KJV ORIGINAL
And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
And he said, 'They were my brothers, my own mother's sons. As surely as the LORD lives, if you had let them live, I would not kill you.'
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
Gideon is telling the men of Penuel that he's about to execute them because they killed his actual brothers, and he's making a solemn oath that he wouldn't harm them if they had spared his family.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs after Gideon's victory over the Midianites, when he's pursuing the remaining enemy kings. The men of Penuel had refused to help feed Gideon's army earlier and apparently participated in killing Gideon's brothers at Tabor. Gideon is now holding them accountable for their betrayal and the murder of his family members.
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