Judges 8:20

Judges 8:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth.
• New International Version (NIV)Turning to Jether, his oldest son, he said, “Kill them!” But Jether did not draw his sword, because he was only a boy and was afraid.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So he said to Jether his firstborn, "Rise and kill them!" But the young man did not draw his sword, for he was afraid, because he was still a young man.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And he said to Jether his firstborn, “Rise, kill them!” But the youth would not draw his sword; for he was afraid, because he was still a youth.

Context of Judges 8:20

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.” 19He 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.” So [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. 22Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule [as king] over us, both you and your son, also your son’s son, for you have rescued us from the hand of Midian.”

Judges 8:20 word by word

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לְיֶ֣תֶר בְּכוֹר֔וֹ ק֖וּם הֲרֹ֣ג אוֹתָ֑ם וְלֹא־שָׁלַ֨ף הַנַּ֤עַר חַרְבּוֹ֙ כִּ֣י יָרֵ֔א כִּ֥י עוֹדֶ֖נּוּ נָֽעַר׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto Jetherיֶ֫תֶרyether · JetherH3500
• his firstbornבְּכוֹרbekôr · firstbornH1060
• Upקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
• slayהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
• them. But the youthנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• drewשָׁלַףshâlaph · to drawH8025
• not his swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• for he fearedיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372

Cross-references for Judges 8:20

• Joshua 10:24When they brought these kings out to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and told the commanders of the men of war who had gone with him, “Come up close, put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came forward and put their feet on the necks [of the five kings].
• 1 Samuel 15:33Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel cut Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.
• Psalms 149:9To execute on them the judgment written. This is the honor for all His godly ones. Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)

Commentaries on Judges 8:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20He said unto Jether his first-born - By the ancient laws of war, prisoners taken in war might be either slain, sold, or kept for slaves. To put a captive enemy to death no executioner was required. Gideon slays Zebah and Zalmunna with his own hand. So Samuel is said to have hewn Agag in pieces, 1 Samuel 15:33. Benaiah slew Joab, 1 Kings 2:25. Saul orders his guards to slay the priests who had contributed to the escape of David, 1 Samuel 22:17; and David…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20It was Gideon‘s place to act the part of the “avenger of blood” Numbers 35:12; Deuteronomy 19:6. The fierce manners of the age break out in the slaying of the captives (compare 1 Samuel 15:32-33), and in Gideon‘s attempt to initiate his youthful son Jether in the stern work of slaying his country‘s enemies.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. 20-21Honor was very important in this interaction. Being killed by a woman or a child was seen as shameful (Judges 5:24–27; 9:54).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. he said unto Jether his first-born, Up, and slay them--The nearest of kin was the blood-avenger; but a magistrate might order any one to do the work of the executioner; and the person selected was always of a rank equal or proportioned to that of the party doomed to suffer (1Ki 2:29). Gideon intended, then, by the order to Jether, to put an honor on his son, by employing him to slay two enemies of his country; and on the youth declining, he performed…Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 8:20

• Israel
• Jether
• Retaliation
• Zalmunna
• Zebah

In the dictionaries

• Gideon
• Jether
• Penuel
• Request
• Resemble
• Zalmunna
• Zebah
• Abdon (1)
• David
• Government

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