Judges 10

Tola and Jair

¹After 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.

²He judged Israel twenty-three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.

³After him Jair, the Gileadite, arose. He judged Israel twenty-two years.

⁴He 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.

⁵Jair died, and was buried in Kamon.

Israel's Oppression by the Ammonites

⁶The 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.

⁷The 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.

⁸They 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.

⁹The 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.

¹⁰The 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.”

¹¹The 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?

¹²The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, oppressed you; and you cried to me, and I saved you out of their hand.

¹³Yet you have forsaken me and served other gods. Therefore I will save you no more.

¹⁴Go and cry to the gods which you have chosen. Let them save you in the time of your distress!”

¹⁵The children of Israel said to the LORD, “We have sinned! Do to us whatever seems good to you; only deliver us, please, today.”

¹⁶They put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD; and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

¹⁷Then the children of Ammon were gathered together and encamped in Gilead. The children of Israel assembled themselves together and encamped in Mizpah.

¹⁸The 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.”

Previous Judges 9

Next Judges 11

Judges 10 presents two minor judges, Tola and Jair, who provided stable leadership for forty-five combined years after Abimelech's destructive reign. However, Israel again falls into idolatry, serving the gods of seven different nations, prompting God's anger and oppression by the Philistines and Ammonites for eighteen years. When Israel cries out for deliverance, God initially refuses due to their repeated unfaithfulness, but His compassion is stirred when they genuinely repent and remove their foreign gods, setting the stage for the next deliverer.

Context

This chapter transitions from Abimelech's chaotic rule to the cyclical pattern of apostasy and oppression, preparing for Jephthah's judgeship in chapter 11.

Key Themes

Outline

1-2
Tola's Leadership Tola of Issachar judges Israel peacefully for twenty-three years from Shamir.
3-5
Jair's Prosperity Jair the Gileadite judges for twenty-two years, notable for his thirty sons and their cities.
6-9
Israel's Extensive Idolatry Israel serves the gods of seven nations, leading to eighteen years of Philistine and Ammonite oppression.
10-14
God's Initial Rejection When Israel cries out, God refuses to deliver them due to their repeated unfaithfulness.
15-16
Israel's Genuine Repentance Israel confesses sin, removes foreign gods, and God's compassion is stirred by their misery.
17-18
Preparation for War Both armies gather for battle while Gilead's leaders seek a commander to fight the Ammonites.

Tola and Jair

10:1–10:5

narrative narration solemn

Brief account of two minor judges, Tola and Jair, who led Israel for 23 and 22 years respectively. The passage emphasizes their peaceful leadership and prosperity during their tenure.

person_contrast

Jair's genealogical name, typically associated with tribal inheritance and family lineage, appears unusually in a deliverance context, marking him as both heir and deliverer.

Israel's Oppression by the Ammonites

10:6–10:18

narrative narration urgent

Israel falls into idolatry and is oppressed by the Ammonites and Philistines for eighteen years. After crying out to God and repenting, they prepare for battle despite God's initial refusal to deliver them.

theme_rarity

God's unprecedented rejection of Israel's plea in verse 13-14 ("Go and cry to the gods you have chosen") marks the only instance where divine refusal precedes eventual deliverance in Judges.

Insight Character Study

Jair's genealogical name, typically associated with tribal inheritance and family lineage, appears unusually in a deliverance context, marking him as both heir and deliverer.

Insight Rare Theme

God's unprecedented rejection of Israel's plea in verse 13-14 ("Go and cry to the gods you have chosen") marks the only instance where divine refusal precedes eventual deliverance in Judges.

Cross-References

Connected passages across Scripture

Judges 10:1 3 references

Lexicals 3

Numbers 26:23 Lexical

The sons of Issachar after their families: of Tola, the family of the Tolaites; of Puvah, the family of the Punites;

Judges 10

Tola and Jair

Israel's Oppression by the Ammonites

Tola and Jair

Israel's Oppression by the Ammonites

Insights

Cross-References

Judges 10:1 3 references

Judges 10:2 1 reference

Judges 10:4 1 reference

Judges 10:6 5 references

Judges 10:7 2 references

Judges 10:8 5 references

Judges 10:9 1 reference

Judges 10:10 3 references

Judges 10:12 1 reference

Judges 10:13 5 references

Judges 10:14 5 references

Judges 10:16 2 references

Judges 10:17 1 reference

Judges 10:18 3 references

Interlinear

Historical Context