Judges 8:7

Easy-to-Read Version

Then Gideon said, "The Lord will help me capture Zebah and Zalmunna. And since you would not give us any food, I will come back and beat you with thorns and briers from the desert."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Gideon replied, “Very well, when the Lord has handed Zebah and Zalmunna over to me, I will tear your flesh with thorns and briers from the wilderness!”

Hebrew Names Version
Gid`on said, Therefore when the LORD has delivered Zevach and Tzalmunnah into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.

King James Version
And Gideon said, Therefore when the Lord hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.

Lexham English Bible
Gideon said, "Well then, when Yahweh gives Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will trample your flesh with the thorns and briers of the wilderness."

English Standard Version
So Gideon said, "Well then, when the Lord has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will flail your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers."

New Century Version
Then Gideon said, "The Lord will surrender Zebah and Zalmunna to me. After that, I will whip your skin with thorns and briers from the desert."

New English Translation
Gideon said, "Since you will not help, after the Lord hands Zebah and Zalmunna over to me, I will thresh your skin with desert thorns and briers."

Amplified Bible
Gideon said, "For that [response], when the LORD has handed over Zebah and Zalmunna to me, I will thrash your bodies with the thorns and briars of the wilderness."

New American Standard Bible
So Gideon said, "For this answer, when the LORD has handed over to me Zebah and Zalmunna, I will thrash your bodies with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers."

Geneva Bible (1587)
Gideon then sayde, Therefore when the Lorde hath deliuered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, I will teare your flesh with thornes of the wildernes and with breers.

Legacy Standard Bible
Toe sê Gídeon: Daarom, as die HERE Seba en Sálmuna in my hand gee, sal ek julle vlees met woestyndorings en distels dors.

Contemporary English Version
"Just wait!" Gideon said. "After the Lord helps me defeat them, I'm coming back here. I'll make a whip out of thorns and rip the flesh from your bones."

Complete Jewish Bible
Gid‘on said: "If that's your answer, then after Adonai has put Zevach and Tzalmuna in my hands, I will tear your flesh apart with desert thorns and thistles!"

Darby Translation
And Gideon said, Therefore when Jehovah delivers Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will thresh your flesh with thorns of the wilderness and with briars.

George Lamsa Translation
And Gideon said to them, Therefore when the LORD has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hands, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.

Good News Translation
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!"

Literal Translation
And Gideon said, Because of this, when Jehovah has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I shall thresh your flesh with thorns of the wilderness and with briers.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Gedeon sayde: Well, whan the LORDE delyuereth Zebea and Salmana in to my hade, I wyll thresshe youre flesh with thornes of the wyldernesse and with breares.

American Standard Version
And Gideon said, Therefore when Jehovah hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.

Bible in Basic English
Then Gideon said, Because of this, when the Lord has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hands, I will have you stretched on a bed of thorns of the waste land and on sharp stems, and have you crushed as grain is crushed on a grain-floor.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Gedeon sayde: Therfore when the Lord hath deliuered Zebah and Zalmana into mine hande, I will teare the fleshe of you with the thornes of the wildernes, and with bryers.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Gideon said: 'Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.'

King James Version (1611)
And Gideon said, Therfore when the Lord hath deliuered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I wil teare your flesh with the thornes of the wildernesse, and with briers.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Gedeon said, Therefore when the Lord gives Zebee and Salmana into my hand, then will I tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness, and the Barkenim.

English Revised Version
And Gideon said: Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.

Berean Standard Bible
"Very well," Gideon replied, "when the LORD has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hands, I will tear your flesh with the thorns and briers of the wilderness!"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
To whiche he seide, Therfor, whanne the Lord schal bitake Zebee and Salmana in to myn hondis, and whanne Y schal turne ayen ouercomere in pees, Y schal to-reende youre fleischis with the thornes and breris of deseert.

Young's Literal Translation
And Gideon saith, `Therefore -- in Jehovah's giving Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand -- I have threshed your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness, and with the threshing instruments.'

Update Bible Version
And Gideon said, Therefore when Yahweh has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.

World English Bible
Gideon said, Therefore when Yahweh has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.

New King James Version
So Gideon said, "For this cause, when the LORD has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers!"

New Living Translation
So Gideon said, "After the Lord gives me victory over Zebah and Zalmunna, I will return and tear your flesh with the thorns and briers from the wilderness."

New Life Bible
Gideon said, "The Lord will give Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand. Then I will beat your bodies with the thorns and thistles from the desert."

New Revised Standard
Gideon replied, "Well then, when the Lord has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will trample your flesh on the thorns of the wilderness and on briers."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Gideon said, Therefore, when Yahweh hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my power, then will I tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness, and with the nettles.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to them: When the Lord therefore shall have delivered Zebee and Salmana into my hands, I will thresh your flesh with the thorns and briers of the desert.

Revised Standard Version
And Gideon said, "Well then, when the LORD has given Zebah and Zalmun'na into my hand, I will flail your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers."

THE MESSAGE
Gideon said, "If you say so. But when God gives me Zebah and Zalmunna, I'll give you a thrashing, whip your bare flesh with desert thorns and thistles!"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
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."

Contextual Overview

⁴ Then Gideon and his 300 men came to the Jordan River and went across to the other side, but they were tired and hungry. ⁵ Gideon said to the men of the city of Succoth, "Give my soldiers something to eat. They are very tired. We are still chasing Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian." ⁶ But the leaders of the city of Succoth said to Gideon, "Why should we give your soldiers something to eat? You haven't caught Zebah and Zalmunna yet." ⁷ Then Gideon said, "The Lord will help me capture Zebah and Zalmunna. And since you would not give us any food, I will come back and beat you with thorns and briers from the desert." ⁸ Gideon left the city of Succoth and went to the city of Penuel. He asked the men of Penuel for food, just as he had asked the men of Succoth. But the men of Penuel gave Gideon the same answer that the men of Succoth had given. ⁹ So Gideon said to the men of Penuel, "After I win the victory, I will come back here and pull this tower down." ¹⁰ Zebah and Zalmunna and their army were in the city of Karkor. Their army had 15,000 soldiers in it. These soldiers were all who were left of the army of the people of the east. 120,000 strong soldiers of that army had already been killed. ¹¹ Gideon and his men used Tent Dwellers' Road, which is east of the cities of Nobah and Jogbehah and attacked the enemy at Karkor. The enemy army did not expect the attack. ¹² Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of the Midianites, ran away. But Gideon chased and caught them. Gideon and his men defeated the enemy army. ¹³ Then Gideon son of Joash returned from the battle. He and his men returned by going through a mountain pass called the Pass of Heres.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

tear: Heb. thresh, Judges 8:16

Reciprocal: Judges 8:15 - upbraid 1 Chronicles 20:3 - with saws

Cross-References

Leviticus 11:15
all kinds of black birds,

1 Kings 17:4
You can get your water from that stream, and I have commanded ravens to bring food to you there."

1 Kings 17:6
Ravens brought Elijah food every morning and every evening, and he drank water from the stream.

Job 38:41
Who feeds the ravens when their babies cry out to God and wander around without food?

Psalms 147:9
He gives food to the animals. He feeds the young birds that cry out.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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

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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Judges 8:7. I will tear your flesh — What this punishment consisted in I cannot say; it must mean a severe punishment: as if he had said, I will thresh your flesh with briers and thorns, as corn is threshed out with threshing instruments; or, Ye shall be trodden down under the feet of my victorious army, as the corn is trodden out with the feet of the ox.

Succoth was beyond Jordan, in the tribe of Gad. Penuel was also in the same tribe, and not far distant from Succoth.