שופטים, פרק ח׳, פסוק ז׳

Facing betrayal from his own people during a critical pursuit, Gideon responds to the leaders of Succoth with a sharp shift in behavior. His firm and angry reaction stands in complete contrast to the peaceful diplomacy he previously used with the people of Ephraim [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Gideon's fury stems from more than just their refusal to provide bread for his exhausted men. Their denial reveals a deep lack of faith, as their mocking words openly reject God's ability to save them. In response, Gideon emphasizes that victory will be delivered by God, making it clear that his confidence rests in the divine promise rather than his own personal strength. For this ultimate lack of faith, the leaders will be punished [חומת אנך]. Furthermore, their refusal to help exposes the poor character of the city's leadership, who actively shirked their duty to participate in the war effort [רלב״ג].

Gideon delays their punishment until after the victory is secured. His promise to act once the enemy kings are captured is not an expression of doubt or a conditional threat, but a strict timeline of events. He waits until the war is complete because stopping to punish the leaders of Succoth would stall the pursuit, giving the Midianite kings a chance to escape and gather fresh forces [אברבנאל]. This tactical thinking also explains the difference in how Gideon handles Succoth compared to the nearby city of Penuel. In Succoth, only the leaders sinned, allowing him to threaten them with severe physical harm. In Penuel, however, the entire city stood against him. Leading a small force of only three hundred men, Gideon worried that threatening the whole population of Penuel with death would drive them to join forces with Succoth against him. As a result, he only threatens to destroy Penuel's tower, hiding his true, harsher intentions until he returns from battle [אלשיך].

The punishment Gideon promises the leaders of Succoth relies on harsh agricultural imagery. He vows to strike and beat their flesh in the same way a farmer threshes grain [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון]. Another approach suggests that he intends to throw the leaders naked onto thorns and trample them underfoot [רד״ק]. This beating will be carried out using the tough, prickly desert thorns and briers native to the area [מצודת ציון, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ, מנחת שי]. Interestingly, the city of Succoth likely earned its name from the sheer abundance of these very thorns in its surrounding landscape. By using these local plants, Gideon designs a fitting punishment that directly reflects the natural environment of their own home [רד״ק, אברבנאל].