18. After he had given Eglon the payment, Ehud sent away the people who had carried it.
19. When he passed the statues near Gilgal, he turned around and said to Eglon, “I have a secret message for you, King Eglon.”The king said, “Be quiet!” Then he sent all of his servants out of the room.
20. Ehud went to King Eglon, as he was sitting alone in the room above his summer palace.Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” As the king stood up from his chair,
21. Ehud reached with his left hand and took out the sword that was tied to his right hip. Then he stabbed the sword deep into the king’s belly!
22. Even the handle sank in, and the blade came out his back. The king’s fat covered the whole sword, so Ehud left the sword in Eglon.
23. Then he went out of the room and closed and locked the doors behind him.
24. When the servants returned just after Ehud left, they found the doors to the room locked. So they thought the king was relieving himself.
25. They waited for a long time. Finally they became worried because he still had not opened the doors. So they got the key and unlocked them and saw their king lying dead on the floor!
26. While the servants were waiting, Ehud had escaped. He passed by the statues and went to Seirah.
27. When he reached the mountains of Ephraim he blew the trumpet. The people of Israel heard it and went down from the hills with Ehud leading them.