‘And he said to the men of Succoth, “Give, I pray you, loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are faint and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.” '
Succoth was in the region of Gad in the Jordan rift valley not far from Zarethan (1 Kings 7:46). It is probably Tell Deir ‘Alla which was a sanctuary surrounded by dwellings and stores. It flourished during the late Bronze Age and its sanctuary was finally destroyed in the first decades of 12th century BC as indicated by a cartouche from the end of the nineteenth dynasty. It was not seemingly a fortified city, and was presumably at this time occupied by Israelites which explains why their refusal brought such condemnation on them. In refusing food they were breaching the tribal covenant. Gideon sought nothing for himself but he was concerned for his men. Note the further stress on them being faint. They had not eaten since the ‘battle'.
“The men of Succoth”, the city elders. They should have assisted in the pursuit of Israel's enemy but they even refused food to their brothers. They had seen the passage of Zebah and Zalmunna with fifteen military units, which by now had presumably regained their composure and were feeling safe from the enemy. They were not sure that Gideon and his three hundred were a match for them. They would at this stage know nothing of Gideon's great victory. They judged by appearances.