Judges 8:7

7 So Gideon said, "All right! When the Lord has handed Zebah and Zalmunna over to me, I will beat you with thorns and briers from the desert!"

Judges 8:7 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 8:7

And Gideon said
In answer to the princes of Succoth:

therefore when the Lord hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine
hand;
of which he made no doubt, having the promise of God that he would deliver the host of Midian into his hand, on which his faith rested; and having it in great part performed already, most firmly believed the full performance of it, see ( Judges 7:7 Judges 7:9 )

then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness, and with
briers;
which grew in a wilderness near this city, and from whence as Kimchi thinks, it had its name; the word "Succoth" being used for thorns in ( Job 41:7 ) and the sense is, either that he would scourge them with thorns and briers; or, as the Targum thrust their flesh upon them; which Kimchi interprets of casting their naked bodies upon thorns and briers, and then treading on them with the feet; or draw a cart over them as they thus lay, in like manner as it was usual to do when corn was threshed out; see ( Isaiah 28:27 ) .

Judges 8:7 In-Context

5 When they arrived at Sukkoth, he said to the men of the town, "Please give my men some loaves of bread. They are exhausted, and I am chasing Zebah and Zalmunna, the Midianite kings."

6 But the leaders of Sukkoth said, "Why should we give your army any food? You haven't captured Zebah and Zalmunna yet."

7 So Gideon said, "All right! When the Lord has handed Zebah and Zalmunna over to me, I will beat you with thorns and briers from the desert!"

8 Gideon went on to Penuel and made the same request of the people there, but the men of Penuel gave the same answer as the men of Sukkoth.

9 So he said to them, "I am going to come back safe and sound, and when I do, I will tear this tower down!"