8:4 Now Gideon and his three hundred men had crossed over the Jordan River, and even though they were exhausted, they were still chasing the Midianites. ¹  8:5 He said to the men of Succoth, “Give ²  some loaves of bread to the men ³  who are following me, ⁴  because they are exhausted. I am chasing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.” 8:6 The officials of Succoth said, “You have not yet overpowered Zebah and Zalmunna. So why should we give ⁵  bread to your army?” ⁶  8:7 Gideon said, “Since you will not help, ⁷  after the Lord hands Zebah and Zalmunna over to me, I will thresh ⁸  your skin ⁹  with ¹⁰  desert thorns and briers.” 8:8 He went up from there to Penuel and made the same request. ¹¹  The men of Penuel responded the same way the men of Succoth had. ¹²  8:9 He also threatened ¹³  the men of Penuel, warning, ¹⁴  “When I return victoriously, ¹⁵  I will tear down this tower.”