John Gill Commentary Judges 8:14

"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." — Judges 8:14 (ASV)

And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of
him
Just before he came to the city, he saw a young man who belonged to it, and laid hold on him, and asked him about the chief magistrates of the city, their names and where they lived.

and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders
thereof, even seventy seven men ;
which shows this was no inconsiderable city to have so many princes and elders; the young man described these to Gideon, telling him what sort of men they were, their names, and where they lived: or "he wrote to him" ^F25; wrote down their names, and what part of the city they lived in; or Gideon took down in writing for himself their names and places of abode from the young man, that he would not forget: and in this Gideon showed great wisdom and strict justice, being desirous to punish only the delinquents and not the innocent with the wicked; for though he had asked the men of Succoth for bread, the answer was returned in the ill-natured manner it was by the princes.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F25: (wyla btkyw) "et scripsit ad eum", Montanus, Piscator; "et scripsit sibi", Pagninus, Munster; so some in Drusius.