Ehud has killed the Moabite king and escaped to safety, but his exploits are not yet over. He becomes the model of a deliverer who rallies his men and leads them to battle, again against the Moabites. Ehud’s courage will later be seen to contrast with other leaders’ reluctance to go to battle. The phrase the hill country forms an inclusio around this verse.

This verse opens with the Hebrew word wayehi (literally “And it was”), which Revised Standard Version has not translated. There is a change in scene here, and in many places the wayehi expression marks a new paragraph. However, most English versions let the story flow here, marking no break.

When he arrived is literally “when he came,” showing that Ehud has arrived at a new location. verse 3.26 identifies this place as Seirah, which may be in the mountains. Translators might say “Having arrived there” or “When he arrived [in Seirah].”

He sounded the trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim means Ehud called the people of that region together. Sounded translates a Hebrew verb that means “give a blow [or, blast].” Sounding the trumpet in the Old Testament can be a call to worship, but it also can warn people of an invasion or call them to war. Good News Translation makes the purpose here clear by saying explicitly “he blew a trumpet to call the people of Israel to battle.” In this context the Hebrew word for trumpet (shofar) refers to a ram’s horn, which is still used in some parts of the world today to rally people. Translators should avoid referring to metal trumpets that are used in modern musical groups today. The text seems to imply that Ehud himself sounded the trumpet. But it is possible that he commanded one of his men to do so. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh sees Ehud, as the leader, giving orders to others, and so says “he had the ram’s horn sounded….” Here again, there is a play on words, since the Hebrew verb rendered sounded (taqaʿ) is the same one used to describe Ehud driving the sword into Eglon’s body (verse 3.21, there translated “thrust”). The same verb will be used in a later episode, as Jael drives a tent peg into the head of one of Israel’s enemies (verse 4.21).

For the hill country of Ephraim, see verse 2.9. It is likely that this territory was not completely under Israelite control at that time.

And the people of Israel went down with him from the hill country: Once again the people of Israel is literally “the sons [or, children] of Israel” (see verse 1.1). The Hebrew verb for went down (yarad) implies movement from a high elevation—the hill country—to a lower elevation, but it also implies military activity (see comments on verse 1.9). The Moabites were probably down in the Jordan Valley near Jericho. It is already clear that Ehud is leading the Israelites. The phrase with him indicates that they rally around him as their leader, ready for battle. The mountains are a place of safety and refuge, so the people’s willingness to leave this place shows they have put their confidence in Ehud’s leadership. However, Ehud is a Benjaminite, and he appears here to be leading people mainly from Ephraim. It is worth noting, however, that the territories of Benjamin and Ephraim were next to each other in the territory north of Jerusalem.

Having him at their head is literally “and he [was] before their faces.” This clause is a simple but emphatic statement of Ehud’s role as Israel’s leader. It also implies that he was physically in front of them. Like Hebrew and English, many languages may have an idiomatic expression to speak of Ehud going out before them. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “and he took the lead.”

Some translation examples for this verse are:

• Having arrived there, Ehud sounded the ram’s horn throughout the hill country of Ephraim to call Israel to battle. Then he took the lead and led the Israelites down from the mountains.

• When Ehud got there, he sounded the battle call throughout the hill country of Ephraim. And the Israelites rallied and followed him down from the mountains.

Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .