Bible Strands
Judges 3:27
On arriving in Seirah, he blew the ram’s horn throughout the hill country of Ephraim. The Israelites came down with him from the hills, and he became their leader.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Ehud acts alone after reaching Seirah, then addresses the Israelites who descend from the hills to join him. He shifts from escaped fugitive to military commander at the moment he signals the hill country of Ephraim.
The words — The Hebrew וַ/יִּתְקַ֥ע (va/i.yit.Ka') means "and he gave a blast," paired with בַּ/שּׁוֹפָ֖ר (ba./sho.Far), literally "on the ram's horn." This action functions as a military summons rather than a ritual gesture.
The thread — The ram’s horn summons appear elsewhere as rallying signals for military mobilization (Judges 6:34; 1 Samuel 13:3). The geographic focus on Ephraim echoes earlier tribal land distributions (Joshua 17:15).
Why it lands — The text demands recognition that leadership in Israel emerges through decisive action and collective response rather than inherited title. Readers must note how a single signal transforms scattered fugitives into an organized force.
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 it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them.
Cross-references
- Judges 6:34 So the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, who blew the ram’s horn and rallied the Abiezrites behind him.
- 1 Samuel 13:3 Then Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. So Saul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!”
- Joshua 17:15 Joshua answered them, “If you have so many people that the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go to the forest and clear for yourself an area in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim.”
- Joshua 17:18 because the hill country will be yours as well. It is a forest; clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours. Although the Canaanites have iron chariots and although they are strong, you can drive them out.”
- Judges 5:14 Some came from Ephraim, with their roots in Amalek; Benjamin came with your people after you. The commanders came down from Machir, the bearers of the marshal’s staff from Zebulun.
- Judges 7:24 Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim to say, “Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth-barah.” So all the men of Ephraim were called out, and they captured the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth-barah.
- Judges 17:1 Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim
- Judges 19:1 Now in those days, when there was no king in Israel, a Levite who lived in the remote hill country of Ephraim took for himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.
- 2 Samuel 20:22 Then the woman went to all the people with her wise counsel, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the ram’s horn and his men dispersed from the city, each to his own home. And Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.
- 2 Kings 9:13 Quickly, each man took his garment and put it under Jehu on the bare steps. Then they blew the ram’s horn and proclaimed, “Jehu is king!”