Tearing Your Flesh with Thorns - Judges 8:7

In the book of Judges we learned how Gideon told the people of Ephraim, “God has delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that. And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them. And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midia. And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread unto your army?”, and in chapter eight and verse seven of Judges, we learn how “Gideon said, …  I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers”, where we read,

And Gideon said, Therefore 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.

The verse reads, “And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, …” The writer began with the words, “and Gideon said” which means “and Gideon whose name means ‘hewer’ uttered, declared and proclaimed”, “therefore when the LORD” or “wherefore, then and on this account at the time and moment Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name for the One True God” “has delivered Zebah” which means “has granted, put, set and assigned Zebah whose name means ‘deprived of protection’ and was one of the two kings of Midian who commanded the great invasion of Palestine and finally were defeated by Gideon” “and Zalmunna” whose name means “deprived of protection” and was “a Midianite king slain by Gideon” “in my hand” which means “within my, Gideon’s, power, might and authority” the following would occur. The writer shared how “Gideon” told the people of “Succoth” at the time that Jehovah God bestowed “Zebah and Zalmunna” upon his power, the following would happen.

The verse continues, “… then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.” The writer added the words, “then I will tear your flesh” which means “at that time I, Gideon, shall thresh, break and trample on  your, the men of Succoth’s, bodies” “with the thorns” which means “by the use of the pricking thorn bushes” “of the wilderness” or “belonging to the uninhabited land, open field or desert” “and with briers” which means “and by the use of the brightly burning prickly shrubs”. The writer shared how “Gideon” told the “men of Succoth” that he would trample their bodies by the use of the pricking thorn bushes and prickly shrubs which are found in the desert. 

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn how “Gideon” threatened the “men of Succoth” with bodily harm after Jehovah God gave the kings of “Midia” over to him. The “men of Succoth” refused to feed “Gideon and his three hundred men” until after “Zebah ad Zalmunna”, the kings of Midian, were captured by them, and this caused “Gideon” to respond in an aggressive manner. God would deliver the “kings of Midian” into “Gideon’s” power, and Gideon would deal with the “men of Succoth” afterward. God knows the eventual consequence for sin is death, (See Romans 6:23) and for this reason He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind and raised Him from the dead after three days. When we put our faith and trust in Him as our personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put His Holy Spirit within us to guide us into all truth and help us to obey His instructions for activities within His Kingdom. (See John 3:16: Acts 1:8)

Next time we learn how Gideon, “went up there to Penuel, and spoke unto them likewise”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".