Charles Ellicott Commentary Judges 3:25

"And they tarried till they were ashamed; and, behold, he opened not the doors of the upper room: therefore they took the key, and opened [them], and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth." — Judges 3:25 (ASV)

Tarried till they were ashamed. —See 2 Kings 2:17; 2 Kings 8:11. It is a dangerous matter to intrude on the privacy of an Eastern king.

A key. —Literally, the opener. The ancient key was simply a bar of wood, hooked at the end, which passed through a hole in the door and caught the bolt inside.

Their lord was fallen down dead. —Compare to Judges 4:22.