^12:11My 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

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Footnotes

17 Heb “and now my father placed upon you a heavy yoke, but I will add to your yoke.”
18 Heb “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. “whips with pieces of sharp metal.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

And now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’ ”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.’ ”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Although my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with barbed whips.’ ”

NLTNew Living Translation

Yes, my father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!’ ”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

So then, my father loaded a heavy yoke on all of you, but I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions!’ ”

KJV 1900King James Version

And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

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