This is a simplified version of the Bible story found in Judges 3:12-30, written for children to understand. For the original version, please refer to the Bible passage.
Once upon a time, the people of Israel were not listening to God, and they were doing bad things. So God let the king of Moab, Eglon, attack them. Eglon had a lot of people with him, and they took over a city called Jericho. For eighteen years, the Israelites had to do what Eglon said.
But the Israelites were sad and wanted to be free. They prayed to God, and God answered their prayers by sending a man named Ehud. Ehud was special because he was left-handed. He went to the king with a message and brought a special sword with him. The sword was hidden on Ehud’s right leg so the king wouldn’t see it. The king was very big and fat, and Ehud knew he could use that to his advantage.
Ehud told the king he had a secret message from God and asked everyone to leave the room. When they were alone, Ehud pulled out the sword and stabbed the king in the belly. The king was so big that the sword disappeared into his body, and even poop came out. Then Ehud went out into the porch and closed the doors of the roof chamber behind him and locked them.
After Ehud left, the servants of the king of Moab waited for a long time outside the room. They thought that the king was using the bathroom and did not want to disturb him. But when they still did not hear anything, they became worried and thought something might have happened to the king. So they took the key and opened the door, only to find their king dead on the floor with the sword still in his belly.
Meanwhile, Ehud went back to the Israelites and sounded a trumpet to gather them together. He led them into battle against the Moabites and defeated them. The Israelites killed about 10,000 strong and able-bodied Moabite soldiers, and not one of them escaped. This victory gave the Israelites peace and freedom for eighty years.
Biblical Lessons
- God’s plans are often different from our own and we should be open to His guidance even if it seems unconventional.
- It’s important to be resourceful and use the skills and gifts that God has given us to accomplish good things.
- We should always stand up for what’s right, even if it means going against those who have more power or authority than we do.
- We should always be prepared to fight against evil and oppression, and trust that God will help us in our battles.
