Whip, scourge

The whip was an instrument consisting of either a single or multiple thongs with or without weighted tips on the ends. The thongs were usually leather, and the weighted tips would normally have been made of metal in order to increase the force of the blow and to inflict more severe punishment.

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When the whip was used on draft animals, it was intended to cause them to move faster. This was done either by striking the animal with the whip or by flicking the whip so that the end of it made a cracking sound, frightening the animal. The whip used on animals was normally without the weighted tips. When the whip was used on human beings, it was for punishment (see DEU 25:2; DEU 25:3).

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Where the word “whip” or “scourge” is used figuratively, it will usually be possible to preserve the meaning without keeping the figure. For example, for the literal clause “You shall be hid from the scourge of the tongue” (JOB 5:21 in RSV), GNT has “God will rescue you from slander.”

PRO 26:3: For the literal phrase “A whip for the horse” (RSV), it may be better to use a verb to describe the action; for example, GNT says “You have to whip a horse.”