Judges 8:21 Meaning and Explanation
“Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels' necks.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →The kings ask Gideon himself to kill them; he does so and takes the ornaments from their camels.
What Does Judges 8:21 Mean?
The kings, preferring death by a strong man's hand to that of a trembling boy, ask Gideon himself to strike them, for as the man is, so is his strength. Gideon rises and slays them, then takes the crescent ornaments from their camels' necks.
Even in defeat the kings claim a kind of dignity, choosing the manner of their end. Gideon completes the justice he had sworn, and the deliverance from Midian's kings is finished. The royal ornaments he takes will reappear in the chapter's sober turn, a foreshadowing that the spoils of victory can become a snare to the one who gathers them.
Frequently Asked Questions About Judges 8:21
What does Judges 8:21 mean?
The kings ask Gideon himself to kill them; he does so and takes the ornaments from their camels.