Judges 8:20
New International Version
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.

New Living Translation
Turning to Jether, his oldest son, he said, “Kill them!” But Jether did not draw his sword, for he was only a boy and was afraid.

English Standard Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
So 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.

King James Bible
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 King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
So he said to Jether his firstborn, “Rise, kill them.” But the youth did not draw his sword, for he was afraid, because he was still a youth.

NASB 1995
So he said to Jether his firstborn, “Rise, kill them.” But the youth did not draw his sword, for he was afraid, because he was still a youth.

NASB 1977
So he said to Jether his first-born, “Rise, kill them.” But the youth did not draw his sword, for he was afraid, because he was still a youth.

Legacy Standard Bible
So he said to Jether his firstborn, “Rise, kill them.” But the youth did not draw his sword, for he was afraid because he was still a youth.

Amplified Bible
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.

Christian Standard Bible
Then he said to Jether, his firstborn, “Get up and kill them.” The youth did not draw his sword, for he was afraid because he was still a youth.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then he said to Jether, his firstborn, “Get up and kill them.” The youth did not draw his sword, for he was afraid because he was still a youth.

American Standard Version
And 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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he said to Yathar, his firstborn: “Arise, kill them!” And the boy did not draw his sword because he was afraid, for he was still a boy

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he said to Jether his first-born, Rise and slay them; but the lad drew not his sword, for he was afraid, for he was yet very young.

Contemporary English Version
Gideon turned to Jether, his oldest son. "Kill them!" Gideon said. But Jether was young, and he was too afraid to even pull out his sword.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to Jether his eldest son: Arise, and slay them. But he drew not his sword: for he was afraid, being but yet a boy.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then he told Jether, his firstborn son, "Get up and kill them!" But Jether didn't draw his sword. He was afraid because he was only a young man.

Good News Translation
Then he said to Jether, his oldest son, "Go ahead, kill them!" But the boy did not draw his sword. He hesitated, because he was still only a boy.

International Standard Version
Then he told his firstborn son Jether, "Get up and kill them!" But he was afraid, since he was still only a youngster.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And 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.

Literal Standard Version
And he says to his firstborn Jether, “Rise, slay them”; and the young man has not drawn his sword, for he has been afraid, for he [is] yet a youth.

Majority Standard Bible
So 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.

New American Bible
Then he said to his firstborn, Jether, “Go, kill them.” But the boy did not draw his sword, for he was afraid, for he was still a boy.

NET Bible
He ordered Jether his firstborn son, "Come on! Kill them!" But Jether was too afraid to draw his sword, because he was still young.

New Revised Standard Version
So he said to Jether his firstborn, “Go kill them!” But the boy did not draw his sword, for he was afraid, because he was still a boy.

New Heart English Bible
He said to Jether his firstborn, "Get up, and kill them." But the youth did not draw his sword; for he feared, because he was yet a youth.

Webster's Bible Translation
And 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.

World English Bible
He 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.

Young's Literal Translation
And 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.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Gideon Defeats Zebah and Zalmunna
19“They were my brothers,” Gideon replied, “the sons of my mother! As surely as the LORD lives, if you had let them live, I would not kill you.” 20So 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. 21Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Get up and kill us yourself, for as the man is, so is his strength.” So Gideon got up and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and he took the crescent ornaments from the necks of their camels.…

Cross References
Judges 8:19
"They were my brothers," Gideon replied, "the sons of my mother! As surely as the LORD lives, if you had let them live, I would not kill you."

Judges 8:21
Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, "Get up and kill us yourself, for as the man is, so is his strength." So Gideon got up and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and he took the crescent ornaments from the necks of their camels.


Treasury of Scripture

And he said to Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth.

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.

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.

Psalm 149:9
To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.

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Afraid Arise Boy Death Draw Drawn Drew Jether Kill Oldest Rise Slay Sword Turning Young Youth
Judges 8
1. Gideon pacifies the Ephraimites
4. Succoth and Penuel refuse to deliver Gideon's army
10. Zebah and Zalmunna are taken
13. Succoth and Penuel are destroyed
17. Gideon revenges his brothers's death on Zebah and Zalmunna
22. He refuses government
24. His ephod the cause of idolatry
28. Midian subdued
29. Gideon's children, and death
33. The Israelites' idolatry and ingratitude














(20) And he said unto Jether.--By the jus talionis. as well as by every other consideration of that time, Gideon, as the last survivor of all his kingly brothers, would hold himself justified in putting his captives to death. Jether also would inherit the duties of goel (Numbers 35:12; 2Samuel 2:22, &c), and Gideon desired both to train the boy to fearlessness against the enemies of Israel (Joshua 10:24-25). to give him prestige, and to add to the disgrace of the Midianite kings. Again. Gideon must only be judged by the standard and the customs of his own day. (Comp. 1Samuel 15:33, Samuel and Agag; 2Samuel 1:15, David and the Amalekite.) The name Jether is another form of Jethro and means "pre-eminence."

Verse 20. - He said unto Jether, etc. These marks of savage life are painful to contemplate in such a man as Gideon. But it is well for us to be made aware how the best and greatest men cannot rise above the manners and received maxims of their age; and it teaches us to make due allowance for the faults of uncivilised men with whom we have to do, whether Afghans, or Zulus, or others.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So he said
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to Jether,
לְיֶ֣תֶר (lə·ye·ṯer)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3500: Jether -- Moses' father-in-law, also the name of several Israelites

his firstborn,
בְּכוֹר֔וֹ (bə·ḵō·w·rōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1060: Firstborn, chief

“Get up
ק֖וּם (qūm)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

and kill them.”
הֲרֹ֣ג (hă·rōḡ)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 2026: To smite with deadly intent

But the young man
הַנַּ֤עַר (han·na·‘ar)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5288: A boy, lad, youth, retainer

did not
וְלֹא־ (wə·lō-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

draw
שָׁלַ֨ף (šā·lap̄)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8025: To pull out, up, off

his sword;
חַרְבּוֹ֙ (ḥar·bōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

he was fearful
יָרֵ֔א (yā·rê)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten

because
כִּ֥י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

he was still
עוֹדֶ֖נּוּ (‘ō·w·ḏen·nū)
Adverb | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5750: Iteration, continuance, again, repeatedly, still, more

a youth.
נָֽעַר׃ (nā·‘ar)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5288: A boy, lad, youth, retainer


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OT History: Judges 8:20 He said to Jether his firstborn Up (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 8:19
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