Judges 8:20 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Gideon tells his young son to kill the kings, but the boy is too afraid to draw his sword.
What Does Judges 8:20 Mean?
Gideon commands his firstborn, Jether, to execute the kings, perhaps to mark the deed as a public act of justice and to honor his son. But the boy cannot do it; he does not draw his sword, for he is young and afraid.
The detail is tender and very human. The weight of such an act is too great for a frightened child, and the narrator does not fault him for it. Courage is not the absence of fear but its mastery in due season, and the boy's time has not yet come. The moment lingers on innocence brushing against the grim duties of a violent world.
Frequently Asked Questions About Judges 8:20
What does Judges 8:20 mean?
Gideon tells his young son to kill the kings, but the boy is too afraid to draw his sword.