Judges 8:6-9 - But the officials of Succoth said, "Do you already have the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna in your possession? Why should we give bread to your troops?"
Then Gideon replied, "Just for that, when the LORD has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will tear your flesh with desert thorns and briers."
From there he went up to Peniel and made the same request of them, but they answered as the men of Succoth had. So he said to the men of Peniel, "When I return in triumph, I will tear down this tower."
Zebah and Zalmunna were Midianite kings, enemies of Israel. I wonder why Succoth an Peniel, where Gadites likely lived, wouldn't help their brothers from across the Jordan. Were they afraid of retribution from Midian if Gideon failed? But Gideon's men were more likely to fail if the Gadites didn't help against their common enemy, so...!
I wonder what made Gideon think of punishing Succoth with desert thorns and briers. Maybe he and his men had recently contended with some nasty plants in their pursuit of Midian.
I wonder why Gideon stopped with wanting to tear down just a tower in Peniel. Was it their most famous landmark? Was there something special about it or was it just the first thing that popped into his head?
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