What does Judges 3:17 mean?

Hearing the people's cries for help from the oppression of their captivity under Moab, God has raised up a new judge to deliver them (Judges 3:12–16). Ehud has been selected to deliver Israel's required tribute to Moab in Jericho, where the king is staying. He has made what the Bible describes as a short, two-edged blade. In medieval times, such a weapon might have been called a rondel: a stabbing weapon with a thin point. Ehud conceals this homemade blade under his robes, on his right thigh. This is the opposite of where such a hidden weapon would normally be carried, but Ehud is proficient with his left hand (Judges 3:15).

When the day comes, Ehud presents the tribute to Eglon at the king's palace in Jericho. The writer of Judges indicates, rather bluntly, that Eglon was a very fat man. Modern readers might think this detail means to mock the Moabite king. That might be, but in the ancient world, being overweight was rare and often considered a sign of prestige. More importantly, the description adds context to a graphic moment in the verses to come.