14. Gideon captured a young man from Succoth and asked him some questions. So the young man wrote down for Gideon the names of seventy-seven officers and elders of Succoth.
15. When Gideon came to Succoth, he said to the people of that city, “Here are Zebah and Zalmunna. You made fun of me by saying, ‘Why should we give bread to your tired men? You have not caught Zebah and Zalmunna yet.’ ”
16. So Gideon took the elders of the city and punished them with thorns and briers from the desert.
17. He also pulled down the tower of Peniel and killed the people in that city.
18. Gideon asked Zebah and Zalmunna, “What were the men like that you killed on Mount Tabor?”They answered, “They were like you. Each one of them looked like a prince.”
19. Gideon said, “Those were my brothers, my mother’s sons. As surely as the Lord lives, I would not kill you if you had spared them.”
20. Then Gideon said to Jether, his oldest son, “Kill them.” But Jether was only a boy and was afraid, so he did not take out his sword.
21. Then Zebah and Zalmunna said to Gideon, “Come on. Kill us yourself. As the saying goes, ‘It takes a man to do a man’s job.’ ” So Gideon got up and killed Zebah and Zalmunna and took the decorations off their camels’ necks.
22. The people of Israel said to Gideon, “You saved us from the Midianites. Now, we want you and your son and your grandson to rule over us.”
23. But Gideon told them, “The Lord will be your ruler. I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you.”