18 When Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute.
19 But he turned back from the sculptured stones that were near Gilgal, and he said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” And he said, “Silence!” So all those standing in his presence went out,
20 and Ehud came to him while he was sitting alone in his cool upper room. And Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” So he got up from his seat.
21 Then Ehud reached with his left hand for the sword on his right thigh, and he thrust it into his stomach.
22 And the handle also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade because he did not draw back the sword from his stomach; and it went protruding out the back.
23 And Ehud went out the vestibule, and he closed the doors of the upper room and locked them behind him.
24 After he left, his servants returned. When they saw that the doors of the upper room were locked, they thought, “Surely he is relieving himself in the cool inner room.”