Tola and Jair

10 After Abimelech, Tola son of Puah, son of Dodo became judge and began to deliver Israel. He was from Issachar and lived in Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim. Tola judged Israel 23 years and when he died, was buried in Shamir.

After him came Jair the Gileadite,(A) who judged Israel 22 years. He had 30 sons who rode on 30 donkeys. They had 30 towns[a] in Gilead, which are called Jair’s Villages[b] to this day. When Jair died, he was buried in Kamon.

Israel’s Rebellion and Repentance

Then the Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.(B) They worshiped the Baals and the Ashtoreths, the gods of Aram, Sidon, and Moab, and the gods of the Ammonites and the Philistines.(C) They abandoned Yahweh and did not worship Him.(D) So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel, and He sold them to[c] the Philistines and the Ammonites. They shattered and crushed the Israelites that year, and for 18 years they did the same to all the Israelites who were on the other side of the Jordan(E) in the land of the Amorites(F) in Gilead. The Ammonites also crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah, Benjamin, and the house of Ephraim. Israel was greatly oppressed, 10 so they cried out to the Lord, saying, “We have sinned against You.(G) We have abandoned our God and worshiped the Baals.”

11 The Lord said to the Israelites, “When the Egyptians,(H) Amorites, Ammonites, Philistines, 12 Sidonians, Amalekites, and Maonites[d](I) oppressed you, and you cried out to Me, did I not deliver you from their power? 13 But you have abandoned Me and worshiped other gods. Therefore, I will not deliver you again. 14 Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen.(J) Let them deliver you in the time of your oppression.”

15 But the Israelites said, “We have sinned. Deal with us as You see fit;[e] only deliver us(K) today!” 16 So they got rid of the foreign gods(L) among them and worshiped the Lord,(M) and He became weary(N) of Israel’s misery.

17 The Ammonites were called together, and they camped in Gilead. So the Israelites assembled and camped at Mizpah.(O) 18 The rulers[f] of Gilead said to one another, “Which man will lead the fight against the Ammonites? He will be the leader of all the inhabitants of Gilead.”

Footnotes

  1. Judges 10:4 LXX; MT reads donkeys
  2. Judges 10:4 Or called Havvoth-jair
  3. Judges 10:7 Lit into the hand of
  4. Judges 10:12 LXX reads Midianites
  5. Judges 10:15 Lit Do to us what is good in Your eyes
  6. Judges 10:18 Lit The people, rulers

Tola

10 After the time of Abimelek,(A) a man of Issachar(B) named Tola son of Puah,(C) the son of Dodo, rose to save(D) Israel. He lived in Shamir,(E) in the hill country of Ephraim. He led[a] Israel twenty-three years; then he died, and was buried in Shamir.

Jair

He was followed by Jair(F) of Gilead, who led Israel twenty-two years. He had thirty sons, who rode thirty donkeys.(G) They controlled thirty towns in Gilead, which to this day are called Havvoth Jair.[b](H) When Jair(I) died, he was buried in Kamon.

Jephthah

Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord.(J) They served the Baals and the Ashtoreths,(K) and the gods of Aram,(L) the gods of Sidon,(M) the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites(N) and the gods of the Philistines.(O) And because the Israelites forsook the Lord(P) and no longer served him, he became angry(Q) with them. He sold them(R) into the hands of the Philistines and the Ammonites, who that year shattered and crushed them. For eighteen years they oppressed all the Israelites on the east side of the Jordan in Gilead,(S) the land of the Amorites. The Ammonites also crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah,(T) Benjamin and Ephraim;(U) Israel was in great distress. 10 Then the Israelites cried(V) out to the Lord, “We have sinned(W) against you, forsaking our God and serving the Baals.”(X)

11 The Lord replied, “When the Egyptians,(Y) the Amorites,(Z) the Ammonites,(AA) the Philistines,(AB) 12 the Sidonians, the Amalekites(AC) and the Maonites[c](AD) oppressed you(AE) and you cried to me for help, did I not save you from their hands? 13 But you have forsaken(AF) me and served other gods,(AG) so I will no longer save you. 14 Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save(AH) you when you are in trouble!(AI)

15 But the Israelites said to the Lord, “We have sinned. Do with us whatever you think best,(AJ) but please rescue us now.” 16 Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the Lord.(AK) And he could bear Israel’s misery(AL) no longer.(AM)

17 When the Ammonites were called to arms and camped in Gilead, the Israelites assembled and camped at Mizpah.(AN) 18 The leaders of the people of Gilead said to each other, “Whoever will take the lead in attacking the Ammonites will be head(AO) over all who live in Gilead.”

Footnotes

  1. Judges 10:2 Traditionally judged; also in verse 3
  2. Judges 10:4 Or called the settlements of Jair
  3. Judges 10:12 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts Midianites