⁴ Meanwhile, Gideon and the 300 soldiers with him came to the Jordan, exhausted but continuing their pursuit. ⁵ He told the men of Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the soldiers who are following behind me. They’re tired, and I’m pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”

⁶ But the officials of Succoth replied, “Do you have Zebah and Zalmunna in custody^[a] already, so that we should give food to your army?”

⁷ So Gideon responded, “Very well then, but when the Lord has turned over Zebah and Zalmunna into my control, I’m going to whip you with thorns and briers from the desert!”

⁸ Then he left there to go to Penuel and asked the same thing from them, but the men of Penuel responded the same way the men of Succoth did. ⁹ So he responded the same way to the men of Penuel, “When I come back safely,^[b] I’m going to tear down this tower.”