Ehud, whom the Lord chose as deliverer, is described as left-handed (literally, “bound as to his right hand”). This fact has a bearing on what follows, for a left-handed person would bind his dagger on the opposite side to that on which it was usually carried, a distinct aid in concealing the weapon.

Likely the payment of the yearly tribute. It was probably paid in kind, and therefore required a number of Israelites to carry it and to guard it from robbers on the way.

After serving this foreign king for 18 years the Israelites became sufficiently weary of their status to realize again that their troubles were due to their religious apostasy, and with a degree of contrition they cried to God for help. Although they had betrayed His trust once, God responded by raising up a deliverer for them from the tribe of Benjamin. The first judge had been from Judah, the leading tribe. Now Judah seemingly has no champion for the oppressed people. At least the Lord used a man from the smallest tribe, the tribe that had borne the brunt of the Moabite oppression.