104 BATTLES OF THE BIBLE.

the Ammonites and Amalekites joined with the Moabites,
and took possession of a stronghold in the land of
Canaan, supposed to be near the site of Jericho, for it is
called the City of Palm Trees, which had been the name
of Jericho itself. Double guilt calls for double punish-
ment. The Israelites served the king of Mesopotamia
eight years only; they served the king of Moab eighteen.
Yet when in their distress they cried to the Lord,
He was merciful to them, and raised up a second deli-
verer, Ehud, the son of Gera, a left-handed man, of the
tribe of Benjamin.

George. There were surely a great many people in
that tribe who were left-handed.

Grandfather. It seems not to have been a very
uncommon thing among the Benjamites. It is curious that
the meaning of Benjamin is the son of the right hand.
The people of Israel sent a present to Eglon, in addition
to the ordinary tribute which he exacted from them.
It was Ehud the Benjamite who was appointed to
deliver the offering of the people to the oppressor, whom
they did not love; but as they feared him, they were
willing to do anything that would propitiate him. Now
Ehud, to free the Israelites from the yoke of Moab,
resolved to assassinate the tyrant who oppressed them.
For this purpose he got a short dagger made, half a
yard long, which he concealed under his clothes. When
the present had been offered, and accepted, he and the
people who were with him retired. They all proceeded
on their journey together, till they came to Gilgal, where