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. ² He led^[a] Israel twenty-three years; then he died, and was buried in Shamir.

Jair

³ He was followed by Jair^(F) of Gilead, who led Israel twenty-two years. ⁴ 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) 5} When Jair^(I) died, he was buried in Kamon.

Jephthah

⁶ 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, ⁷ he became angry^(Q) with them. He sold them^(R) into the hands of the Philistines and the Ammonites, ⁸ 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. ⁹ 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.”

11 Jephthah^(AP) the Gileadite was a mighty warrior.^(AQ) His father was Gilead;^(AR) his mother was a prostitute.^{(AS) 2} Gilead’s wife also bore him sons, and when they were grown up, they drove Jephthah away. “You are not going to get any inheritance in our family,” they said, “because you are the son of another woman.” ³ So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob,^(AT) where a gang of scoundrels^(AU) gathered around him and followed him.

⁴ Some time later, when the Ammonites^(AV) were fighting against Israel, ⁵ the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob. ⁶ “Come,” they said, “be our commander, so we can fight the Ammonites.”

⁷ Jephthah said to them, “Didn’t you hate me and drive me from my father’s house?^(AW) Why do you come to me now, when you’re in trouble?”

⁸ The elders of Gilead said to him, “Nevertheless, we are turning to you now; come with us to fight the Ammonites, and you will be head^(AX) over all of us who live in Gilead.”

⁹ Jephthah answered, “Suppose you take me back to fight the Ammonites and the Lord gives them to me—will I really be your head?”

¹⁰ The elders of Gilead replied, “The Lord is our witness;^(AY) we will certainly do as you say.” ¹¹ So Jephthah went with the elders^(AZ) of Gilead, and the people made him head and commander over them. And he repeated^(BA) all his words before the Lord in Mizpah.^(BB)

¹² Then Jephthah sent messengers to the Ammonite king with the question: “What do you have against me that you have attacked my country?”

¹³ The king of the Ammonites answered Jephthah’s messengers, “When Israel came up out of Egypt, they took away my land from the Arnon^(BC) to the Jabbok,^(BD) all the way to the Jordan. Now give it back peaceably.”

¹⁴ Jephthah sent back messengers to the Ammonite king, ¹⁵ saying:

²⁸ The king of Ammon, however, paid no attention to the message Jephthah sent him.

²⁹ Then the Spirit^(CD) of the Lord came on Jephthah. He crossed Gilead and Manasseh, passed through Mizpah^(CE) of Gilead, and from there he advanced against the Ammonites.^{(CF) 30} And Jephthah made a vow^(CG) to the Lord: “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, ³¹ whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph^(CH) from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.^(CI)”

³² Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the Lord gave them into his hands. ³³ He devastated twenty towns from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith,^(CJ) as far as Abel Keramim. Thus Israel subdued Ammon.

³⁴ When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing^(CK) to the sound of timbrels!^(CL) She was an only child.^(CM) Except for her he had neither son nor daughter. ³⁵ When he saw her, he tore his clothes^(CN) and cried, “Oh no, my daughter! You have brought me down and I am devastated. I have made a vow to the Lord that I cannot break.^(CO)”

³⁶ “My father,” she replied, “you have given your word to the Lord. Do to me just as you promised,^(CP) now that the Lord has avenged you^(CQ) of your enemies,^(CR) the Ammonites. ³⁷ But grant me this one request,” she said. “Give me two months to roam the hills and weep with my friends, because I will never marry.”

³⁸ “You may go,” he said. And he let her go for two months. She and her friends went into the hills and wept because she would never marry. ³⁹ After the two months, she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed. And she was a virgin.

From this comes the Israelite tradition ⁴⁰ that each year the young women of Israel go out for four days to commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.

ג Gimel

ד Daleth

Warning to Rich Oppressors

5 Now listen,^(A) you rich people,^(B) weep and wail^(C) because of the misery that is coming on you. ² Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.^{(D) 3} Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.^{(E) 4} Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers^(F) who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries^(G) of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.^{(H) 5} You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves^(I) in the day of slaughter.^{[a](J) 6} You have condemned and murdered^(K) the innocent one,^(L) who was not opposing you.

Patience in Suffering

⁷ Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming.^(M) See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting^(N) for the autumn and spring rains.^{(O) 8} You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming^(P) is near.^{(Q) 9} Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters,^(R) or you will be judged. The Judge^(S) is standing at the door!^(T)

¹⁰ Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets^(U) who spoke in the name of the Lord. ¹¹ As you know, we count as blessed^(V) those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance^(W) and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.^(X) The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.^(Y)

¹² Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.^(Z)

The Prayer of Faith

¹³ Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray.^(AA) Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.^{(AB) 14} Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders^(AC) of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil^(AD) in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer offered in faith^(AE) will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins^(AF) to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.^(AG) The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.^(AH)

¹⁷ Elijah was a human being, even as we are.^(AI) He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.^{(AJ) 18} Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.^(AK)

¹⁹ My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth^(AL) and someone should bring that person back,^{(AM) 20} remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save^(AN) them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.^(AO)