# Judges 10 đź“–: Tola, Jair, and Oppression
[[đź“š Explore the Bible Books]]
[[-Judges Overview]] | [[Judges 09]] | [[Judges 11]]
> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#🧠Chapter Summary]]
> [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]]
> [[#đź’¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#đź“‚ Internal Notes]]
## đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
### Stability Restored
[[#Verse 01.]] After Abimelech’s death, Tola son of Puah, grandson of Dodo, from the tribe of Issachar, rose up to deliver Israel. He lived in Shamir in the Ephraimite hill country.Â
[[#Verse 02.]] He led Israel for twenty-three years, then died and was buried in Shamir.
[[#Verse 03.]]Â Jair the Gileadite rose up after him; he led Israel for twenty-two years.Â
[[#Verse 04.]] He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys and possessed thirty cities. To this day these towns are called Havvoth Jair—they are in the land of Gilead.Â
[[#Verse 05.]]Â Jair died and was buried in Kamon.
### The Lord’s Patience Runs Short
[[#Verse 06.]] The Israelites again did evil in the Lord’s sight. They worshiped the Baals and the Ashtoreths, as well as the gods of Syria, Sidon, Moab, the Ammonites, and the Philistines. They abandoned the Lord and did not worship him.Â
[[#Verse 07.]] The Lord was furious with Israel and turned them over to the Philistines and Ammonites.Â
[[#Verse 08.]] They ruthlessly oppressed the Israelites that eighteenth year—that is, all the Israelites living east of the Jordan in Amorite country in Gilead.Â
[[#Verse 09.]] The Ammonites crossed the Jordan to fight with Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim. Israel suffered greatly.
[[#Verse 10.]] The Israelites cried out for help to the Lord: “We have sinned against you. We abandoned our God and worshiped the Baals.”Â
[[#Verse 11.]] The Lord said to the Israelites, “Did I not deliver you from Egypt, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines,Â
[[#Verse 12.]] the Sidonians, Amalek, and Midian when they oppressed you? You cried out for help to me, and I delivered you from their power.Â
[[#Verse 13.]] But since you abandoned me and worshiped other gods, I will not deliver you again.Â
[[#Verse 14.]] Go and cry for help to the gods you have chosen! Let them deliver you from trouble!”Â
[[#Verse 15.]] But the Israelites said to the Lord, “We have sinned. You do to us as you see fit, but deliver us today!”
[[#Verse 16.]] They threw away the foreign gods they owned and worshiped the Lord. Finally the Lord grew tired of seeing Israel suffer so much.
### An Outcast Becomes a General
[[#Verse 17.]] The Ammonites assembled and camped in Gilead; the Israelites gathered together and camped in Mizpah.Â
[[#Verse 18.]] The leaders of Gilead said to one another, “Who is willing to lead the charge against the Ammonites? He will become the leader of all who live in Gilead!”
## đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
###### Verse 17.
###### Verse 18.
## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. Tola and Jair are often called "minor judges" because the text records little about them.
2. Tola judged Israel 23 years (10:2), and Jair judged 22 years (10:3).
3. Jair had thirty sons who rode thirty donkeys and controlled thirty towns (10:4), a sign of wealth and status.
4. Havvoth Jair means "villages of Jair" (10:4; Numbers 32:41).
5. Verse 6 lists the gods of the Canaanites and of five surrounding nations, a full catalog of idolatry.
6. The Ammonites oppressed Israel for eighteen years (10:8).
7. The Ammonites lived east of the Jordan. Their capital, Rabbah, is modern Amman, Jordan.
8. God lists seven peoples He had already delivered Israel from (10:11-12).
9. The Hebrew phrase for the Lord being unable to bear Israel's misery (10:16) is also used of Samson being worn out by Delilah's nagging (16:16).
10. Gilead's leaders searched for a commander to fight Ammon (10:18), setting up Jephthah's story.
## 🧠Chapter Summary
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the compassion of God made visible. The Lord grew weary of Israel's misery (10:16), and Jesus had compassion on the crowds because they were harassed and helpless (Matthew 9:36).
## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## đź’¬ Discussion Questions
1. Israel served many gods (10:6). Why do people who walk away from God often end up serving many masters?
2. God told Israel to cry out to the gods they had chosen (10:14). What false securities do we run to in trouble?
3. Israel put away their foreign gods and served the Lord (10:16). What does real repentance look like?
## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember
- đź“– verse 6: Israel serves many foreign gods and abandons the Lord.
- đź“– verse 15: Israel confesses its sin and pleads for rescue.
- đź“– verse 16: Israel gets rid of foreign gods, and the Lord can no longer bear their suffering.
## đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference
- đź”— [[Matthew 09#Verse 36.|Matthew 9:36]] - Jesus had compassion on the crowds.
- đź”— [[Isaiah 63#Verse 09.|Isaiah 63:9]] - In all their distress He was distressed.
- đź”— [[Jeremiah 02#Verse 28.|Jeremiah 2:28]] - Where are the gods you made for yourselves?
- đź”— [[Hosea 11#Verse 08.|Hosea 11:8]] - How can I give you up?
- đź”— [[1 Samuel 07#Verse 03.|1 Samuel 7:3-4]] - Israel puts away foreign gods.
## 🙏 Devotional Reflection
đź“ť SOAP: [[Judges 10 - SOAP|God is Not a Dispassionate Bystander]]
## đź“‚ Internal Notes