Ehud the Left Handed
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VirginiaHuguenot
Puritanboard Librarian
I don't know of any theological significance to the fact that Ehud was left-handed. I think the account of what he did is given in amazing, almost excruciating detail and this is one of those details that complete the story.
Puritan Sailor
Puritan Board Doctor
It gives me comfort being a lefty myself, that God has a place for us too 
[Edited on 11-1-2005 by puritansailor]
[Edited on 11-1-2005 by puritansailor]
Scott Bushey
Puritanboard Commissioner
Mat 5:39 but I say to you, Do not resist the evil; but whoever strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him also.
Same thing here. To be slapped on the right cheek, would warrant the (dirty) left hand was used.....
Same thing here. To be slapped on the right cheek, would warrant the (dirty) left hand was used.....
Scott
Puritan Board Graduate
There may be a variety of reasons why the left hand is mentioned. Matthew Henry and a others suggest that one reason is that it was easier to hide the sword there.
Whether that is right or wrong, I suspect that there is a typological reason as well. Given the prominence of the right hand in the Bible (eg. "The right hand of the lord doeth valiantly, the right hand of the lord is exalted" (Psalm 118 vv15,16)), which indicates strength, perhaps the left hand indicates weakness (or at least not possessing the strength of the right hand). Given that Ehud is a type of Christ and Eglon a type of the Devil, perhaps the emphasis on the left hand indicates that the Devil would be destroyed through weakness. Christ empited Himself of glory and took on human weakness. The death on the cross was certainly a weakness. Yet, it was also what destroyed the Devil.
A number of commentators (including Matthew Henry) have mentioned that "Benjamin," Ehud's tribe, means the "son of the right hand." This could be a veiled type of God the Father, whose right hand is mighty.
Anyway, just thinking aloud.
Whether that is right or wrong, I suspect that there is a typological reason as well. Given the prominence of the right hand in the Bible (eg. "The right hand of the lord doeth valiantly, the right hand of the lord is exalted" (Psalm 118 vv15,16)), which indicates strength, perhaps the left hand indicates weakness (or at least not possessing the strength of the right hand). Given that Ehud is a type of Christ and Eglon a type of the Devil, perhaps the emphasis on the left hand indicates that the Devil would be destroyed through weakness. Christ empited Himself of glory and took on human weakness. The death on the cross was certainly a weakness. Yet, it was also what destroyed the Devil.
A number of commentators (including Matthew Henry) have mentioned that "Benjamin," Ehud's tribe, means the "son of the right hand." This could be a veiled type of God the Father, whose right hand is mighty.
Anyway, just thinking aloud.
Puritan Sailor
Puritan Board Doctor
Also, all the men mentoined in Scripture as left-handed are from Benjamin.
[Edited on 12-1-2005 by puritansailor]
[Edited on 12-1-2005 by puritansailor]
sailorswife
Puritan Board Freshman
I was once told that the guards would not have checked his left thigh for a weapon since it unusual to be left handed and therefore unlikley to have a weapon on the left side.
LawrenceU
Puritan Board Doctor
Has anyone besides Patrick, and Colleen ever noticed that the world is designed for right-handedness. Where do you put in your car keys? (Except of old Fords. Henry Ford was a southpaw!) What direction is English and most other directions scribed?
Did you know there is fairly good evidence that most Semitic cultures were predominantly left handed initially?
As to significance in Ehud's being a Southpaw. I believe it shows God Sovereignty in detail.
Let's here it for the 'sinister ones'!!
Did you know there is fairly good evidence that most Semitic cultures were predominantly left handed initially?
As to significance in Ehud's being a Southpaw. I believe it shows God Sovereignty in detail.
Let's here it for the 'sinister ones'!!
Puritan Sailor
Puritan Board Doctor
I noticed and adapted. I write left-handed, but do pretty much everything else right-handed.
blhowes
Puritan Board Professor
I never thought about that. I had always thought the car was designed for leftys. When I park the car on a hill and the car starts rolling, you'd expect the emergency brake to be on the right side. But, no, you have to fish around on the left side.
And why'd they put the turn signal on the left? Do you know how many near-accidents I've had 'cause I had to take my right hand off the wheel to move the left-handed turn signal lever?
And what about the roads. I've noticed in Massachusetts anyway that, when a road narrows, the sign always says "Right Lane Ends. Merge Left". It doesn't seem fair. The left side just drives along, business as usual. The right hand side has to almost ask permission to merge into their lane.
VirginiaHuguenot
Puritanboard Librarian
Maybe the UK and Australia are pro-lefty as far as cars and driving? I dunno...
LadyFlynt
Puritan Board Doctor
Originally posted by blhowes
I was concerned for a while about my youngest child. For the longest time, when we'd go out back to play basketball, he kept dribbling the ball with his left hand. Luckily, he outgrew that and now dribbles normally.
NORMAL?! Excuse me...WE are the ones in our right mind! Not only that but don't you realize that we are closer to perfection...lefties are most likely to be amadexterous...we can use BOTH hands
.I write with my left...everything else can be done either right or amadexterously.
LadyFlynt
Puritan Board Doctor
oh, and yes...I used to get terrible marks on my hand and wrist from writing on spiral notebooks. In younger grades they finally came out with fliptop spirals and in jr high they finally came out with neat tear, no spiral notebooks...by then I was always starting my notebooks from back to front anyhow. Also I couldn't stand writing left to right, especially with those (gag) erasable pens...my whole page was always smeared and looked horrible. My way around this is I turn a page totally on it's side (lines verticle) and I could write from bottom to top (neat and small...drove teachers nuts!)
Puritan Sailor
Puritan Board Doctor
Ah yes. I can remember days where the side of my hand was completely gray and shiny from the pencil lead. I never bothered to try switching the paper position. I was jsut used to it. Suppose I could give it a try after 28 years.
Originally posted by puritansailor
Ah yes. I can remember days where the side of my hand was completely gray and shiny from the pencil lead. I never bothered to try switching the paper position. I was jsut used to it. Suppose I could give it a try after 28 years.
Then you shoudl really enjoy Hebrew!!
Puritan Sailor
Puritan Board Doctor
Originally posted by fredtgreco
Originally posted by puritansailor
Ah yes. I can remember days where the side of my hand was completely gray and shiny from the pencil lead. I never bothered to try switching the paper position. I was jsut used to it. Suppose I could give it a try after 28 years.
Then you shoudl really enjoy Hebrew!!
Hay yah! That's true. Maybe the Jewish scribes were left handed too??? Why else would they write backwards?
LadyFlynt
Puritan Board Doctor
Originally posted by puritansailor
Originally posted by fredtgreco
Originally posted by puritansailor
Ah yes. I can remember days where the side of my hand was completely gray and shiny from the pencil lead. I never bothered to try switching the paper position. I was jsut used to it. Suppose I could give it a try after 28 years.
Then you shoudl really enjoy Hebrew!!
Hay yah! That's true. Maybe the Jewish scribes were left handed too??? Why else would they write backwards?
Because they were intelligent and blessed of course!
LawrenceU
Puritan Board Doctor
The right to left of Semitic languages is one reason that many think the area was lefty dominant in the past.
Bob, I'm shocked that you don't know why the turn signal is on the left!! Surely you are old enough to remember that the much more frequently used shift lever was on the right side of the column. The much more frequently used accelerator is on the right as well.
Bob, I'm shocked that you don't know why the turn signal is on the left!! Surely you are old enough to remember that the much more frequently used shift lever was on the right side of the column. The much more frequently used accelerator is on the right as well.
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