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Selected Verse: Judges 8:20 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Jud 8:20 |
King James |
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. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
| 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 (Kg1 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. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
| It was Gideon's place to act the part of the "avenger of blood" Num 35:12; Deu 19:6. The fierce manners of the age break out in the slaying of the captives (compare Sa1 15:32-33), and in Gideon's attempt to initiate his youthful son Jether in the stern work of slaying his country's enemies. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| 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. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| 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, Sa1 15:33. Benaiah slew Joab, Kg1 2:25. Saul orders his guards to slay the priests who had contributed to the escape of David, Sa1 22:17; and David caused one of his attendants to slay the Amalekite who pretended to have slain Saul, Sa2 1:15. |
29 And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD; and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.
32 Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past.
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.
6 Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.
12 And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment.
15 And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.
17 And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD.
25 And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him that he died.
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.