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Tola Serves as Judge

10 After Abimelech, Tola, who was the son of Puah and grandson of Dodo, came to rescue Israel. Tola was from Issachar and lived in Shamir in the mountains of Ephraim. He judged Israel for 23 years. Tola died and was buried in Shamir.

Jair Serves as Judge

After Tola, Jair from Gilead became a judge. He judged Israel for 22 years. Jair had 30 sons who rode on 30 donkeys. He also had 30 towns that are still called Havvoth Jair to this day. They are in the region of Gilead. Jair died and was buried in Kamon.

Israel Sins Again

The people of Israel again did what the Lord considered evil. They began to serve other gods and goddesses—the Baals and the Astartes—and the gods of Aram, Sidon, Moab, Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines. They abandoned the Lord and did not serve him.

The Lord became angry with the people of Israel. So he used the Philistines and Ammonites to defeat them. They oppressed and crushed the people of Israel that year. For 18 years they oppressed all who lived east of the Jordan River in the land of the Amorites in Gilead. Ammon also crossed the Jordan River to fight the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim. So Israel suffered a great deal.

10 Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help. They said, “We have sinned against you. We have abandoned our God and served other gods—the Baals.”

11 The Lord said to the people of Israel, “When the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, 12 the Sidonians, the Amalekites, and the Maonites oppressed you, you cried out to me for help. Didn’t I rescue you from them? 13 But you still abandoned me and served other gods. That’s why I won’t rescue you again. 14 Cry out for help to the gods you chose. Let them rescue you when you’re in trouble.”

15 The people of Israel said to the Lord, “We have sinned. Do to us whatever you think is right. But please rescue us today!” 16 Then they got rid of the foreign gods they had and served the Lord. So the Lord could not bear to have Israel suffer any longer.

17 The troops of Ammon were summoned to fight, and they camped at Gilead. The people of Israel also gathered together and camped at Mizpah. 18 The leaders of the people of Gilead said to each other, “Whoever starts the fight against Ammon will rule everyone who lives in Gilead.”

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

Tola

10 After Abimelech there (A)arose to save Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in the mountains of Ephraim. He judged Israel twenty-three years; and he died and was buried in Shamir.

Jair

After him arose Jair, a Gileadite; and he judged Israel twenty-two years. Now he had thirty sons who (B)rode on thirty donkeys; they also had thirty towns, (C)which are called [a]“Havoth Jair” to this day, which are in the land of Gilead. And Jair died and was buried in Camon.

Israel Oppressed Again

Then (D)the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, and (E)served the Baals and the Ashtoreths, (F)the gods of Syria, the gods of (G)Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the people of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines; and they forsook the Lord and did not serve Him. So the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel; and He (H)sold them into the hands of the (I)Philistines and into the hands of the people of (J)Ammon. From that year they [b]harassed and oppressed the children of Israel for eighteen years—all the children of Israel who were on the other side of the Jordan in the (K)land of the Amorites, in Gilead. Moreover the people of Ammon crossed over the Jordan to fight against Judah also, against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was severely distressed.

10 (L)And the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, saying, “We have (M)sinned against You, because we have both forsaken our God and served the Baals!”

11 So the Lord said to the children of Israel, “Did I not deliver you (N)from the Egyptians and (O)from the Amorites and (P)from the people of Ammon and (Q)from the Philistines? 12 Also (R)the Sidonians (S)and Amalekites and [c]Maonites (T)oppressed you; and you cried out to Me, and I delivered you from their hand. 13 (U)Yet you have forsaken Me and served other gods. Therefore I will deliver you no more. 14 “Go and (V)cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in your time of distress.”

15 And the children of Israel said to the Lord, “We have sinned! (W)Do to us whatever seems best to You; only deliver us this day, we pray.” 16 (X)So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord. And (Y)His soul could no longer endure the misery of Israel.

17 Then the people of Ammon gathered together and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled together and encamped in (Z)Mizpah. 18 And the people, the leaders of Gilead, said to one another, “Who is the man who will begin the fight against the people of Ammon? He shall (AA)be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”

Footnotes

  1. Judges 10:4 Lit. Towns of Jair, Num. 32:41; Deut. 3:14
  2. Judges 10:8 Lit. shattered
  3. Judges 10:12 LXX mss. Midianites