judges 3:14
What changes the direction of the story in verse 15?
Find the action Israel takes toward Yahweh and the action Yahweh takes in response.
Judges 3:15
How does the passage describe the final outcome after Ehud leads Israel?
Use the verses about following Ehud, Yahweh delivering the Moabites, and the rest that came afterward.
Judges 3:28, Judges 3:29, Judges 3:30
Make, think or respond
Six-Step Sequence Strip
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pens or pencils
- ruler
- scissors
- optional coloured pencils
Try it together
- Fold or divide a sheet into six boxes.
- Reread Judges 3:12–30 and choose six key moments named in the passage.
- Write a short caption in each box and add a simple symbol or small drawing.
- Cut the boxes apart or keep them as a strip, then put them in order without looking.
- Check the order against the passage and explain each step to a partner.
This activity helps students sequence the account and connect each stage to what the text actually says.
Adapt for your group
- For younger or less confident readers, provide the six captions on the board and ask them to copy, order, and match each one to a verse.
- For older students, add a second task: beside each sequence box, write whether it shows Israel’s action, Ehud’s action, or Yahweh’s action from the passage.
An optional closing prayer
Proposed words: “Yahweh, thank you that when Israel cried to you, you raised up Ehud. Thank you that this passage says you delivered the Moabites into Israel’s hand and gave the land rest. Help us read these verses carefully and speak truthfully about what they say.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Judges 3
12 The children of Israel again did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and Yahweh strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight.
13 He gathered the children of Ammon and Amalek to himself; and he went and struck Israel, and they possessed the city of palm trees.
14 The children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
15 But when the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a savior for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.
16 Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he wore it under his clothing on his right thigh.
17 He offered the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.
18 When Ehud had finished offering the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute.
19 But he himself turned back from the stone idols that were by Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” The king said, “Keep silence!” All who stood by him left him.
20 Ehud came to him; and he was sitting by himself alone in the cool upper room. Ehud said, “I have a message from God to you.” He arose out of his seat.
21 Ehud put out his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body.
22 The handle also went in after the blade; and the fat closed on the blade, for he didn’t draw the sword out of his body; and it came out behind.
23 Then Ehud went out onto the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room on him, and locked them.
24 After he had gone, his servants came and saw that the doors of the upper room were locked. They said, “Surely he is covering his feet in the upper room.”
25 They waited until they were ashamed; and behold, he didn’t open the doors of the upper room. Therefore they took the key and opened them, and behold, their lord had fallen down dead on the floor.
26 Ehud escaped while they waited, passed beyond the stone idols, and escaped to Seirah.
27 When he had come, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he led them.
28 He said to them, “Follow me; for Yahweh has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” They followed him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and didn’t allow any man to pass over.
29 They struck at that time about ten thousand men of Moab, every strong man and every man of valor. No man escaped.
30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. Then the land had rest eighty years.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.