What is the meaning of Judges 3:24? After Ehud was gone - The verse picks up immediately after Ehud—Israel’s divinely appointed deliverer—has exited King Eglon’s private chamber. - His departure signals completion of the mission God gave him (Judges 3:15–23). Compare Gideon’s stealthy withdrawal in Judges 7:19–21. - God’s providence is evident: Ehud leaves undetected, fulfilling Psalm 121:7, “The LORD will guard you from all evil.” Eglon’s servants came in - The royal attendants return to their normal duties, unaware that their king is already dead. - Their delayed arrival fulfills the timing God ordained, echoing 1 Samuel 14:27–30, where human hesitation advances divine purposes. - The narrative shows how God can use even routine staff movements to accomplish deliverance (Proverbs 21:30–31). And found the doors of the upper room locked - Locked doors would usually indicate the king’s desire for privacy; Ehud had cleverly secured them (Judges 3:23). - The servants’ inability to enter provides Ehud crucial time to escape and rally Israel (Judges 3:26–27). - Similar divine timing appears in Acts 12:6–10, where a miraculously opened gate enables Peter’s escape. “He must be relieving himself in the cool room,” they said - Ancient palaces often had a summer upper chamber designed for ventilation (2 Samuel 4:5). - Assuming a private bodily function, the servants delay further, respecting royal dignity (1 Samuel 24:3). - God uses their natural assumption to mask Ehud’s deed, illustrating Proverbs 16:9: “A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.” - The irony underscores divine judgment: the proud king dies while his own staff imagines an ordinary moment, much like Haman’s downfall in Esther 7:7–10. summary Judges 3:24 captures a divinely orchestrated pause. Ehud’s safe exit, the servants’ respectful delay, and the locked doors all converge to give Israel’s deliverer time to flee and mobilize the nation. The verse reminds us that God’s sovereignty extends to ordinary details—closed doors, human assumptions, and timing—turning them into instruments for His people’s salvation and for judgment on the oppressor. |
    |