וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם כַּעֲצַ֤ת הַיְלָדִים֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אָבִי֙ הִכְבִּ֣יד אֶֽת־עֻלְּכֶ֔ם וַאֲנִ֖י אֹסִ֣יף עַֽל־עֻלְּכֶ֑ם אָבִ֗י יִסַּ֤ר אֶתְכֶם֙ בַּשּׁוֹטִ֔ים וַאֲנִ֕י אֲיַסֵּ֥ר אֶתְכֶ֖ם בָּעַקְרַבִּֽים׃
Er redete zu ihnen nach dem Rate der Jünglinge: Hat mein Vater schwer gemacht euer Joch, so will ich es noch mehr erschweren; hat mein Vater euch mit Ruten gezüchtigt, so will ih euch mit Skorpionen züchtigen.
Rashi
And Aram of Damascus came - Heb. דַרְמֶשֶׂק, and in II Samuel (8:6), it is written: דַמֶּשֶׂק. It is customary for Scripture to speak in this manner, like from שַׁרְבִיט :שֵׁבֶט, for (cf. I Kings 12:14): “I shall flog you with whips בַּשּׁוֹטִים (Sic),” is translated שַׁרְבִיטִים. (Rabbi Isaac said this also.)
Rashi
and one I called Destoyers Rehoboam told [his kingdom] that he would flog them with scorpions (I Kings 12:11). [Zechariah] calls their rulers staffs because it is customary to lead flocks with staffs.