Tola and Jair Judge Israel

1Then after Abimelech died, Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, arose to save Israel; and he lived in Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim. 2And he judged Israel twenty-three years. Then he died and was buried in Shamir.

3After him, Jair the Gileadite arose and judged Israel twenty-two years. 4And he had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys, and they had thirty cities [†]in the land of Gilead that are called [†]Havvoth-jair to this day. 5And Jair died and was buried in Kamon.

Israel Forsakes Yahweh Again

6Then the sons of Israel again did what was evil in the eyes of Yahweh and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth, the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the sons of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines; thus they forsook Yahweh and did not serve Him. 7So the anger of Yahweh burned against Israel, and He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and into the hands of the sons of Ammon. 8And they shattered and smashed the sons of Israel [†]that year; for eighteen years they did this to all the sons of Israel who were beyond the Jordan [†]in Gilead in the land of the Amorites. 9Then the sons of Ammon crossed the Jordan to fight also against Judah, Benjamin, and the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was greatly distressed.

Israel Cries Out to Yahweh

10And the sons of Israel cried out to Yahweh, saying, “We have sinned against You, for indeed, we have forsaken our God and served the Baals.” 11Then Yahweh said to the sons of Israel, “Did I not save you from the Egyptians, the Amorites, the sons of Ammon, and the Philistines? 12Also the Sidonians, the Amalekites, and the Maonites oppressed you. And you cried out to Me, and I saved you from their hand. 13Yet you have forsaken Me and served other gods; therefore I will no longer save you. 14Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.” 15Then the sons of Israel said to Yahweh, “We have sinned, so You, do to us whatever seems good in Your eyes; only please deliver us this day.” 16So they removed the foreign gods from among them and served Yahweh; and [†]He could bear the trouble of Israel no longer.

17Then the sons of Ammon were summoned, and they camped in Gilead. And the sons of Israel gathered together and camped in Mizpah. 18And the people, the princes of Gilead, said to one another, “Who is the man who will begin to fight against the sons of Ammon? He shall become head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”