Lexical Summary itter: To pray, entreat, supplicate Original Word: אִטֵּר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance left-handed From 'atar; shut up, i.e. Impeded (as to the use of the right hand) -- + left-handed. see HEBREW 'atar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom atar Definition shut up, bound NASB Translation left-handed* (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs אִטֵּר adjective shut up, bound (Late Hebrew אִטֵּר, lame) יַדיְֿמִינוֺ ׳אִישׁ א Judges 3:15; Judges 20:16 a man bound, restricted, as to his right hand, i.e. left-handed. Topical Lexicon Overview of Usage The term אִטֵּר appears twice in Scripture and consistently denotes an individual whose right hand is impaired, restricted, or otherwise unused, leading to functional left-handedness. This descriptive nuance frames both occurrences in Judges, highlighting people whom society might undervalue yet whom God equips for decisive roles. Biblical Narrative Context 1. Judges 3:15 introduces Ehud son of Gera: “the LORD raised up Ehud son of Gera, a left-handed Benjamite, as a deliverer for them”. Israel’s oppression by Moab ends through a daring act made possible by Ehud’s atypical handedness; a dagger strapped to his right thigh escapes detection and allows him to strike Eglon. His physical peculiarity becomes the very means of deliverance, inaugurating eighty years of peace. Historical and Military Significance Ancient Near-Eastern warfare valued unpredictability. A soldier wielding a weapon with the left hand thrust from an unexpected angle, or a slinger rotating counter to the norm, gained a tactical edge. Benjamin’s warriors—whose tribal name means “son of the right hand”—turned an apparent defect into strategic advantage. Archaeology confirms that specialized left-handed troops existed in other cultures as well; Scripture’s inclusion of such details reflects authentic military practices of the period. Theological and Devotional Insights • Divine sovereignty over human limitation is central. What might be labeled a handicap becomes a platform for God’s power, paralleling themes voiced later by Paul: “My power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Practical Ministry Applications 1. Encourage believers who feel limited by physical, social, or emotional constraints, reminding them that God often chooses “what is weak in the world to shame the strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27). Inter-Testamental Echoes and New Testament Connections Though אִטֵּר itself does not appear in later writings, its themes reverberate: unexpected instruments of redemption (Luke 1:52), God’s preference for the humble (James 4:6), and the call to wholehearted service regardless of perceived disadvantage (Romans 12:6-8). The word’s limited yet vivid usage in Judges teaches that every facet of human experience—even an impaired right hand—can serve redemptive purposes when yielded to the LORD. Forms and Transliterations אִטֵּ֖ר אטר ’iṭ·ṭêr ’iṭṭêr itTerLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Judges 3:15 HEB: הַיְמִינִ֔י אִ֥ישׁ אִטֵּ֖ר יַד־ יְמִינ֑וֹ NAS: the Benjamite, a left-handed man. INT: the Benjamite man left him left-handed Judges 20:16 2 Occurrences |
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