Judges 8:7

7 Gideon said, "All right, ¹when the LORD has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will thrash your bodies with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers."

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 He said to the men of Succoth, "Please give loaves of bread to the people who are following me, for they are weary, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian."

6 The leaders of Succoth said, "Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hands, that we should give bread to your army?"

7 Gideon said, "All right, when the LORD has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will thrash your bodies with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers."

8 He went up from there to Penuel and spoke similarly to them; and the men of Penuel answered him just as the men of Succoth had answered.

9 So he spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, "When I return safely, I will tear down this tower."

Cross References

• 1. Judges 7:15

Footnotes

• [a] Lit "For thus"
• [b] Or "trample"
• [c] Lit "flesh"