Tola Becomes Israel’s Judge
1After Abimelech died, Tola son of Puah, son of Dodo, was the next person to rescue Israel. He was from the tribe of Issachar but lived in the town of Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim.
2He judged Israel for twenty-three years. When he died, he was buried in Shamir.
Jair Becomes Israel’s Judge
3After Tola died, Jair from Gilead judged Israel for twenty-two years.
4His thirty sons rode around on thirty donkeys, and they owned thirty towns in the land of Gilead, which are still called the Towns of Jair.10:4 Hebrew Havvoth-jair.
5When Jair died, he was buried in Kamon.
The Ammonites Oppress Israel
6Again the Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. They served the images of Baal and Ashtoreth, and the gods of Aram, Sidon, Moab, Ammon, and Philistia. They abandoned the Lord and no longer served him at all.
7So the Lord burned with anger against Israel, and he turned them over to the Philistines and the Ammonites,
8who began to oppress them that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the Israelites east of the Jordan River in the land of the Amorites (that is, in Gilead).
9The Ammonites also crossed to the west side of the Jordan and attacked Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim.
The Israelites were in great distress.
10Finally, they cried out to the Lord for help, saying, “We have sinned against you because we have abandoned you as our God and have served the images of Baal.”
11The Lord replied, “Did I not rescue you from the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines,
12the Sidonians, the Amalekites, and the Maonites? When they oppressed you, you cried out to me for help, and I rescued you.
13Yet you have abandoned me and served other gods. So I will not rescue you anymore.
14Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen! Let them rescue you in your hour of distress!”
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
