Bible Strands
Judges 3:18
After Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he ushered out those who had carried it.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Ehud acts alone at the Moabite court immediately after delivering the tribute to King Eglon. He dismisses the attendants who accompanied him to create a private audience with the king.
The words — The verb כִּלָּה (ki.Lah) marks the exact moment Ehud "had finished" the duty of bringing near (הַקְרִיב) the tribute. The verb שִׁלֵּחַ (sha.Lach) literally means "he sent away," describing the deliberate removal of the tribute bearers.
The thread — The sequence of concluding a formal offering before isolating a ruler appears in Judges 3:17-19. The ritual language of bringing near a tribute (מִנְחָה) parallels the presentation of gifts in Genesis 32:13 and 1 Samuel 9:24.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to note the calculated isolation of the king before the impending confrontation. It demands recognition that strategic withdrawal of witnesses precedes decisive action.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present.