Judges 8 · Verse 9

Judges 8:9

And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.
Judges 8:9, King James Version

Judges 8:9 in other translations

BSBSo Gideon told the men of Penuel, “When I return in triumph, I will tear down this tower!”
WEBHe spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, “When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.”
ASVAnd he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.
YLTAnd he speaketh also to the men of Penuel, saying, ‘In my turning back in peace, I break down this tower.'
DARBYAnd he spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.
BBESo he said to the men of Penuel, When I come back in peace, I will have this tower broken down.
WebsterAnd he spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.

What does Judges 8:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
9. he spake ..., When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower--Intent on the pursuit, and afraid of losing time, he postponed the merited vengeance till his return. His confident anticipation of a triumphant return evinces the strength of his faith; and his specific threat was probably provoked by some proud and presumptuous boast, that in their lofty watchtower the Penuelites would set him at defiance.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 9 I will break down this tower - Probably they had not only denied him, but insultingly pointed to a tower in which their chief defense lay; and intimated to him that he might do his worst, for they could amply defend themselves.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Judges 8:4-12

Gideon's men were faint, yet pursuing; fatigued with what they had done, yet eager to do more against their enemies. It is many a time the true Christian's case, fainting, and yet pursuing. The world knows but little of the persevering and successful struggle the real believer maintains with his sinful heart. But he betakes himself to that Divine strength, in the faith of which he began his conflict, and by the…

Read the full comment on Judges 8:4-12 →

Judges 8:9 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.

וַיֹּ֛אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
גַּם\־gam-alsoH1571
לְאַנְשֵׁ֥יle.'an.Sheito [the] men ofH582
פְנוּאֵ֖לfe.nu.'ElPenuelH6439
לֵאמֹ֑רle.Mor<to> sayingH559
בְּשׁוּבִ֣יbe.shu.Viwhen return IH7725
בְשָׁל֔וֹםve.sha.Lomin peaceH7965
אֶתֹּ֖ץ'e.TotzI will tear downH5422
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הַמִּגְדָּ֥לha.mig.Dalthe towerH4026
הַזֶּֽה\׃\ \פha.Zeh<the> thisH2088

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

Cross references for Judges 8:9

  • Judges 8:17

    And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.

  • 1 Kings 22:27-28

    And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace. And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I come.
1Ki 22:27,28
I will break.
17

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

Context

  • Judges 8:8

    And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him.

  • Judges 8:9

    And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.

  • Judges 8:10

    Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.

Read all of Judges 8

Judges 8:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y él habló también á los de Penuel, diciendo: Cuando yo tornare en paz, derribaré esta torre.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il parla de même aux hommes de Penuel, en disant: Quand je reviendrai en paix, je démolirai cette tour.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da sprach er auch zu den Männern von Pnuel und sagte: Wenn ich in Frieden zurückkomme, so werde ich diesen Turm niederreißen!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dixit itaque et eis: Cum reversus fuero victor in pace, destruam turrim hanc.