Judges 8:1-9 ▼

1 The men from Ephraim strongly protested Gideon's actions. They said, |Why did you do this to us? You didn't invite us to go fight Midian with you.|

2 Gideon replied, |I haven't done anything compared with what you have done. Aren't the grapes that Ephraim picked after the harvest better than all the grapes in Abiezer's entire harvest?

3 God handed Oreb and Zeeb, Midian's commanders, over to you. What have I done compared with that?| When they heard what Gideon said, they weren't angry with him anymore.

4 Gideon and his 300 men headed toward the Jordan River. They were exhausted when they crossed it, but they kept pursuing the enemy.

5 So Gideon said to the men of Succoth, |Please give me some food for the men under my command. They're exhausted, and I'm pursuing King Zebah and King Zalmunna of Midian.|

6 The generals at Succoth replied, |We shouldn't give your army food. You haven't captured Zebah and Zalmunna yet.|

7 Gideon responded, |Alright, then. When the LORD hands Zebah and Zalmunna over to me, I'll whip your bodies with thorns and thistles from the desert.|

8 Then Gideon went to Penuel and asked the people there for the same help. But they gave him the same reply that the men of Succoth gave.

9 So he told them, |When I come back after my victory, I'll tear down this tower.|