Benjamin. Ehud is explicitly said to be left-handed. Left-handedness was considered an aberration in the ancient world and had evil or unclean connotations (compare Latin, where sinister means "left"). The name Benjamin is literally "son of the right hand." Perhaps this description of Ehud is the writer's way of characterizing the tribe. Judges 19-21 paints a particularly nasty picture of the tribe of Benjamin.

    Ehud devised a plan to dispose of Eglon, whose name means fatted-calf. This king of Moab dominated Israel and demanded tribute.

¹⁶ And Ehud made a two-edged sword for himself a cubit long. He strapped it on his right thigh under his clothes. ¹⁷ Then he presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, a very fat man. ¹⁸ When Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the people that had carried the tribute. ¹⁹ But he himself turned around at the quarry near Gilgal. He said, "I have a secret message for you, O king." And he commanded, "Silence." All his attendants left him. ²⁰ Ehud came to him as he was sitting alone in his cool roof chamber. Ehud said, "I have a message from God for you." Eglon rose from his seat. ²¹ Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly. ²² The hilt also went in after the blade, and fat closed over the blade. He did not pull the sword out of his belly, but excrement came out. (3:16-22)