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 twenty-three years and when he died, was buried in Shamir.

After him came Jair the Gileadite,(A) who judged Israel twenty-two years. He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys. They had thirty towns[a] in Gilead, which are still called Jair’s Villages[b] today. 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 the Lord and did not worship him.(D) So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel, and he sold them to the Philistines and the Ammonites.(E) They shattered and crushed the Israelites that year, and for eighteen years they did the same to all the Israelites who were on the other side of the Jordan(F) in the land of the Amorites(G) 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.(H) We have abandoned our God and worshiped the Baals.”

11 The Lord said to the Israelites, “When the Egyptians,(I) Amorites, Ammonites, Philistines, 12 Sidonians, Amalekites, and Maonites[c](J) oppressed you, and you cried out to me, did I not deliver you from them? 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.(K) Let them deliver you whenever you are oppressed.”

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

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

Footnotes

  1. 10:4 LXX; MT reads donkeys
  2. 10:4 Or called Havvoth-jair
  3. 10:12 LXX reads Midianites
  4. 10:18 Lit The people, rulers

Tola and Jair

10 After Abimelech there arose to (A)save Israel Tola the son of Puah, son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, and he lived at Shamir in (B)the hill country of Ephraim. And he judged Israel twenty-three years. Then he died and was buried at Shamir.

After him arose Jair the Gileadite, who judged Israel twenty-two years. And he had thirty sons who (C)rode on thirty donkeys, and they had thirty cities, called Havvoth-jair to this day, (D)which are in the land of Gilead. And Jair died and was buried in Kamon.

Further Disobedience and Oppression

(E)The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord (F)and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, (G)the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines. And they (H)forsook the Lord and did not serve him. So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and (I)he sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the Ammonites, and they crushed and oppressed the people of Israel that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the people of Israel who were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. And the Ammonites crossed the Jordan to fight also against Judah and against Benjamin and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was severely distressed.

10 And the people of Israel (J)cried out to the Lord, saying, “We have sinned against you, because (K)we have forsaken our God and have served the Baals.” 11 And the Lord said to the people of Israel, “Did I not save you (L)from the Egyptians and (M)from the Amorites, (N)from the Ammonites and (O)from the Philistines? 12 The Sidonians also, and (P)the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you, and you cried out to me, and I (Q)saved you out of their hand. 13 Yet you have (R)forsaken me and served other gods; therefore I will save you no more. 14 Go and cry out (S)to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.” 15 And the people of Israel said to the Lord, “We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to you. Only please deliver us this day.” 16 So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord, and (T)he became impatient over the misery of Israel.

17 Then the Ammonites were called to arms, and they encamped in Gilead. And the people of Israel came together, and they encamped at (U)Mizpah. 18 And the people, the leaders of Gilead, said one to another, “Who is the man who will begin to fight against the Ammonites? (V)He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”