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J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

Judges 8:20

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

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Israel;   Jether;   Retaliation;   Zalmunna;   Zebah;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Ishmaelites, the;  

Dictionaries:

- Easton Bible Dictionary - Jether;   Penuel;   Zalmunna;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jether;   Zebah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Jether;   Judges, Book of;   Zalmunna;   Zebah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Jether;   Judges (1);   Levi;   Midian, Mtdianites;   Ophrah;   Zebah;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Jether ;   Zalmunna ;   Zebah ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Midian;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Gid'eon;   Je'ther;   Ze'bah;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Gideon;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Reign of the Judges;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Gideon;   Jether;   Zebah and Zalmunna;  

Parallel Translations

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.
Hebrew Names Version
He said to Yeter his firstborn, Up, and kill them. But the youth didn't draw his sword; for he feared, because he was yet a youth.
King James 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.
Lexham English Bible
And he said to Jether, his firstborn, "Get up, kill them." But the boy did not draw his sword, for he was afraid because he was still a boy.
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.
New Century Version
Then Gideon said to Jether, his oldest son, "Kill them." But Jether was only a boy and was afraid, so he did not take out his sword.
New English Translation
He ordered Jether his firstborn son, "Come on! Kill them!" But Jether was too afraid to draw his sword, because he was still young.
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.
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.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then he sayde vnto Iether his first borne sonne, Vp, & slay them: but the boy drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet yong.
Legacy Standard Bible
But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
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.
Complete Jewish Bible
Then he ordered his oldest son, Yeter, "Get up, and kill them!" But the boy didn't draw his sword; being still a boy, he was afraid.
Darby Translation
And 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.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then Gideon turned to Jether, his oldest son, and said, "Kill these kings." But Jether was only a boy and was afraid, so he would not take out his sword.
George Lamsa Translation
And he said to Jether his firstborn, Arise and slay them. But the youth did not draw his sword; for he was afraid, because he was still a youth.
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.
Literal Translation
And he said to his first-born, Jether, Rise up, kill them. But the young man did not draw his sword, for he was afraid, for he was still a youth.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And he saide vnto his first borne sonne Iether: Stonde vp, & slaye them. Howbeit the lad drue not out his swerde, for he was afrayed, for so moch as he was yet but a lad.
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.
Bible in Basic English
Then 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.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he sayde vnto Iether his eldest sonne, Up and slay them. But the ladde drue not his sworde: for he feared, because he was yet young.
JPS Old Testament (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.
King James Version (1611)
And he said vnto Iether his first borne, Up, and slay them: but the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
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.
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.
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.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he seide to Jepther, his firste gendrid sone, Rise thou, and sle hem. Which drow not swerd; for he dredde, for he was yit a child.
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.
Update Bible Version
And he said to Jether his first-born, Rise up, and slay 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, Up, and kill them. But the youth didn't draw 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 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.
New Life Bible
Then he said to Jether his first-born son, "Stand up and kill them." But the boy did not pick up his sword. He was afraid because he was still a boy.
New Revised Standard
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.
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.
Revised Standard Version
And he said to Jether his first-born, "Rise, and slay them." But the youth did not draw his sword; for he was afraid, because he was still a youth.
THE MESSAGE
Then he spoke to Jether, his firstborn: "Get up and kill them." But he couldn't do it, couldn't draw his sword. He was afraid—he was still just a boy.
New American Standard Bible (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.

Contextual Overview

18 Then said he unto Zebah and unto Zalmunna, What manner of men were they, whom ye slew at Tabor? And they said, As thou art, so were they, each one, as handsome as the sons of a king. 19 And he said: My brethren, sons of my mother, they were! As Yahweh liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not have slain you. 20 So he said to Jether his firstborn, Up! slay them. But the youth drew not his sword, for he feared, because he was yet a youth. 21 Then said Zebah and Zalmunna - Up! thou, and fall upon us, for, like the man, is his might. So Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescents that were on the necks of their camels.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Joshua 10:24, 1 Samuel 15:33, Psalms 149:9

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 1:15 - Go near 1 Kings 2:25 - he fell

Cross-References

Genesis 4:4
Abel, also, even, he, brought in of the firstlings of his sheep, and of their fat, and Yahweh approved of Abel and of his present;
Genesis 7:2
Of all the clean beasts, shalt thou take to thee by sevens, a male and his female, - and, of the beasts that are not clean,, shall be two a male and his female.
Genesis 8:1
And God remembered Noah, and all the wild - beasts and all the tame-beasts that were with him in the ark, - and God caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided;
Genesis 8:4
And the ark rested, in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, - on the mountains of Ararat.
Genesis 8:7
and sent forth a raven, - and it kept going forth and returning, until the drying up of the waters from off the earth.
Genesis 8:8
And he sent forth a dove from him, - to see whether the waters had abated, from off the face of the ground;
Genesis 8:15
So then, God spake to Noah, saying:
Genesis 8:16
Come forth out of the ark, - thou and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy song wives with thee.
Genesis 8:17
All the living creatures that are with thee of all flesh among birds, and among beasts, and among all the creeping things that creep on the earth, bring forth with thee, - and they shall swarm in the earth, and be fruitful and multiply, on the earth.
Genesis 13:4
unto the place of the altar, which he made there at first, - and Abram called there, on the name of Yahweh.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he said unto Jether, his firstborn, up, and slay them,.... Being the near kinsman of his father's brethren, whom these kings had slain, was a proper person to avenge their blood on them; and the rather Gideon might order him to do it, for the greater mortification of the kings, to die by the hand of a youth; and for the honour of his son, to be the slayer of two kings, and to inure him to draw his sword against the enemies of Israel, and embolden him to do such exploits:

but the youth drew not his sword, for he feared, because he was yet a youth; his not drawing is sword was not out of disobedience to his father, but through fear of the kings; not of their doing him any harm, being bound; but there was perhaps a ferocity, as well as majesty in their countenances, which made the young man timorous and fearful.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

It was Gideon’s place to act the part of the “avenger of blood” Numbers 35:12; Deuteronomy 19:6. The fierce manners of the age break out in the slaying of the captives (compare 1 Samuel 15:32-33), and in Gideon’s attempt to initiate his youthful son Jether in the stern work of slaying his country’s enemies.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Judges 8:20. 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, 1 Samuel 15:33. Benaiah slew Joab, 1 Kings 2:25. Saul orders his guards to slay the priests who had contributed to the escape of David, 1 Samuel 22:17; and David caused one of his attendants to slay the Amalekite who pretended to have slain Saul, 2 Samuel 1:15.


 
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