1Tola judgeth Israel; 3and after him Jair, whose thirty sons had thirty cities. 6The children of Israel fall again into idolatry, and are oppressed by the Philistines and Ammonites. 10They cry unto God, and are sent by him for help unto their false gods. 15Upon their repentance he pitieth them. 17They assemble and consult about choosing a head.
1AND after Abimelech there 1arose to 2defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of 3Issachar; and he dwelt in 4Shamir in mount Ephraim.
1 Being thereunto raised by God in a special manner as were the other judges. Also verse 3.
2 To restore Israel in peace and well-being after Abimelech’s death, and to defend them against all that would go about to molest, assault, and oppress them.
3 One of the least tribes.
4 To distinguish it from another Shamir, situated upon a mountain in Judea, at the uttermost border of Canaan, Joshua 15:48.
2And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.
3¶And after him arose Jair, a 5Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years.
5 Out of the land of Gilead, situated on the east-side of Jordan. See Gen. 31 on verse 21, and Gen. 31 on verse 48; Numbers 32; Joshua 17:1, 5.
4And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty 6ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called 7Havoth-jair unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead.
6 See Judges 5 on verse 10.
7 Or Jair’s towns, villages. Also called from their father Jair or from the former Jair, of whom we read, Num. 32:41; Deut. 3:14. Perhaps this Jair was one of the former Jair’s posterity.
5And Jair died, and was buried in 8Camon.
8 A city situated on the north of mount Gilead, in the land of Bashan, belonging to the half tribe of Manasseh.
6¶And the children of Israel 9did evila again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and 10Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him.
9 At every turn proceeding from evil to worse, as appears by what follows.
a Judges 2:11; 3:7; 4:1; 6:1.
10 See Judges 2 on verse 13.
7And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he 11sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon.
11 That is, He gave them, or delivered them over into the power, etc. See Judges 2 on verse 14.
8And 12that year they 13vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: 14eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in 15Gilead.
12 When they fell into this abominable idolatry, thanking gracelessly the Lord for the long-continued peace He had given them.
13 Or, overpowered, broke in pieces, chafed. Other, they had oppressed and trodden upon.
14 Other, being the eighteenth year, to wit all, etc.
15 See on verse 3.
9Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed.
10¶And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim.
11And the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines?
12The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the 16Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand.
16 Hebr. Maon. There was a city of that name in the south of Judah, by the wilderness of Maon, See Joshua 15 on verse 55. Other, the inhabitants of the land.
13Yet ye have forsakenb me, and served other gods: wherefore I 17will deliver you no more.
b Deut. 32:15; Jer. 2:13.
17 Hebr. I will not add or proceed to deliver you. This the Lord threatens on condition, if they do not sincerely repent, forsaking all idolatry, and serving the true God only, as the sequel declares.
1418Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.
18 This is a phrase or manner of speaking called irony or scoffing; as if God had said, Go, try whether the gods whom ye heretofore worshipped will deliver you.
15¶And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth 19good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day.
19 That is, according to Thy good will and pleasure.
16And they put away the 20strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was 21grieved for the 22misery of Israel.
20 Hebr. the gods of strangers; that is, of the heathen who were estranged from God and Israel.
21 Or, distressed, perplexed. Hebr. properly shortened, mowed down. This is after the manner of men, and by way of comparison affirmed of God. Compare Exod. 6:8; Num. 21:4; Judges 16:16; Job 21:4, etc.
22 Or, weariness: that is, the misery, suffering, sorrow, which happened unto them, and wherein their soul labored.
17Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in 23Gilead. And the 24children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in 25Mizpeh.
23 See on verse 3.
24 Being after their repentance comforted and strengthened of the Lord, Who raised up Jephthah for their deliverer. See Judges 11.
25 Situated upon or at the mountain of Gilead. See Gen. 31:49; Judges 11:11, 29. There have been more other places of this name; because the Hebrew word signifies a top, or otherwise a suitable place where watch may be kept and one may see afar off. See of a country called Mizpeh, Joshua 11:3, situated under mount Hermon, at the sea. Of Mizpeh in Judah, Joshua 15:38; and in Benjamin, Joshua 18:26; and Mizpeh of the Moabites, 1 Sam. 22:3. See also 1 Kings 15:22; Neh. 3:7, 15, 19; Jer. 40:6; Hosea 5:1.
18And the people and 26princes of Gilead said 27one to another, 28What man is he that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? hec shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.
26 The elders of the people. See Judges 11:5.
27 Hebr. the man to his neighbour.
28 The meaning is: He, who shall do that, shall be the commander in chief, or judge over all the Israelites who dwell in Gilead. See such manner of asking, Deut. 20:5, 6, etc.; Psalm 34:12, 13 and elsewhere.
c Judges 11:6, 9, 10, 11.