But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.
But anyone who wants to handle them must be protected with iron armor and use a long spear; and they must be completely burned up with fire right where they are.
This verse is saying that thorns and worthless people (from the previous verse) are dangerous to deal with and must be handled carefully or destroyed completely.
📚 Historical Context
This comes from David's final words as king, where he's using the metaphor of thorns to describe wicked people who oppose God's rule. In ancient times, farmers had to carefully remove thornbushes from their fields using tools and protective gear, then burn them completely to prevent regrowth. David is comparing how a righteous ruler must deal with evil people in the same careful, decisive way.
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