The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1907-03-01


rotreats IL the f0rests. where sacrt
dec was made and the worship Of
their God was held.
And bitterly did they repent OF
their folly and sin which had made
them first the friends and associates
OF the Moabites, and then their slaves.
What deep humiliation It was for
them, and how 20 the years dragged
on and the heavy tribute was collect,
ed. the people yearned for deliver
ance and q restoration to their old
time power and influence. Sin Is a
hard taskmaster, and he exacts full
measure OF penalty for every indul-
gence granted. And SO 1t was with
the children of Israel. For IS long
years the heavy hand q King Eglon
was felt
During the latter half of this pc
Rod Ehud by his apparent loyalty to
King Eglon, won the latter's favor
and confidence and was entrusted not
only with the task of receiving the
tax Eloney from the people, but with
carrying the same to the king at the
royal city. When there had been In
cipfent revolts against the payment OF
the tax he advised submission, point
ing out that it were only to invite
greater hardship and a heavier tax
to rebel. And when this led the
people to distrust him. some openly
charging him with ~disloyalty to his
own people and HE God, he made no
reply, which was taken by the people
as an admission of guilt.
Now Ehud had pledged himself in
the secrecy of his own heart to the
task of helping Israel to deliverance,
and he realized that he could not
trust himself to the counsels of his
people, lest the king should be led
to suspicion him. In fact, he knew
that the very hostility and resent.
ment Of his people against him would
strengthen the kings faith in him,
and perhaps give him the opportunity
he sought of striking an effective
blow for independence.
Thus as time went on the breach
between Ehud and his brethren grew
wider and wider, and at last the lat
ter entered into a conspiracy against
him. The time had arrived for the
taking of the annual present to the
king. and Ehud was busy gathering
the treasure, all unconscious of the
plan 10 lie in wait for him as he de-
parted for the royal city, to kill him
and seize the treasure.
Tidings OF this thing In some way
reached the ears of the king, and he
sent his servants to warn Ehud, who,
as soon as he understood the temper
Of the people, realized that the time
had come for him to act,
Now up to this time there was not
a weapon in all Israel, save such as
the soldiers of the king carried, Meth
er was it possible to obtain the metal
out of which to make them. How
ever, Ehud, in the present extremity,
succeeded in obtaining a fragment
from the side of one OF the kings
bronze chariots which had been
broken, and all that night he labored
in f%ashioning it into a long dagger,
putting a keen edge on both sides Of
the blade. This he girded upon his
right side, for he was as clever in the
use of his left hand as his right,
and the next morning took up his
journey with those who had been APP
pointed to go with him. But instead
of going by the usual route he made a
detour and thus safely arrived before
the king and having presented the of.
fering, he departed with those with
him.
Now he had scarcely gotten beyond
the court of the craven images which
surrounded the palace of the king
when he suddenly turned himself
back, and again sought the presence
Of the king.
The latter had withdrawn himself
to his summer house in the midst Of
the garden, where he went each day
for rest, but when he understood who
1t was who desired to see him he or.
dered that he be admitted, suppos.
ing that he had some secret message
concerning the plot which the chill
dren of Israel had made against him.
Now, King Eglon was exceedingly
fat, and SO as Ehud drew near and
bent over to whisper in his ear the
king couM not discern that Ehud's
left hand had grasped the dagger
which lay concealed beneath the folds
of his robe. And as he waited for
Ehud to speak, the latter drove the
keen edge of his weapon into his
heart, so that he gave not so much as
a groan, SO swiftly, was the blow
struck. And Ehud escaped, even as
the Scripture states, and having call
ed Israel together, he led them to vic
tory against the Moabites.
WHERE THE HiPPOS BATTLE,