Judges 8:1-10

The men of Ephraim got into a heated argument with Gideon and complained to him, “Why didn’t you tell us you were going to fight the Midianites? Why did you do that to us?” Gideon replied, “What have I accomplished compared to you? What your tribe did is worth so much more than what my whole clan has done. After all, through the power of God, you killed both Midianite chiefs, Oreb and Zeeb. What have I done compared with you?” After he said this, they calmed down and were no longer so angry. Totally exhausted, Gideon and his three hundred men crossed the river Jordan and continued to pursue the enemy. When they arrived at Succoth, he said to the men of the town, “Please give my men some loaves of bread. They are exhausted, and I am still pursuing the two Midianite kings, Zebah and Zalmunna.” But the leaders of Succoth replied, “Why should we give any food to your army? You haven’t even captured Zebah and Zalmunna yet.” So Gideon said, “All right! Since you won’t help me, when YAHWEH has handed them over to me, I’ll whip you with thorns and briars from the desert!” Gideon went on to Penuel and made the same request of the people there, but the men of Penuel gave him the same reply as the men of Succoth. So he informed them, “I’ll come back victoriously, and when I do, I will tear your tower down!” Zebah and Zalmunna were at Karkor with an army of fifteen thousand men who survived, for one hundred twenty thousand sword-wielding soldiers had already been killed.