Tola and Jair
1 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. 2 Tola judged Israel twenty-three years and when he died, was buried in Shamir.
3 After him came Jair the Gileadite, 10:3 Nm 26:29–30; Jos 17:1,3; Jdg 11:1–2; 1Ch 2:12–24; 7:14–17 who judged Israel twenty-two years. 4 He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys. They had thirty towns 10:4 LXX; MT reads donkeys in Gilead, which are still called Jair’s Villages 10:4 Orcalled Havvoth-jair today. 5 When Jair died, he was buried in Kamon.
Israel’s Rebellion and Repentance
6 Then the Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. 10:6 Jdg 3:12; 4:1 They worshiped the Baals and the Ashtoreths, the gods of Aram, Sidon, and Moab, and the gods of the Ammonites and the Philistines. 10:6 1Kg 11:33 They abandoned the Lord and did not worship him. 10:6 Ex 20:5; 23:24; Dt 5:9; Jos 23:7; 2Kg 17:35; Neh 9:35; Is 60:12; Mal 3:187 So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel, and he sold them to the Philistines and the Ammonites. 10:7 Jdg 2:14; 3:88 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 10:8 Gn 50:10–11; Dt 1:1,5; 3:8,20,25; Jos 12:17; Jdg 5:17 in the land of the Amorites 10:8 Nm 21:31; Jos 24:8; Jdg 11:21; Am 2:10 in Gilead. 9 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. 10:10 Neh 1:6; Jr 14:20; Dn 9:8 We have abandoned our God and worshiped the Baals."
11 The Lord said to the Israelites, "When the Egyptians, 10:11 Ex 1–15 Amorites, Ammonites, Philistines, 12 Sidonians, Amalekites, and Maonites 10:12 LXX reads Midianites, 10:12 Jos 15:5; 1Sm 23:24–25 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. 10:14 Dt 32:37–38; Jr 2:28; 11:12 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 10:15 1Sm 12:10; 1Ch 16:35; Ps 79:9 today! " 16 So they got rid of the foreign gods 10:16 Gn 35:2; Jos 24:33; 1Sm 7:3; 2Ch 33:15 among them and worshiped the Lord, 10:16 Ex 10:7–8; 12:31; Dt 10:12; Jos 24:14–15; 2Ch 30:8 and he became weary 10:16 Nm 21:4; Jdg 16:16; Mc 2:7; Zch 11:8 of Israel’s misery.
17 The Ammonites were called together, and they camped in Gilead. So the Israelites assembled and camped at Mizpah. 10:17 Gn 31:49; Jdg 11:11,34; Hs 5:118 The rulers 10:18 Lit The people, rulers 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."