Judges 8:20

Modern

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.

Traditional

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.

Literal

And he said to Jether his firstborn, “Rise and kill them.” And the youth would not draw his sword, for he was afraid, for he was still a youth.

Latin

Dixitque Jether primogenito suo: Surge, et interfice eos. Qui non eduxit gladium: timebat enim, quia adhuc puer erat.

Hebrew

English

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.

Honor was very important in this interaction. Being killed by a woman or a child was seen as shameful (Judges 5:24–27; 9:54).

The timing of the slaughter at Tabor is unclear; it might have happened during an earlier battle.

Gideon's time as a judge ends the first era of judges.

Theme notes and profiles

Psalm 149:9
…to execute the judgment written against them. This honor is for all His saints. Hallelujah!
Joshua 10:24
When they had brought the kings to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had accompanied him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So the commanders came forward and put their feet on their necks.
1 Samuel 15:33
But Samuel declared: “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal.

Jether: Gideon's firstborn son who refused to kill captives