New English Translation
Judges 8:21
21Zebah and Zalmunna said to Gideon, “Come on, you strike us, for a man is judged by his strength.” So Gideon killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and he took the crescent-shaped ornaments which were on the necks of their camels.
Judges 8:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels’ necks.
- New International Version (NIV)Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Come, do it yourself. ‘As is the man, so is his strength.’ ” So Gideon stepped forward and killed them, and took the ornaments off their camels’ necks.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, "Rise yourself and fall upon us, for as the man is, so is his strength." And Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and he took the crescent ornaments that were on the necks of their camels.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Rise yourself, and kill us; for as a man is, so is his strength.” So Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescent ornaments that were on their camels’ necks.
Context of Judges 8:21
19He said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. I swear, as surely as the Lord is alive, if you had let them live, I would not kill you.” 20He ordered Jether his firstborn son, “Come on! Kill them!” But Jether was too afraid to draw his sword, because he was still young. Zebah and Zalmunna said to Gideon, “Come on, you strike us, for a man is judged by his strength.” So Gideon killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and he took the crescent-shaped ornaments which were on the necks of their camels. 22The men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us – you, your son, and your grandson. For you have delivered us from Midian’s power.” 23Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.”
Read all of Judges 8Judges 8:21 word by word
וַיֹּ֜אמֶר זֶ֣בַח וְצַלְמֻנָּ֗ע ק֤וּם אַתָּה֙ וּפְגַע־בָּ֔נוּ כִּ֥י כָאִ֖ישׁ גְּבוּרָת֑וֹ וַיָּ֣קָם גִּדְע֗וֹן וַֽיַּהֲרֹג֙ אֶת־זֶ֣בַח וְאֶת־צַלְמֻנָּ֔ע וַיִּקַּח֙ אֶת־הַשַּׂ֣הֲרֹנִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּצַוְּארֵ֥י גְמַלֵּיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then Zebahזֶ֫בַחzebach · ZebahH2078
- and Zalmunnaצַלְמֻנָּעtsalmûnnâ‛ · ZalmunnaH6759
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Riseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
- thou, and fallפָּגַעpâga‛ · to fall onH6293
- upon us: for as the manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- his strengthגְּבוּרָהgebûrâh · mightH1369
- And Gideonגִּדְעוֹןgid‛ôn · GideonH1439
- and slewהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
- and took awayלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- the ornamentsשַׂהֲרוֹןώahărôn · crescentH7720
- on their camels’גָּמָלgâmâl · camelH1581
- necksצַוָּארtsavvâ'r tsavvâr tsavvârôn tsavvâ'râh · neckH6677
Cross-references for Judges 8:21
- Judges 9:54He quickly called to the young man who carried his weapons, “Draw your sword and kill me, so they will not say, ‘A woman killed him.’” So the young man stabbed him and he died.
- 1 Samuel 31:3Saul himself was in the thick of the battle; the archers spotted him and wounded him severely.
- Revelation 9:6In those days people will seek death, but will not be able to find it; they will long to die, but death will flee from them.
- Psalms 83:1O God, do not be silent! Do not ignore us! Do not be inactive, O God!
- Isaiah 3:18At that time the sovereign master will remove their beautiful ankle jewelry, neck ornaments, crescent shaped ornaments,
Commentaries on Judges 8:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise, thou, and fall upon us - It was disgraceful to fall by the hands of a child; and the death occasioned by the blows of such a person must be much more lingering and tormenting. Some have even employed children to despatch captives. Civilis, a Roman knight, headed a revolt of the Gauls against Rome, in the year of the city 824. Of him Tacitus says, Hist. lib. iv., c. 61: Ferebatur parvulo filio quosdam captivorum sagittis…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21The ornaments - See marg. and compare Isaiah 3:18. The custom of adorning the necks of their camels with gold chains and ornaments prevailed among the Arabs so late as the time of Mahomet.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. 21crescent ornaments (headbands and crescents in Isaiah 3:18): These were common among desert nomads. Jewelry was a lightweight means of carrying wealth.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 10-2710. Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor--a town on the eastern confines of Gad. The wreck of the Midianite army halted there.Read the comment
Topics related to Judges 8:21
In the dictionaries
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
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