Judges 10:2-18 ▼

2 Tola judged (governed) Israel (he wrestles with God) twenty-three years, and when he died, he was buried in Shamir (a point).

3 Tola was followed by Jair (he enlightens) the Gileadite (rocky region), who judged Israel (he wrestles with God) twenty-two years.

4 He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys. And they had thirty towns in the land of Gilead (rocky region), which to this day are called Havvoth-jair (villages of Jair).

5 When Jair (he enlightens) died, he was buried in Kamon (raised).

6 And again the Israelites (God prevails) did evil in the sight of the LORD {YHWH}. They served the Baals (lord), the Ashtoreths (star), the gods of Aram (exalted), Sidon (hunting), and Moab (of his father), and the gods of the Ammonites (tribal) and Philistines (immigrants). Thus they forsook the LORD and did not serve Him.

7 So the anger of the LORD {YHWH} burned against Israel (he wrestles with God), and He sold them into the hands of the Philistines (immigrants) and Ammonites (tribal),

8 who that very year harassed and oppressed the Israelites, (God prevails) and they did so for eighteen years to all the Israelites on the other side of the Jordan (flowing down) in Gilead (rocky region), the land of the Amorites (sayers).

9 The Ammonites (tribal) also crossed the Jordan (flowing down) to fight against Judah (praised), Benjamin (son of the right hand), and the house of Ephraim (doubly fruitful), and Israel (he wrestles with God) was in deep distress.

10 Then the Israelites (God prevails) cried out to the LORD {YHWH}, saying, “We have sinned against You, for we have indeed forsaken our God {Elohenu} and served the Baals (lord).”

11 The LORD {YHWH} replied (he wrestles with God), “When the Egyptians (land of bondage), Amorites (sayers), Ammonites (tribal), Philistines (immigrants),

12 Sidonians, Amalekites (dwellers in a valley), and Maonites [Midianites] oppressed you⁺ and you⁺ cried out to Me, did I not save you⁺ from their hands?

13 But you⁺ have forsaken Me and served other gods, so I will no longer save you⁺.

14 Go and cry out to the gods you⁺ have chosen. Let them save you⁺ in your⁺ time of trouble.”

15 “We have sinned,” the Israelites (God prevails) said to the LORD {YHWH}. “Deal with us as You see fit; but please deliver us today!”

16 So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD {YHWH}, and He could no longer bear the misery of Israel (he wrestles with God).

17 Then the Ammonites (tribal) were called to arms and camped in Gilead (rocky region), and the Israelites (God prevails) assembled and camped at Mizpah (watchtower).

18 And the rulers of Gilead (rocky region) said to one another, “Whoever will launch the attack against the Ammonites (tribal) will be the head of all who live in Gilead.”