Judges 8:19

Judges 8:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as the Lord liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.
• New International Version (NIV)Gideon replied, “Those were my brothers, the sons of my own mother. As surely as the Lord lives, if you had spared their lives, I would not kill you.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he said, "They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the Lord lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not kill you."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then he said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the Lord lives, if you had let them live, I would not kill you.”

Context of Judges 8:19

17He tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city. 18Then Gideon said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?” And they replied, “They were like you, each one of them resembled the son of a king.” He said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the Lord lives, if only you had let them live, I would not kill you.” 20So [to humiliate them] Gideon said to Jether his firstborn, “Stand up, and kill them!” But the youth did not draw his sword, because he was afraid, for he was still [just] a boy. 21Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Rise up yourself and strike us; for as the man is, so is his strength.” So Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescent amulets that were on their camels’ necks.

Judges 8:19 word by word

וַיֹּאמַ֕ר אַחַ֥י בְּנֵֽי־אִמִּ֖י הֵ֑ם חַי־יְהוָ֗ה ל֚וּ הַחֲיִתֶ֣ם אוֹתָ֔ם לֹ֥א הָרַ֖גְתִּי אֶתְכֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• my brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
• the sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of my motherאֵם'êm · motherH517
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• livethחַיchay · aliveH2416
• ifלוּlû' lû' lû · ifH3863
• ye had saved them aliveחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
• I would not slayהָרַגhârag · to killH2026

Commentaries on Judges 8:19

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19The sons of my mother - A much closer relation than that of brothers by the father only. (Compare Genesis 43:29; Deuteronomy 13:6; Psalm 69:8). This is the only hint preserved of the transaction. We cannot say exactly when the slaughter of Gideon‘s brethren on Mount Tabor took place, whether before the outbreak of the war Judges 6:33, or in the retreat and flight of the Midianites Judges 7:22.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-21Verses 18-21 The kings of Midian must be reckoned with. As they confessed themselves guilty of murder, Gideon acted as the avenger of blood, being the next of kin to the persons slain. Little did they think to have heard of this so long after; but murder seldom goes unpunished in this life. Sins long forgotten by man, must be accounted for to God. What poor consolation in death from the hope of suffering less pain, and of dying with less disgrace than…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-21The timing of the slaughter at Tabor is unclear; it might have happened during an earlier battle.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother--That is, uterine brothers; but, in all countries where polygamy prevails, "the son of my mother" implies a closeness of relationship and a warmth of affection never awakened by the looser term, "brother."Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 8:19

• Israel
• Retaliation
• Zalmunna
• Zebah

In the dictionaries

• Gideon
• Penuel
• Request
• Resemble
• Zalmunna
• Zebah
• Abdon (1)
• Government
• Israel, History of
• Judges, Book of

Commentaries on Judges 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings