Left Handed
/LEFT-HAN-ded/
☩Ehud's Strategy
Ehud was 'a man lefthanded' (literally 'bound in his right hand') who used this characteristic to conceal a dagger on his right thigh, where guards would not expect a weapon (Judges 3:15-21). He assassinated Eglon king of Moab and delivered Israel from eighteen years of oppression. His left-handedness was key to his successful surprise attack.
Key verses:Judges 3:15-21
☩Benjamite Warriors
The tribe of Benjamin had 700 chosen warriors who were left-handed slingers who 'could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not miss' (Judges 20:16). This proficiency with the left hand may have been cultivated deliberately as a military advantage. The name 'Benjamin' ironically means 'son of the right hand,' yet this tribe was noted for its left-handed fighters.
Key verses:Judges 20:161 Chronicles 12:2
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Left-Handed," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. V (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Left-Handed," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. III (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).