person · P0059

Ehud ben Gera אהוד בן גרא

Ehud ben Gera is the Benjaminite deliverer who ends Moabite domination. The narrative emphasizes his left-handedness, his concealed short sword, and a carefully planned private encounter with King Eglon. His victory leads to Israelite control of the Jordan crossings and an unusually long period of rest.

I. Who

Hebrew
אהוד בן גרא
Also known as
Ehud son of Gera
Era
bible

II. When

Traditional
c. 2550–2680 AM, in the Judges period
Lifespan (traditional)
≈130 years
Precision
approximate

V. How do we know

ClaimEvidenceConfidenceSources
Ehud is introduced as a Benjaminite, "a man restricted in his right hand," whom Israel sent with tribute to King Eglon of Moab.
Directly stated in the cited source.
biblical ★★★★★
Ehud made a two-edged sword, concealed it on his right thigh, gained a private audience with Eglon, and killed him.
Directly stated in the cited source.
biblical ★★★★★
After escaping, Ehud sounded the shofar in the hill country of Ephraim, rallied Israel, and seized the Jordan fords against the Moabites.
Directly stated in the cited source.
biblical ★★★★★
The narrative credits Ehud's victory with subduing Moab and says the land rested for eighty years.
Directly stated in the cited source.
biblical ★★★★★
The traditional placement c. 2550–2680 AM, in the Judges period is a schematic Mesorah Atlas reconstruction from his place after Otniel in the Judges sequence and the stated eighty-year rest after his victory; the cited sources do not state an absolute AM range.
The cited sources establish relative chronology or regnal duration; they do not state the absolute AM range.
tradition reconstruction ★☆☆☆☆