(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)
Judges 8:4–17, “And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them. And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian. And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army? And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers. And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him. And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower. Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword. And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure. And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host. And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up, And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men. And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary? And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth. And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.”
Gideon began his battle in the night and had to chase his enemies because they all ran away. He was able to capture and punish the generals because they were guilty of war crimes in Israel. However, the kings of the Midianites had not gone to the battle but sent their generals instead. Gideon knew that he had to capture the kings because they would be able to raise other armies and try to invade and take possession of Israel again. His men were tired and hungry as they travelled so they stopped to ask the people from other Israeli towns to give them some food and drink so that they could be strengthened to continue their battle against Midian. However, the people of these towns were not too keen to help them. They were afraid that the kings might come back and punish them for helping Gideon. They asked Gideon if he had the kings in his power and didn’t help. Gideon was called by the Lord to defeat these two kings and drive all the Midianites out of the Land so he promised them that they would be punished for refusing to support the Lord and His agent during the battle against the Midianites. When Gideon had defeated the two kings of the Midianites, he came back to see the people who had refused to help and punish them.
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