Eglon (king)

Eglon was the king of Moab who suppressed Israel in the time of the Judges.

He was the head of the confederacy of Moab, Ammon and Amalek in their assault. One day, Ehud came presenting a customary tribute and tricked Eglon and stabbed him with his sword, but when Ehud attempted to draw the sword back out, the obese king's excess fat prevented its retrieval. Traditionally, it is said that some form of feces or waste issued from Eglon's stomach wound in this incident. His servants, believing he was relieving himself, left him be. Rabbis in the Talmudic tradition claimed that Ruth was Eglon's daughter. According to this tradition, Eglon was rewarded for rising out of respect when Ehud mentioned the Israelite God by having King David as a descendant. This can also be seen as an attempt to provide a royal lineage to David. There is, however, no basis in the actual verses for such an assertion. The Talmud also describes Eglon as the grandson of Balak. (b. Sanhedrin 105a)

References

*cite book |author=Dunn, James A. |authorlink= |editor= |others= |title=Eerdmans commentary on the Bible |edition= |language= |publisher=W.B. Eerdmans |location=Grand Rapids, Mich |year=2003 |origyear= |pages= p191|quote= |isbn=0-8028-3711-5 |oclc= |doi= |url= http://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo-11umIZQC&pg=PA191&dq=Eglon+king+Moab&as_brr=3&ei=843SSL-HAYjcygTSmajNDQ&sig=ACfU3U1aMfYk4A8RZ9QmCR4e89h_qZxzWg|accessdate=
*cite book |author=Sicker, Martin |authorlink= |editor= |others= |title=The rise and fall of the ancient Israelite states |edition= |language= |publisher=Praeger |location=New York |year=2003 |origyear= |pages= p73|quote= |isbn=0-275-98012-X |oclc= |doi= |url= http://books.google.com/books?id=jcHDu8hwvyEC&pg=PA73&dq=Eglon+king+Moab+ammon&as_brr=3&ei=Wo7SSI_4IY3IywT81fDpAw&sig=ACfU3U3nnW-opMGvPB6T7xGwpLkukTTHlQ|accessdate=