What does Judges 3:18 mean?
Ehud (Judges 3:15–17) and those with him have delivered their tribute to Eglon, the king of Moab, who has been described as morbidly obese. We're not told what the required tribute from the Israelites to the king consisted of, whether food or material goods or tradable precious metals. It is not important to the story. This would have been common for subjugated people. Being "enslaved," as a nation, would not have meant chains and imprisonment. Rather, it would be mostly a matter of taxes, tributes, seizure of land and property, and oppression of the people.The tribute party has left the king's palace and have headed back toward home. However, Ehud sends the others away and prepares to head back to Eglon's residence at Jericho (Judges 3:19). This will be just one of the risks taken in Ehud's plan. The king is not expecting him.