Story · 24 · The Other
Towns that refused bread to soldiers
Pursuing enemy kings, Gideon asked the towns of Succoth and Penuel to feed his exhausted troops. They refused. On his return, he punished them harshly.
Rival memories of the same places.
Dig deeper
In Genesis, these same towns are where Jacob built homes, met God, and was renamed Israel. The Gideon story questions their loyalty. The Bible keeps both memories, reflecting a lively debate over who truly belonged.
Bible reference: Judges 8:5–17
Source: Why the Bible Began, pp. 387–388
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