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 also went to Peniel and he destroyed their tower. He killed the men of that city. 18Then Gideon said to Zebah and Zalmunna, ‘Tell me about the men that you killed at Tabor. What kind of men were they?’ The kings answered, ‘They were like you. They looked like the sons of kings.’ Gideon said, ‘Those were my brothers, my own mother's sons. If you had not killed my brothers, I would not kill you. I promise you that, as surely as the Lord lives.’ 20Gideon said to his oldest son, Jether, ‘Kill them now!’ But Jether was only a boy. He was too afraid to do anything. 21Zebah and Zalmunna said to Gideon, ‘Kill us yourself! Let us see if you are brave enough to do that!’ So Gideon did kill them. He took away the silver images from the necks of their camels.

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