Charles Spurgeon Commentary Judges 8:13-17

"And Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle from the ascent of Heres. And he caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he described for him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, seventy and seven men. And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom ye did taunt me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary? And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth. And he brake down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city." — Judges 8:13-17 (ASV)

He probably slew the most public revilers, the leading men of Penuel, just as he had chastised the princes and elders of Succoth with thorns and briers.

I have often observed that you and I have been taught a great many things with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers. If we refuse to help God's weary and tested people, it is highly probable that, one of these days, we may have to learn a great deal from the thorns of the wilderness and from the briers. Do we ever learn much apart from the thorns of the wilderness? Surely, trials and troubles have been our great instructors from the first day until now.