Lexical Definition

‎עֶגְלוֹן‎ ʻEglôwn (eg-lawn') Eglon ^N:N--L
from ‎עֵגֶל‎; vituline

Eglon.

• § Eglon = "calf-like"
• Eglon, the name of a place in Palestine and of a Moabitish king

n pr m
1) king of Moab who oppressed the children of Israel for 18 years before he was killed by the judge Ehud
n pr loc
2) a royal city in Canaan that opposed the conquest; located in the low lands of Judah

Extended Information

• A man of the Moabites living before Israel's Monarchy, first mentioned at Jdg.3.12

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎עֶגְלוֺן‎₁₃ proper name (compare Gray ^{Prop. N. 92, No. 27}); —

1. masculine a king of Moab, Judg 3:12; Judg 3:14; Judg 3:15; Judg 3:17 (twice in verse), ᵐ5 Εγλωμ.

2. location Josh 10:3; Josh 10:5; Josh 10:23; Josh 10:37; Josh 12:12; Josh 15:34, with ‎ה‎ locative Josh 10:34, ‎מֵעֶגְלוֺ֫נָה‎ vJosh 10:36 ᵐ5 Οδολλαμ Josh 10 Αιλαμ Josh 12:12, A Εγλωμ, ᵐ5 Εγλων, and so Josh 15:39 site ±A³lân, North of Tele-el-–esy, Buhl^{Geogr. 192}.

‎עֶגְלַ֫יִם‎ Ezek 47:10 in ‎׳‎‎עֵין ע‎ q. v.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References

Profile

Male • Moabite king • King of Moab who oppressed Israel

King living before Israel's Monarchy

Eglon, king of Moab, oppressed Israel for 18 years until Ehud, a left-handed Benjamite, assassinated him and delivered Israel. (Jdg.3.12,14,15,17,17)

• A king in Moab living before Israel's Monarchy, first mentioned at Jdg.3.12;
• only referred to as Eglon עֶגְלוֹן.

Eglon was the king of Moab who oppressed the Israelites for eighteen years, as recorded in the book of Judges. After the Israelites did evil in the sight of the Lord, God strengthened Eglon against them and allowed him to conquer and rule over Israel (Judges 3:12-14).

During this period of oppression, the Israelites cried out to the Lord for deliverance. In response, God raised up Ehud, a left-handed Benjamite, as a deliverer (Judges 3:15). Ehud crafted a double-edged sword and concealed it under his clothing.

Acting as an emissary, Ehud brought tribute to Eglon, who is described as a very fat man (Judges 3:17). After presenting the tribute, Ehud sent away the people who had carried it and returned to Eglon, claiming to have a secret message for him. When Eglon dismissed his attendants, Ehud approached him and declared, "I have a message from God for you" (Judges 3:18-20).

Ehud then drew his concealed sword with his left hand and thrust it into Eglon's belly. The sword's hilt sank in after the blade, and Eglon's fat closed over it. Ehud left the sword in Eglon's body and escaped, locking the doors of the upper room behind him (Judges 3:21-23).

Eglon's servants later discovered their king dead and Ehud long gone. Ehud rallied the Israelites, who seized the fords of the Jordan leading to Moab and struck down about 10,000 Moabites. This victory brought peace to the land for eighty years (Judges 3:24-30).

The story of Eglon's oppression and Ehud's assassination highlights the cycle of sin, oppression, and deliverance that characterizes the book of Judges. It also demonstrates God's faithfulness in raising up deliverers for His people when they cry out to Him.

All entries for Eglon: עֶגְלוֹן