Jueces 8:6

6 Pero los jefes de Sucot le respondieron:—¿Acaso tienes ya en tu poder las manos de Zeba y Zalmuna? ¿Por qué tendríamos que darle pan a tu ejército?

Jueces 8:6 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 8:6

And the princes of Succoth said
The chief magistrates of the place made answer, one in the name of the rest; for the word said is in the singular number:

are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hands;
that is, are they taken prisoners, and handcuffed, or their hands bound behind them, and put into the hands of Gideon, to do with them as he pleased? no, they were not; and they suggest they never would, deriding him and his small number of men as not a match for these kings, whom, perhaps a little before, they had seen pass by with 15,000 men; with whom his little army would not be able to encounter, should they turn and fall upon them, which they supposed would be the case; and therefore, say they, when these are in thine hands, which they thought would never be, it will be time enough

that we should give bread to thine army?
for they feared, should they do that, these kings would hear of it, and they should suffer for it, and their bondage be harder than it was before; so selfish and diffident in themselves, so cruel and uncompassionate to their brethren, and so ungrateful to their deliverers, which stirred up the spirit of this humble and good man to great resentment.

Jueces 8:6 In-Context

4 Gedeón y sus trescientos hombres, agotados pero persistiendo en la persecución, llegaron al Jordán y lo cruzaron.

5 Allí Gedeón dijo a la gente de Sucot:—Denles pan a mis soldados; están agotados y todavía estoy persiguiendo a Zeba y a Zalmuna, los reyes de Madián.

6 Pero los jefes de Sucot le respondieron:—¿Acaso tienes ya en tu poder las manos de Zeba y Zalmuna? ¿Por qué tendríamos que darle pan a tu ejército?

7 Gedeón contestó:—¡Está bien! Cuando el SEÑOR haya entregado en mis manos a Zeba y a Zalmuna, les desgarraré a ustedes la carne con espinas y zarzas del desierto.

8 Desde allí subió a Peniel y les pidió lo mismo. Pero los de Peniel le dieron la misma respuesta que los hombres de Sucot.