Tola and Jair
1
After Abimelech there arose to 1save Israel Tola the son of Puah, son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, and he lived at Shamir in 2the hill country of Ephraim.
2
And he judged Israel twenty-three years. Then he died and was buried at Shamir.
3
After him arose Jair the Gileadite, who judged Israel twenty-two years.
4
And he had thirty sons who 3rode on thirty donkeys, and they had thirty cities, called Havvoth-jair to this day, 4which are in the land of Gilead.
5
And Jair died and was buried in Kamon.
Further Disobedience and Oppression
6
5The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD 6and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, 7the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines. And they 8forsook the LORD and did not serve him.
7
So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and 9he sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the Ammonites,
8
and they crushed and oppressed the people of Israel that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the people of Israel who were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.
9
And the Ammonites crossed the Jordan to fight also against Judah and against Benjamin and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was severely distressed.
10
And the people of Israel 10cried out to the LORD, saying, "We have sinned against you, because 11we have forsaken our God and have served the Baals."
11
And the LORD said to the people of Israel, "Did I not save you 12from the Egyptians and 13from the Amorites, 14from the Ammonites and 15from the Philistines?
12
The Sidonians also, and 16the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you, and you cried out to me, and I 17saved you out of their hand.
13
Yet you have 18forsaken me and served other gods; therefore I will save you no more.
14
Go and cry out 19to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress."
15
And the people of Israel said to the LORD, "We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to you. Only please deliver us this day."
16
So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD, and 20he became impatient over the misery of Israel.
17
Then the Ammonites were called to arms, and they encamped in Gilead. And the people of Israel came together, and they encamped at 21Mizpah.
18
And the people, the leaders of Gilead, said one to another, "Who is the man who will begin to fight against the Ammonites? 22He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead."
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)