Luke 11:12

12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?

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Luke 11:12 in Other Translations

KJV

12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

ESV

12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?

NLT

12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not!

MSG

12 If your little girl asks for an egg, do you trick her with a spider?

CSB

12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?

Luke 11:12 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 11:12

Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a
scorpion
&c.] Of which there are three sorts; some are terrestrial, or land scorpions, scorpions of the earth, a kind of serpents, very venomous and mischievous, to whom the wicked Jews are compared, ( Ezekiel 2:6 ) and the locusts in ( Revelation 9:3 Revelation 9:5 ) others are airy, or flying scorpions, a sort of fowl; and others are sea scorpions; of the fish kind: it is not easy to say which of them is here meant. There is an herb which is called (Nynbrqe) ^F14, "the scorpion": it leaves are like unto a scorpion, as the Jewish commentators say ^F15. This is observed with the same view as the former. By it may be meant here, either the fish that is so called, since a fish is mentioned before; or rather, the land scorpion, which is of the serpent kind; this brings forth little worms, in the form of eggs, as ^F16 Pliny says: and it is said, that a scorpion put into an empty eggshell, has been used to be given to persons, whose death has been desired; which it bursting from, at once strikes and kills: but what father would do so to a child!

FOOTNOTES:

F14 Misn. Erubin, c. 2. sect. 6.
F15 Maimon. & Bartonora in lb,
F16 Lib. 11. c. 25.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Luke 11:12 In-Context

10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks fora fish, will give him a snake instead?

12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?

13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

14 Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed.