Judges 3:17
New International Version
He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was a very fat man.

New Living Translation
He brought the tribute money to Eglon, who was very fat.

English Standard Version
And he presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.

Berean Standard Bible
and brought the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was an obese man.

King James Bible
And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man.

New King James Version
So he brought the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. (Now Eglon was a very fat man.)

New American Standard Bible
Then he presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.

NASB 1995
He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.

NASB 1977
And he presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then he brought the tribute near to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.

Amplified Bible
And he brought the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.

Christian Standard Bible
and brought the tribute to King Eglon of Moab, who was an extremely fat man.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
and brought the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was an extremely fat man.

American Standard Version
And he offered the tribute unto Eglon king of Moab: now Eglon was a very fat man.

English Revised Version
And he offered the present unto Eglon king of Moab: now Eglon was a very fat man.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then he brought the tax payment to King Eglon. (Eglon was a very fat man.)

Good News Translation
Then he took the gifts to Eglon, who was a very fat man.

International Standard Version
and went to present the tribute to King Eglon of Moab. Now Eglon happened to be a very obese man.

Majority Standard Bible
and brought the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was an obese man.

NET Bible
He brought the tribute payment to King Eglon of Moab. (Now Eglon was a very fat man.)

New Heart English Bible
He offered the tribute to Eglon king of Moab: now Eglon was a very fat man.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he brought the present to Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man.

World English Bible
He offered the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and he brings the present near to Eglon king of Moab, and Eglon [is] a very fat man.

Young's Literal Translation
and he bringeth near the present to Eglon king of Moab, and Eglon is a very fat man.

Smith's Literal Translation
And he will bring the gift to Eglon, king of Moab: and Eglon a very fat man.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he presented the gifts to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was exceeding fat.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he offered the gifts to Eglon, the king of Moab. Now Eglon was exceedingly fat.

New American Bible
He presented the tribute to Eglon, king of Moab; now Eglon was a very fat man.

New Revised Standard Version
Then he presented the tribute to King Eglon of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And he brought the present to Eglon king of Moab; and King Eglon was a simple-minded man.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he brought a gift to Eglun, King of Moab, and King Agulan was a very simple man
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And he offered the present unto Eglon king of Moab--now Eglon was a very fat man.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he went, and brought the presents to Eglom king of Moab, and Eglom was a very handsome man.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Ehud
16Now Ehud had made for himself a double-edged sword a cubit long. He strapped it to his right thigh under his cloak 17and brought the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was an obese man. 18After Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he ushered out those who had carried it.…

Cross References
1 Samuel 17:49-51
Then David reached into his bag, took out a stone, and slung it, striking the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. / Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. / David ran and stood over him. He grabbed the Philistine’s sword and pulled it from its sheath and killed him, and he cut off his head with the sword. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran.

2 Samuel 12:1-7
Then the LORD sent Nathan to David, and when he arrived, he said, “There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor. / The rich man had a great number of sheep and cattle, / but the poor man had nothing except one small ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food and drank from his cup; it slept in his arms and was like a daughter to him. ...

1 Kings 21:19-24
Tell him that this is what the LORD says: ‘Have you not murdered a man and seized his land?’ Then tell him that this is also what the LORD says: ‘In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, there also the dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours!’” / When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him, “So you have found me out, my enemy.” He replied, “I have found you out because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD. / This is what the LORD says: ‘I will bring calamity on you and consume your descendants; I will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both slave and free. ...

2 Kings 9:30-37
Now when Jehu arrived in Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it. So she painted her eyes, adorned her head, and looked down from a window. / And as Jehu entered the gate, she asked, “Have you come in peace, O Zimri, murderer of your master?” / He looked up at the window and called out, “Who is on my side? Who?” And two or three eunuchs looked down at him. ...

Esther 7:9-10
Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said: “There is a gallows fifty cubits high at Haman’s house. He had it built for Mordecai, who gave the report that saved the king.” “Hang him on it!” declared the king. / So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the fury of the king subsided.

Psalm 2:1-4
Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? / The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against the LORD and against His Anointed One: / “Let us break Their chains and cast away Their cords.” ...

Psalm 37:12-15
The wicked scheme against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them, / but the Lord laughs, seeing that their day is coming. / The wicked have drawn the sword and bent the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. ...

Proverbs 16:18
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Isaiah 10:12-19
So when the Lord has completed all His work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, He will say, “I will punish the king of Assyria for the fruit of his arrogant heart and the proud look in his eyes. / For he says: ‘By the strength of my hand I have done this, and by my wisdom, for I am clever. I have removed the boundaries of nations and plundered their treasures; like a mighty one I subdued their rulers. / My hand reached as into a nest to seize the wealth of the nations. Like one gathering abandoned eggs, I gathered all the earth. No wing fluttered, no beak opened or chirped.’” ...

Daniel 5:1-31
Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them. / Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. / Thus they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king drank from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. ...

Matthew 23:12
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Mark 6:14-29
Now King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known, and people were saying, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” / Others were saying, “He is Elijah,” and still others, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” / But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen from the dead!” ...

Luke 1:51-52
He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts. / He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble.

Luke 14:11
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Luke 18:14
I tell you, this man, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”


Treasury of Scripture

And he brought the present to Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man.

a very fat

Judges 3:29
And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man.

1 Samuel 2:29
Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?

Job 15:27
Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks.

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Eglon Moab Offered Offering Present Presented Tribute
Judges 3
1. The nations which were left to prove Israel
5. By communion with them they commit idolatry
8. Othniel delivered them from Chushan-Rishathaim
12. Ehud from Eglon
31. and Shamgar from the Philistines














and he brought the tribute
The act of bringing tribute in ancient times was a common practice, often symbolizing submission or allegiance to a more powerful ruler. The Hebrew word for "tribute" here is "מִנְחָה" (minchah), which can also mean offering or gift. This reflects the Israelites' subjugation under Moabite rule, a consequence of their disobedience to God. The tribute was likely agricultural produce or precious metals, indicating the economic burden placed upon Israel. This act of bringing tribute sets the stage for Ehud's cunning plan, highlighting the tension between Israel's oppression and their yearning for deliverance.

to Eglon king of Moab
Eglon, the Moabite king, represents the oppressive foreign powers that God allowed to dominate Israel due to their idolatry and sin. Moab, located east of the Dead Sea, was historically an enemy of Israel. The name "Eglon" is thought to be derived from the Hebrew word "עֶגְלוֹן" (Eglon), meaning "calf-like," which may allude to his corpulence or possibly his perceived strength and dominance. This encounter with Eglon is pivotal, as it sets the stage for God's deliverance through Ehud, reminding us that God can use unexpected means and people to fulfill His purposes.

who was an obese man
The description of Eglon as "an obese man" is not merely a physical observation but carries deeper implications. The Hebrew word used here is "בָּרִיא" (bari), meaning fat or well-fed, which in ancient Near Eastern culture could symbolize wealth, indulgence, and complacency. Eglon's obesity may also serve as a metaphor for the excess and corruption of his reign. This detail foreshadows the vulnerability and eventual downfall of Eglon, as God uses Ehud, an unlikely hero, to deliver Israel. It serves as a reminder of the biblical theme that human strength and power are ultimately futile against God's sovereign will.

(17) He brought the present.--Literally,"caused it to come near." Josephus, in his version of the story, evidently means to insinuate a parallel between the deed of Ehud and that of Harmodius and Aristogiton. He calls Ehud a young man who lived in familiarity with Eglon, and who had won his favour by frequent presents (Antt. v. 4).

A very fat man.--Vulg., Crassus nimis. Such seems to be the undoubted meaning, and the notice is inserted with reference to Judges 3:22. The LXX. render it by the word asteios, a word which may mean either "graceful," or, as more probably in this place, "ridiculous."



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
and brought
וַיַּקְרֵב֙ (way·yaq·rêḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7126: To come near, approach

the tribute
הַמִּנְחָ֔ה (ham·min·ḥāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4503: A donation, tribute, a sacrificial offering

to Eglon
לְעֶגְל֖וֹן (lə·‘eḡ·lō·wn)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5700: Eglon -- a king of Moab, also a city in Israel

king
מֶ֣לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Moab,
מוֹאָ֑ב (mō·w·’āḇ)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4124: Moab -- a son of Lot,also his descendants and the territory where they settled

who
וְעֶגְל֕וֹן (wə·‘eḡ·lō·wn)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5700: Eglon -- a king of Moab, also a city in Israel

was an obese
מְאֹֽד׃ (mə·’ōḏ)
Adverb
Strong's 3966: Vehemence, vehemently, wholly, speedily

man.
אִ֥ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person


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OT History: Judges 3:17 He offered the tribute to Eglon king (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 3:16
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