10
1 After Abimelech, Tola
the son of
Puah, the son
of Dodo, a
man of Issachar,
arose to save
Israel. He lived
in Shamir in
the hill country
of Ephraim.
2 He
judged Israel
twenty-three years,
and died, and
was buried in
Shamir.
3 After him
Jair, the
Gileadite, arose.
He judged Israel
twenty-two years.
4 He
had thirty sons
who rode on
thirty donkey colts.
They had thirty
cities, which are
called Havvoth Jair to
this day, which
are in the land
of Gilead.
5 Jair
died, and was
buried in Kamon.
6 The
children of Israel
again did that
which was evil
in the LORD’s
sight, and served
the Baals, the
Ashtaroth, the gods
of Syria, the gods
of Sidon, the gods
of Moab, the gods
of the children
of Ammon, and
the gods of the
Philistines. They
abandoned the LORD,
and didn’t serve
him.
7 The
LORD’s anger burned
against Israel,
and he sold
them into the
hand of the
Philistines and
into the hand
of the children
of Ammon.
8 They troubled
and oppressed the
children of Israel
that year. For
eighteen years
they oppressed all
the children of
Israel that were
beyond the Jordan
in the land
of the Amorites,
which is in
Gilead.
9 The
children of Ammon
passed over the
Jordan to fight
also against Judah,
and against
Benjamin, and
against the house
of Ephraim, so
that Israel was
very distressed.
10 The
children of Israel
cried to the
LORD, saying, “We
have sinned
against you, even
because we have
forsaken our God,
and have served
the Baals.”
11 The
LORD said to the
children of Israel,
“Didn’t I save you
from the Egyptians,
and from
the Amorites, from
the children of
Ammon, and from
the Philistines?
12 The
Sidonians also,
and the Amalekites,
and the Maonites,
oppressed you; and
you cried to
me, and I
saved you out
of their hand.
13 Yet
you have forsaken
me and served other
gods. Therefore I
will save you
no more.
14 Go
and cry to
the gods which you
have chosen. Let
them save you
in the time
of your distress!”
15 The
children of
Israel said to the
LORD, “We have
sinned! Do to
us whatever seems
good to you;
only deliver us,
please, today.”
16 They
put away the
foreign gods from
among them and
served the LORD;
and his soul
was grieved for
the misery of
Israel.
17 Then
the children of
Ammon were
gathered together
and encamped in
Gilead. The
children of Israel
assembled themselves together
and encamped in
Mizpah.
18 The
people, the
princes of Gilead,
said to one
another, “Who is
the man who
will begin to
fight against the
children of Ammon?
He shall be
head over all
the inhabitants of
Gilead.”