Judges 8:20

20 dixitque Ietther primogenito suo surge et interfice eos qui non eduxit gladium timebat enim quia adhuc puer erat

Judges 8:20 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 8:20

And he said unto Jether, his firstborn, up, and slay them,
&c.] 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.

Judges 8:20 In-Context

18 dixitque ad Zebee et Salmana quales fuerunt viri quos occidistis in Thabor qui responderunt similes tui et unus ex eis quasi filius regis

19 quibus ille ait fratres mei fuerunt filii matris meae vivit Dominus si servassetis eos non vos occiderem

20 dixitque Ietther primogenito suo surge et interfice eos qui non eduxit gladium timebat enim quia adhuc puer erat

21 dixeruntque Zebee et Salmana tu surge et inrue in nos quia iuxta aetatem robur est hominis surrexit Gedeon et interfecit Zebee et Salmana et tulit ornamenta ac bullas quibus colla regalium camelorum decorari solent

22 dixeruntque omnes viri Israhel ad Gedeon dominare nostri tu et filius tuus et filius filii tui quia liberasti nos de manu Madian