Judges 8:15

‘ And he came to the men of Succoth, and said, “Behold, Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom you taunted me saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are weary?” '

Their words had clearly hit Gideon hard. He could not forgive what they had done to his valiant men, instruments of Yahweh in the deliverance of Israel. Now they could see that Zebah and Zalmunna really were in his hand. The elders would be in no doubt of their fate. They knew the penalty for the breach of the tribal covenant.