Judges 8:7

7 Gideon responded, "Alright, then. When the LORD hands Zebah and Zalmunna over to me, I'll whip your bodies with thorns and thistles 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 So Gideon said to the men of Succoth, "Please give me some food for the men under my command. They're exhausted, and I'm pursuing King Zebah and King Zalmunna of Midian."

6 The generals at Succoth replied, "We shouldn't give your army food. You haven't captured Zebah and Zalmunna yet."

7 Gideon responded, "Alright, then. When the LORD hands Zebah and Zalmunna over to me, I'll whip your bodies with thorns and thistles from the desert."

8 Then Gideon went to Penuel and asked the people there for the same help. But they gave him the same reply that the men of Succoth gave.

9 So he told them, "When I come back after my victory, I'll tear down this tower."