12:11 My father imposed heavy demands on you; I will make them even heavier.17 My father punished you with ordinary whips; I will punish you with whips that really sting your flesh.’ ”18
tnHeb “and now my father placed upon you a heavy yoke, but I will add to your yoke.”
18
tnHeb “My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with scorpions.” “Scorpions” might allude to some type of torture using poisonous insects, but more likely it refers to a type of whip that inflicts an especially biting, painful wound. Cf. CEV “whips with pieces of sharp metal.”