ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 Monite Sune 19, 2023

The Dangerous Hebrew Southpaw  אטר 

KO E HEPELU FITA‘A NA‘E HEMA

JUDGES 3:15-16

THEN THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL CRIED OUT TO THE LORD, AND THE LORD RAISED UP FOR THEM A DELIVERER, EHUD, THE SON OF GERA, THE BENJAMINITE, A LEFT-HANDED MAN. THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL SENT TRIBUTE BY HIM TO EGLON THE KING OF MOAB. AND EHUD MADE FOR HIMSELF A SWORD WITH TWO EDGES, A CUBIT IN LENGTH, AND HE BOUND IT ON HIS RIGHT THIGH UNDER HIS CLOTHES.

FAKAMAAU 3:15-16

15 Ka ‘i he tautapa ‘a ha‘a ‘Isileli kia Sihova, na‘a ne fokotu‘u honau taukapo, ko ‘Ēhuti ko e foha ‘o Kela, ko ha ha‘a Penisimani, ko e tangata na‘e hema: he na‘e fakamoimoi ‘iate ia ‘e ha‘a ‘Isileli ha‘anau me‘a‘ofa kia ‘Ekeloni ko e Tu‘i Moape. 16 Ka ko ‘Ēhuti kuo ne ngaohi mai ha heletā na‘e fakatoumata, ko e kiupite hono lōloa; pea na‘a ne no‘o ia ‘i hono loto kofu ‘i hono tenga to‘omata‘u.

(Liliu Faka-TONGA)

‘Oku ‘ikai tatau ‘a e Tohitapu mo e ngaahi tohi ‘o e ‘aho ni, ke ne fakamatala’i mai ‘a e fotunga pe ko ha ngaahi fakaikiiki fekau’aki mo e tokotaha ‘oku fai ki ai ‘a e talanoa. Pea ka faifaiaange pe ne fakamatala’i ha tokotaha, pea ‘oku mahu’inga ke tau tokanga ki ai he ‘oku mahu’inga. Ko ‘Ēhuti, “ko e tangata na’e hema.” ‘E lava pe ke ‘uhinga, na’e nima hema pe fakatouanga (Fakamaau 20:16). Ko e me’a na’e malie ‘i he talanoa, he na’e tamate’i ‘e ‘Ēhuti ‘a ‘Ekeloni ‘aki hono nima hema, ‘aki ha heleta na’a ne fufu ‘i hono alangaa; ko ‘ene tupu mei he ha’a Penisimani, ‘a ia ‘oku ‘uinga, “ko e tama nima mata’u.”  ‘Io, ko e ‘Otua pe te ne ‘omi ha taha pehe ni ke ne fakahaofi hono kakai mei he nofo ha’i seini. 

Ko ‘Ēhuti, na’e tuku’au mai mei ha laine ‘o ha kau to’a fakahaofi mo’ui ‘o faka’osi ki he Fakamo’ui tonu.  Ko e tangata, ka ko e ‘Otua, li’ekina, kae langilangi’ia, pea ko hono tamate’i, na’a ne tamate’i ai pe foki mo mate. ‘Oku pehee pe founga ‘a e ‘Otua, ‘a ee, ‘oku hoko ‘a ‘ene me’a valee, ko e poto ia ki he tangata (1 Kolinito 1:25).

"‘Oku ou tuku hoku laumālie ki ho nima: Kuo ke huhu‘i au, Sihova, ‘a e ‘Otua Mo‘onia." (Saame 31:5).

Unlike modern literature, the Bible typically provides us with no physical description of its characters. On those rare occasions when it does, sit up and take notice; it'll be important. Ehud, for instance, is "a left-handed man," literally, "a man bound [itter] in his right hand." This could mean either "left-handed" or, more likely, ambidextrous (cf. Judg. 20:16). Either way, the paradox is amusing, for Ehud, who employs his left hand to kill Eglon with a hidden dagger, hails from the tribe of Benjamin, whose name means "son of the right hand"! Leave it to God to use a most unlikely deliverer to shatter his people's chains.

Ehud is, in fact, from a long line of paradoxical saviors-a line ending with the Savior himself. He is man but also God, rejected yet glorified, whose execution is the death of death itself. Such are the ways of God whose foolishness is wiser than men (1 Cor. 1:25).

 

"Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God" (Ps. 31:5).