Difference between revisions of "Ehud's Assassination of Eglon/2"

From AlHaTorah.org
Jump to navigation Jump to search
m
m
Line 7: Line 7:
 
<approaches>
 
<approaches>
  
<category>No Knowledge of Murder
+
<category name="Murder Mistaken for Death">
<p>Eglon was killed in such a way that it was not obvious that he had been murdered, leading the Moabites to assume that he had died a natural death. Many hours passed before they understood that there had been an assassination.</p>
+
Murder Mistaken for Natural Death
 +
<p>Eglon was killed in such a way that it was not obvious that he had been murdered, leading the Moabites to assume that he had died a natural death.&#160; Many hours passed before they understood that there had been an assassination and acted upon it.</p>
 
<mekorot>Y. Elizur</mekorot>
 
<mekorot>Y. Elizur</mekorot>
<point><b>Where was Eglon's palace?</b> According to Elizur, the murder took place in Eglon's palace some place on the Eastern side of the Jordan, in Moav proper.&#160; As such, it should have been very difficult for Ehud to to return to Mt. Ephraim, start the rebellion and block the fords, before the Moabites intervened. This leads Elizur to suggest that the Moabites must not have recognized that a rebellion was under way until much after Eglon's death.</point>
+
<point><b>Where was Eglon's palace?</b> According to Elizur, the murder took place in Eglon's palace some place on the Eastern side of the Jordan, in Moav proper.&#160; As such, it should have been very difficult for Ehud to to return to Mt. Ephraim and start the rebellion, before the Moabites intervened. This leads Elizur to suggest that the Moabites must not have recognized that a rebellion was under way until much after Eglon's death.</point>
 
<point><b>"יִּסְגֹּר הַחֵלֶב בְּעַד הַלַּהַב"</b> – This verse lies at the heart of Elizur's theory.&#160; The fact that the entire sword was swallowed in Eglon's body, and the flesh closed around the wound meant that there was no evidence of foul play.</point>
 
<point><b>"יִּסְגֹּר הַחֵלֶב בְּעַד הַלַּהַב"</b> – This verse lies at the heart of Elizur's theory.&#160; The fact that the entire sword was swallowed in Eglon's body, and the flesh closed around the wound meant that there was no evidence of foul play.</point>
<point><b>The tribute</b></point>
+
<point><b>Ehud's sword</b></point>
 +
<point><b>"וְעֶגְלוֹן אִישׁ בָּרִיא מְאֹד"</b></point>
 
<point><b>"אִישׁ אִטֵּר יַד יְמִינוֹ"</b></point>
 
<point><b>"אִישׁ אִטֵּר יַד יְמִינוֹ"</b></point>
 +
<point><b>"וְהוּא שָׁב מִן הַפְּסִילִים"</b></point>
 
</category>
 
</category>
 
<category name="Proximity of Palace">
 
<category name="Proximity of Palace">
Line 24: Line 27:
 
<point><b>The murder</b></point>
 
<point><b>The murder</b></point>
 
<point><b>"וַיָּחִילוּ עַד בּוֹשׁ"</b> – Josephus suggests that the guards did not just wait long enough for Eglon to relieve himself (which would have provided Ehud with just a few extra minutes) but until evening, as they assumed that the king had gone to sleep.<fn>This is consistent with Josephus' suggestion that Ehud arrived midday, during dinnertime.&#160; It is logical that afterwards the king might lie down for an afternoon siesta, especially in the heat of summer.</fn></point>
 
<point><b>"וַיָּחִילוּ עַד בּוֹשׁ"</b> – Josephus suggests that the guards did not just wait long enough for Eglon to relieve himself (which would have provided Ehud with just a few extra minutes) but until evening, as they assumed that the king had gone to sleep.<fn>This is consistent with Josephus' suggestion that Ehud arrived midday, during dinnertime.&#160; It is logical that afterwards the king might lie down for an afternoon siesta, especially in the heat of summer.</fn></point>
<point><b>וַיִּתְקַע בַּשּׁוֹפָר בְּהַר אֶפְרָיִם</b> – The servants' delay and the proximity of the palace to the Israelites (some of whom lived in Yericho right next to the palace) meant that had Ehud sufficient time to rally them to rebellion, capture the fords of the Jordan and surprise the Moabites.</point>
+
<point><b>"וַיִּתְקַע בַּשּׁוֹפָר בְּהַר אֶפְרָיִם"</b> – The servants' delay and the proximity of the palace to the Israelites (some of whom lived in Yericho right next to the palace) meant that had Ehud sufficient time to rally them to rebellion, capture the fords of the Jordan and surprise the Moabites.</point>
 +
<point><b>"וְהוּא שָׁב מִן הַפְּסִילִים אֲשֶׁר אֶת הַגִּלְגָּל"</b> – This verse would seem to be difficult for this position, since it assumes that Gilgal is in between Yericho and</point>
 
</category>
 
</category>
 
<category>Pre-planned Rebellion
 
<category>Pre-planned Rebellion

Version as of 00:01, 7 August 2016

Ehud's Assassination of Eglon

Exegetical Approaches

This topic has not yet undergone editorial review

Murder Mistaken for Natural Death

Eglon was killed in such a way that it was not obvious that he had been murdered, leading the Moabites to assume that he had died a natural death.  Many hours passed before they understood that there had been an assassination and acted upon it.

Sources:Y. Elizur
Where was Eglon's palace? According to Elizur, the murder took place in Eglon's palace some place on the Eastern side of the Jordan, in Moav proper.  As such, it should have been very difficult for Ehud to to return to Mt. Ephraim and start the rebellion, before the Moabites intervened. This leads Elizur to suggest that the Moabites must not have recognized that a rebellion was under way until much after Eglon's death.
"יִּסְגֹּר הַחֵלֶב בְּעַד הַלַּהַב" – This verse lies at the heart of Elizur's theory.  The fact that the entire sword was swallowed in Eglon's body, and the flesh closed around the wound meant that there was no evidence of foul play.
Ehud's sword
"וְעֶגְלוֹן אִישׁ בָּרִיא מְאֹד"
"אִישׁ אִטֵּר יַד יְמִינוֹ"
"וְהוּא שָׁב מִן הַפְּסִילִים"

Proximity of Palace to Har Ephraim

Since the murder took place in the palace in Yericho, it did not take long for Ehud to return to his fellow Israelites and gather them to rebellion.

Site of Eglon's palace – Josephus suggests that Eglon's palace was not on the Eastern side of the Jordan, but in the conquered territory of עִיר הַתְּמָרִים, identified with Yericho.1  RadakShofetim 3:13-29About R. David Kimchi points out that the language of "וַוַיִּירְשׁוּ אֶת עִיר הַתְּמָרִים" connotes settlement and not simply conquest, which might support this contention.2
"וַיַּקְרֵב אֶת הַמִּנְחָה" – Josephus suggests that this was but one of many such presents that Ehud had brought to Eglon as a means of currying favor with the king and his men.
Why were the Moabites not suspicious of Ehud? According to Josephus, as Ehud lived in Yericho3 and continuously endeared himself to the king through his gifts, he had become a familiar face in the palace.  Moreover, he arrived during the heat of the day,4 when the guards were less alert.
The murder
"וַיָּחִילוּ עַד בּוֹשׁ" – Josephus suggests that the guards did not just wait long enough for Eglon to relieve himself (which would have provided Ehud with just a few extra minutes) but until evening, as they assumed that the king had gone to sleep.5
"וַיִּתְקַע בַּשּׁוֹפָר בְּהַר אֶפְרָיִם" – The servants' delay and the proximity of the palace to the Israelites (some of whom lived in Yericho right next to the palace) meant that had Ehud sufficient time to rally them to rebellion, capture the fords of the Jordan and surprise the Moabites.
"וְהוּא שָׁב מִן הַפְּסִילִים אֲשֶׁר אֶת הַגִּלְגָּל" – This verse would seem to be difficult for this position, since it assumes that Gilgal is in between Yericho and

Pre-planned Rebellion

Ehud's every action was planned meticulously in advance as part of a nation-wide rebellion.  Even before the assassination, a rebel army was in place to attack, and messengers were ready to give word to the rest of the population.

Sources:M. Garsiel,
Where was Eglon's palace?