Clarke's Bible Commentary - Judges 3:22
Verse 22. The haft also went in after the blade] As the instrument was very short, and Eglon very corpulent, this might readily take place. And the dirt came out] This is variously understood: either the contents of the bowels issued through the wound, or he had an evacuation in the natural way through the fright and anguish. The original, hnwdrp parshedonah, occurs only here, and is supposed to be compounded of rp peresh, dung, and hd shadah, to shed, and may be very well applied to the latter circumstance; so the Vulgate understood it: Statinque per secreta naturae alvi stercora proruperunt.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 22. And the haft went in, after the blade , etc.] The handle of the dagger, as well as the blade; so strong and violent was the thrust, he determining to do his business effectually; and the fat closed upon the blade ; being an excessive fat man, the wound made by the dagger closed up at once upon it, through the fat: so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly ; being not able to take hold of the haft or handle, that having slipped in through the fat after the blade, so that he was obliged to leave it in him: and the dirt came out ; the margin of our Bibles is, “it came out at the fundament”; that is, the dagger did, the thrust being so strong and vehement; but that is not so likely, the dagger being so short, and Eglon a very fat man. The Targum is, “his food went out;” which was in his bowels; but as the wound was closed up through fat, and the dagger stuck fast in it, it could not come out that way: rather therefore this is to he understood of his excrements, and of their coming out at the usual place, it being common for persons that die a violent death, and indeed others, to purge upon it; some, as Kimchi observes, interpret it of the place where the guards were, the guard room, through which Ehud went out, but that is expressed in another word in ( Judges 3:23); the Syriac and Arabic versions read, “he went out in haste”, that is, Ehud.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 12-30 - When Israel sins again, God raises up a new oppressor. The Israelite did ill, and the Moabites did worse; yet because God punishes the sin of his own people in this world, Israel is weakened, and Moa strengthened against them. If lesser troubles do not do the work, God will send greater. When Israel prays again, God raises up Ehud. As judge, or minister of Divine justice, Ehud put to death Eglon, the kin of Moab, and thus executed the judgments of God upon him as an enemy to God and Israel. But the law of being subject to principalities an powers in all things lawful, is the rule of our conduct. No suc commissions are now given; to pretend to them is to blaspheme God Notice Ehud's address to Eglon. What message from God but a message of vengeance can a proud rebel expect? Such a message is contained in the word of God; his ministers are boldly to declare it, without fearin the frown, or respecting the persons of sinners. But, blessed be God they have to deliver a message of mercy and of free salvation; the message of vengeance belongs only to those who neglect the offers of grace. The consequence of this victory was, that the land had res eighty years. It was a great while for the land to rest; yet what is that to the saints' everlasting rest in the heavenly Canaan.
Original Hebrew
ויבא 935 גם 1571 הנצב 5325 אחר 310 הלהב 3851 ויסגר 5462 החלב 2459 בעד 1157 הלהב 3851 כי 3588 לא 3808 שׁלף 8025 החרב 2719 מבטנו 990 ויצא 3318 הפרשׁדנה׃ 6574
