Judges 8 · Verse 20

Judges 8:20

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.
Judges 8:20, King James Version

Judges 8:20 in other translations

BSBSo he said to Jether, his firstborn, “Get up and kill them.” But the young man did not draw his sword; he was fearful because he was still a youth.
WEBHe said to Jether his firstborn, “Get up and kill them!” But the youth didn’t draw his sword; for he was afraid, because he was yet a youth.
ASVAnd he said unto Jether his first-born, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword; for he feared, because he was yet a youth.
YLTAnd he saith to Jether his first-born, ‘Rise, slay them;' and the young man hath not drawn his sword, for he hath been afraid, for he is yet a youth.
DARBYAnd he said to Jether his firstborn, Arise, slay them! But the youth drew not his sword; for he feared, because he was yet a youth.
BBEThen he said to Jether, his oldest son, Up! Put them to death. But the boy did not take out his sword, fearing because he was still a boy.
WebsterAnd he said to Jether his first-born, Arise, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth.

What does Judges 8:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
20. 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 the bloody deed himself.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 He 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, 1Sam 15:33. Benaiah slew Joab, 1Kgs 2:25. Saul orders his guards to slay the priests who had contributed to the escape of David, 1Sam 22:17; and David caused one of his attendants to slay the Amalekite who pretended to have slain Saul, 2Sam 1:15.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Judges 8:18-21

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…

Read the full comment on Judges 8:18-21 →

Judges 8:20 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙vai.Yo.merand he saidH559
לְיֶ֣תֶרle.Ye.terto JetherH3500
בְּכוֹר֔וֹbe.kho.Rofirstborn hisH1060
ק֖וּםkumariseH6965
הֲרֹ֣גha.RogkillH2026
אוֹתָ֑ם'o.Tam<obj.> themH853
וְלֹא\־ve.lo'-and notH3808
שָׁלַ֨ףsha.Lafhe drewH8025
הַנַּ֤עַרha.Na.'arthe young manH5288
חַרְבּוֹ֙char.Bosword hisH2719
כִּ֣יkiforH3588
יָרֵ֔אya.Re'he was afraidH3372
כִּ֥יkiforH3588
עוֹדֶ֖נּוּo.De.nustill heH5750
נָֽעַר\׃Na.'ar[was] a young manH5288

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Judges 8:20

  • Joshua 10:24

    And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them.

  • Psalms 149:9

    To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the Lord.

  • 1 Samuel 15:33

    And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jos 10:24; 1Sa 15:33; Ps 149:9

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Judges 8:19

    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.

  • Judges 8:20

    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.

  • Judges 8:21

    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.

Read all of Judges 8

Judges 8:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y dijo á Jether su primogénito: Levántate, y mátalos. Mas el joven no desenvainó su espada, porque tenía temor; que aun era muchacho.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il dit à Jéther, son premier-né: Lève-toi, tue-les. Mais le jeune garçon ne tirait pas son épée, parce qu’il avait peur, car il était encore un jeune garçon.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und er sprach zu Jether, seinem Erstgeborenen: Stehe auf, erschlage sie! Aber der Knabe zog sein Schwert nicht; denn er fürchtete sich, weil er noch ein Knabe war.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dixitque Jether primogenito suo: Surge, et interfice eos. Qui non eduxit gladium: timebat enim, quia adhuc puer erat.