What is Gideon’s purpose with teaching the men of Succoth?
Judges 8:16 (ESV)
16And he took the elders of the city, and he took thorns of the wilderness and briers and with them taught the men of Succoth a lesson.
He does to them exactly what he said he would do, except now the verb is “teach” rather than “flail,” which shifts the focus from the manner to the purpose of his action: to teach them never to refuse him again.
16 And he took the elders of the city, and he took thorns of the wilderness and briers and with them taught the men of Succoth a lesson.