Ehud il mancino

Among the various types of biblical tricksters, the judge Ehud represents a unique, albeit minor, figure within the book of Judges. Through a distinctive combination of traits—including left-handedness, slyness, charisma, and leadership ability—he distills a complex array of both commendable and dubious qualities. This study examines how Ehud's exceptional nature is highlighted by the ingenious stratagem he devises to assassinate Eglon, the king of Moab, and his subsequent escape from a crime scene apparently locked from the inside. By contextualizing the episode within ancient Near Eastern literatures and the broader biblical narrative (such as the cycle of Joab), the author explores the symbolic and archetypal dimensions of the character, placing Ehud’s exploit at the historical origins of the "locked-room mystery" literary subgenre.