Definition and Context
The term "scour" in biblical context generally refers to the act of whipping or flogging, often as a form of punishment or discipline. This practice was common in ancient times and is mentioned in various passages throughout the Bible. Scourging was typically carried out with a whip or lash, sometimes embedded with sharp objects, to inflict pain and serve as a deterrent against wrongdoing.

Biblical References
One of the most notable references to scourging in the Bible is found in the New Testament, in the account of Jesus Christ's suffering before His crucifixion. In the Gospel of John, it is recorded: "Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged" (John 19:1). This act of scourging was part of the Roman judicial process and was inflicted upon Jesus despite His innocence, fulfilling the prophecies of the suffering Messiah.

In the Old Testament, scourging is mentioned as a form of punishment under the Mosaic Law. Deuteronomy 25:2-3 states: "If the guilty man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall have him lie down and be flogged in his presence with the number of lashes appropriate to his crime. He may receive no more than forty lashes, lest your brother be beaten any more than that and be degraded in your sight." This law was intended to ensure that punishment was just and not excessive.

Theological Significance
Scourging in the biblical narrative often symbolizes the severity of sin and the justice of God. It serves as a reminder of the consequences of disobedience and the need for repentance. In the case of Jesus, His scourging is seen as part of the atoning sacrifice for humanity's sins. Isaiah 53:5 prophetically speaks of the Messiah's suffering: "But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed."

Historical and Cultural Background
In the ancient world, scourging was a common practice among various cultures, including the Romans and Jews. It was used not only as a punishment but also as a means of extracting confessions or information. The Roman flagrum, a type of whip used for scourging, was particularly brutal and could cause severe injury or even death.

The Jewish law, as outlined in the Torah, sought to regulate the practice to prevent abuse. The limitation of forty lashes was a measure to protect the dignity and life of the individual being punished. This reflects the broader biblical principle of justice tempered with mercy.

Application for Believers
For Christians, the concept of scourging is a poignant reminder of the suffering Christ endured for the sake of humanity. It calls believers to reflect on the gravity of sin and the depth of God's love demonstrated through Jesus' sacrifice. The Apostle Paul, in his letters, often speaks of sharing in Christ's sufferings as part of the Christian journey, emphasizing the transformative power of enduring trials for the sake of the Gospel.

In summary, the biblical concept of scourging serves as a multifaceted symbol of justice, punishment, and ultimately, redemption through Christ.1. (v. t.) To rub hard with something rough, as sand or Bristol brick, especially for the purpose of cleaning; to clean by friction; to make clean or bright; to cleanse from grease, dirt, etc., as articles of dress.

2. (v. t.) To purge; as, to scour a horse.

3. (v. t.) To remove by rubbing or cleansing; to sweep along or off; to carry away or remove, as by a current of water; -- often with off or away.

4. (v. t.) To pass swiftly over; to brush along; to traverse or search thoroughly; as, to scour the coast.

5. (v. i.) To clean anything by rubbing.

6. (v. i.) To cleanse anything.

7. (v. i.) To be purged freely; to have a diarrhea.

8. (v. i.) To run swiftly; to rove or range in pursuit or search of something; to scamper.

9. (n.) Diarrhea or dysentery among cattle.

4838. maraq -- to scour, polish
... maraq. 4839 . to scour, polish. Transliteration: maraq Phonetic Spelling:
(maw-rak') Short Definition: polish. Word Origin a prim. ... bright, furbish, scour. ...
/hebrew/4838.htm - 6k

4803. marat -- to make smooth, bare or bald, to scour, polish
... 4802, 4803. marat. 4804 . to make smooth, bare or bald, to scour, polish.
Transliteration: marat Phonetic Spelling: (maw-rat') Short Definition: polished. ...
/hebrew/4803.htm - 6k

Concerning Persecution
... Take a cloth that is rotten. If you scour and rub it, it frets and tears;
but if you scour a piece of plate, it looks brighter. ...
/.../the beatitudes an exposition of matthew 51-12/21 concerning persecution.htm

The River of Life
... ideal, which there is power in the gospel to make real in the case of every one
of us, the rapid and continuous increase in the depth and in the scour of 'the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/the river of life.htm

The Ecclesiastical Trial
... Messengers were dispatched to scour the city for the members at the midnight
hour, because the case was urgent and could not brook delay. ...
/.../the trial and death of jesus christ/chapter ii the ecclesiastical trial.htm

His Earliest Oracles. (ii. 2-iv. 4. )
... Yea, though thou scour thee with nitre, 22 And heap to thee lye, Ingrained is thy
guilt before Me, Rede of the Lord, thy God.(156) How sayest thou, "I'm not ...
//christianbookshelf.org/smith/jeremiah/1 his earliest oracles ii.htm

The Struggle for Life
... With fifty other breakfastless birds, it had to bide its time, to scour the country;
to prospect the trees, the grass, the ground; to lie in ambush; to attack ...
/.../the lowell lectures on the ascent of man/chapter vi the struggle for.htm

'The Girdle of Truth'
... It is better to have our lives running between narrow banks, and so to have a scour
in the stream, than to have them spreading wide and shallow, with no ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/the girdle of truth.htm

Coming In
... The stream that is to flow with impetus sufficient to scour its bed clear of
obstructions must not be allowed to meander in side branches, but be banked up in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/coming in.htm

Letter cxvii. To a Mother and Daughter Living in Gaul.
... to allow one's tongue free course through the world." "You are too fearful," he
replied; "where is that old hardihood of yours which made you scour the world ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cxvii to a mother.htm

God's Guests
... shallow pond. Why! it ought to run in a clear stream that has a scour in it
and that will take all filth off the surface. The Psalmist ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/gods guests.htm

Fences and Serpents
... walls, as our hydro-graphical engineers talk about, which, built in the bed of a
river, wholesomely confine its waters and make a good scour which gives life ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/fences and serpents.htm

Scour (2 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) To purge; as, to scour a horse. ... 4. (vt) To pass swiftly over; to brush
along; to traverse or search thoroughly; as, to scour the coast. ...
/s/scour.htm - 7k

Gained (66 Occurrences)
... Matthew 23:15 "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you scour sea
and land in order to win one convert--and when he is gained, you make him ...
/g/gained.htm - 25k

Win (27 Occurrences)
... Matthew 23:15 "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you scour sea
and land in order to win one convert--and when he is gained, you make him ...
/w/win.htm - 14k

Furbish (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (vt) To rub or scour to brightness; to clean; to burnish;
as, to furbish a sword or spear. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/f/furbish.htm - 6k

Fuller (5 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary The word "full" is from the Anglo-Saxon fullian, meaning
"to whiten." To full is to press or scour cloth in a mill. ...
/f/fuller.htm - 10k

Full (1047 Occurrences)
... 12. (n.) To thicken by moistening, heating, and pressing, as cloth; to mill;
to make compact; to scour, cleanse, and thicken in a mill. 13. ...
/f/full.htm - 36k

Rub (1 Occurrence)
... 5. (vt) To scour; to burnish; to polish; to brighten; to cleanse; -- often with
up or over; as, to rub up silver. 6. (vt) To hinder; to cross; to thwart. ...
/r/rub.htm - 8k

Beat (85 Occurrences)
... 5. (vt) To scour or range over in hunting, accompanied with the noise made
by striking bushes, etc., for the purpose of rousing game. ...
/b/beat.htm - 35k

Bear (425 Occurrences)
... market. 32. (n.) A portable punching machine. 33. (n.) A block covered with
coarse matting; -- used to scour the deck. 34. (vt) To ...
/b/bear.htm - 44k

Convert (6 Occurrences)
... Matthew 23:15 "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you scour sea
and land in order to win one convert--and when he is gained, you make him ...
/c/convert.htm - 9k

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