Kretzmann's Popular Commentary
Judges 8:20
And he said unto Jether, his first-born, apparently still a lad, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword; for he feared, because he was yet a youth, not yet accustomed to slaying men.
And he said unto Jether, his first-born, apparently still a lad, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword; for he feared, because he was yet a youth, not yet accustomed to slaying men.
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 _execut...
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), an
CHAPTER 8 INTERNAL STRIFE, GIDEON'S FAILURE AND END _ 1. The strife (Judges 8:1)_ 2. The complete deliverance (Judges 8:10) 3. Gideon's failure and end (Judges 8:22) 4. Israel's failure after Gide...
THE PURSUIT ON THE EAST OF JORDAN. This section is not continuous with the preceding one. The men of Israel, who were gathered together after the battle (Judges 7:23), and the Ephraimites, who were so...
_Jether his firstborn_ Did Gideon wish to bestow an honour upon his son, and humiliate these famous warriors? Or was the youth chosen for ceremonial reasons? Robertson Smith compares the choice of you...
_The pursuit on the east of Jordan_ This section is clearly not the continuation of the verses which immediately precede (see p. 68); if its antecedents are to be found in the foregoing narrative at...
_Gideon Captures and Slays Midian's Kings Judges 8:1-28_ And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites?...
_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._ He said unto Jether his first-born, Up, and slay them. The nea...
HISTORY OF THE JUDGES (JUDGES 3:5 TO JUDGES 16:31) On this, the main section of the book, see Intro. § 2 and List of Oppressions and Judges. The larger part of the book is concerned with six of the Ju...
JETHER] is the same name as Jethro (Exodus 4:18; 1 Kings 2:5). To be slain by a boy would be a further indignity for the two chiefs, who meet their death with barbarian courage. SUMMER PARLOUR] RM 'up...
LIFE WITHOUT LAW JUDGES _PHILIP SMITH_ CHAPTER 8 V1 The people in Ephraim’s *tribe asked Gideon, ‘Why have you done this to us? Why did you not call us when you went to fight the people from Midi...
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...
וַ יֹּ֨אמֶר֙ לְ יֶ֣תֶר בְּכֹורֹ֔ו ק֖וּם הֲרֹ֣
"MIDIAN'S EVIL DAY" Judges 7:8 - Judges 8:1 THERE is now with Gideon a select band of three hundred, ready for a night attack on the Midianites. The leader has been guided to a singular and striking...
THE SNARE OF SUCCESS Judges 8:13 Clearly Gideon's family had passed through some terrible tragedy previous to this war of emancipation. He had not learned our Lord's teaching of forgiveness and acted...
Following the deliverance from the oppression of Midian, Gideon had to deal with internal troubles. The people of Ephraim objected that he had not called them to his help. The men of Succoth and Penue...
Gideon soothed the hurt feelings of Ephraim by telling them that, though they were called late to the battle, their grape gathering had been more fruitful than all the vintage of Abiezer. Gideon and h...
This event, in the death of those princes, forms a song of praise, and a subject of prayer, in the after ages of the church. See Psalms 83:11. But let the Reader remark, in their destruction, the sure...
The book of Joshua has shown the power of Jehovah in the conquests of His people, and this too distinguished from the measure of their practical taking possession of what was conquered. For as these a...
Nevertheless, they did not all unite with Gideon in pursuit of the Midianites. But, for the moment, Gideon despises the cowardice which disowns him through a remaining fear of the oppressor's power. O...
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 r...
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. Ver. 20. _And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and sla...
_He said unto Jether, Up, and slay them_ Some think he said this to animate his son to the use of arms for his God and country, and that he might have a share in the honour of the victory. It must be...
1 Gideon pacifieth the Ephraimites. 4 Succoth and Penuel refuse to relieue Gideons army. 10 Zebah and Zalmunna are taken. 13 Succoth and Penuel are destroyed. 17 Gideon reuengeth his brethrens dea...
GRIEVOUS WORDS AND A SOFT ANSWER (vv. 1-3) But the men of Ephraim were resentful that Gideon had called them so late rather than when he began his campaign against Midian (v.1). They did not stop to...
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...
UP AND SLAY THEM; partly, that he might animate him to the use of arms for his God and country against their enemies, and to the exercise of justice; partly, that the death of those mischievous person...
Judges 8:20 said H559 (H8799) Jether H3500 firstborn H1060 Rise H6965 (H8798) kill H2026 (H8798) youth...
‘ 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.' The men had slain members of his own family. It was therefo...
Judges 6-8 In the first words of Gideon we find the key to his character. (1) He was a man who felt deeply the degradation of his people. He could not enjoy his own harvest while the Midianites were r...
CONTENTS: Jealousy of Ephriam. Events to the death of Gideon. Apostasy. CHARACTERS: God, Gideon, Zebah, Zalmunna, Abimelech, Jerubbaal, Jether. CONCLUSION: Many are led into false ways by one false...
Judges 8:16. _He taught the men of Succoth._ The LXX read, _he threshed_ them. This little city of forty or fifty families was blinded, in giving this answer to Gideon. Soldiers fighting for their cou...
_The children of a king._ THE ROYAL HOUSE OF JESUS There are family names that stand for wealth, or patriotism, or intelligence. The name of Washington means patriotism, although some of the blood of...
CHAPTER 8 _FINAL DEALING WITH THE ENEMY—GIDEON’S LAST DAYS. Judges 8:18_ CRITICAL NOTES.— JUDGES 8:18. THEN SAID HE, etc.] This must have taken place when Gideon arrived at home; for it was after his...
EXPOSITION JUDGES 8:13 BEFORE THE SUN WAS UP. There is a wonderful diversity in the renderings of this verse. Some of the old versions and Jewish Rabbis interpret it _before sunset. _Many of the best...
Shall we turn in our Bibles to the book of Judges, chapter eight? The Ephraimites were troublemakers. And in chapter eight we find them giving Gideon a bad time. But we see with what splendid diplomac...
1 Samuel 15:33; Joshua 10:24; Psalms 149:9...
Up, and slay — That he might animate him to the use of arms for his God and country, and that he might have a share in the honour of the victory....