14. He captured a youth from the men of Succoth and interrogated him. The youth wrote down for him the names of the 77 princes and elders of Succoth.
15. Then he went to the men of Succoth and said, “Here are Zebah and Zalmunna. You taunted me about them, saying, ‘Are Zebah and Zalmunna now in your power that we should give bread to your exhausted men? ’ ”
16. So he took the elders of the city, and he took some thorns and briers from the wilderness, and he disciplined the men of Succoth with them.
17. He also tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.
18. He asked Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men did you kill at Tabor? ”“They were like you,” they said. “Each resembled the son of a king.”
19. So he said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother! As the Lord lives, if you had let them live, I would not kill you.”
20. Then he said to Jether, his firstborn, “Get up and kill them.” The youth did not draw his sword, for he was afraid because he was still a youth.
21. Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Get up and kill us yourself, for a man is judged by his strength.” So Gideon got up, killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescent ornaments that were on the necks of their camels.
22. Then the Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us, you as well as your sons and your grandsons, for you delivered us from the power of Midian.”
23. But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the Lord will rule over you.”
24. Then he said to them, “Let me make a request of you: Everyone give me an earring from his plunder.” Now the enemy had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.
25. They said, “We agree to give them.” So they spread out a mantle, and everyone threw an earring from his plunder on it.