Judges 10

1 After Abimelech died, Tola the son of Puah and grandson of Dodo became the leader to rescue the Israeli people [from their enemies]. He belonged to the tribe of Issachar, but he lived in Shamir [city] in the hilly area where the descendants of Ephraim live.

After Abimelech's time, Tola, son of Puah, son of Dodo, from the tribe of Issachar, came on the scene to save Israel. He lived in the town of Shamir, in the hill country of Ephraim.

2 He ruled the Israeli people for 23 years. Then he died and was buried in Shamir.

He led Israel as a judge for twenty-three years. Then he died and was buried in Shamir.

3 After Tola died, Jair, from [the] Gilead [region], became the Israelis’ leader, and he ruled them for 22 years.

After Tola came Jair from Gilead, who led Israel as a judge for twenty-two years.

4 He had thirty sons, and each of them had his own donkey to ride on. They each controlled a different town in [the] Gilead [region]. That region is still named ‘The Towns of Jair’.

He had thirty sons who rode thirty donkeys. They had thirty towns in the land of Gilead, which to this day are called the Towns of Jair.

5 When Jair died, he was buried in Kamon [city].

Jair died and he was buried in Kamon.

6 Again the Israelis did things that Yahweh said were wrong/evil. They worshiped [the idols of their god] Baal and [their goddess] Astarte. They also worshiped the gods of the Aram, Sidon, Moab, and Ammon people-groups, and the gods of the Philistia people-group. They abandoned Yahweh and stopped worshiping him.

Once again the Israelites did what was evil in the Lord's sight. They worshiped the Baals and the Ashtoreths, as well as the gods of Aram, Sidon, and Moab, and the gods of the Ammonites and Philistines. They rejected the Lord and did not worship him.

7 So Yahweh was very angry with them, and he allowed the Philistia and Ammon people-groups to defeat [IDM] the Israelis.

So the Lord became angry with Israel, and he sold them to the Philistines and the Ammonites.

8 In that same year, those people started to oppress the Israelis who lived in [the] Gilead [region] on the east side of the Jordan [River]. That was where the Amor people-group also lived. were They caused the Israelis who lived in that region to suffer for 18 years.

That year and for eighteen more years they harassed and oppressed the Israelites, all the Israelites that lived on the east side of the Jordan in Gilead, the land of the Amorites.

9 Then the people of the Ammon people-group crossed the Jordan [River] to fight against the people of the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim. They caused the Israelis’ lives to be very miserable.

The Ammonites also crossed the Jordan to attack Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim, causing terrible trouble for Israel.

10 So the Israelis cried out to Yahweh, saying “We have sinned against you. We have abandoned you, and we have been worshiping [the idols of their god] Baal.”

The Israelites cried out to the Lord for help, saying, “We have sinned against you, rejecting our God and worshiping the Baals.”

11 Yahweh answered them, saying, “When the people of Egypt, and the Amor and Ammon and Philistia people-groups

The Lord replied to the Israelites, “Didn't I save you from the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines,

12 and the Sidon and Amalek and Maon people-groups were cruel to you, you cried out to me, and then I rescued you.

the Sidonians, the Amalekites, and the Maonites? When they attacked you, and you cried out to me for help, didn't I save you from them?

13 But now you have abandoned me again, and you have been worshiping other gods. So I will not rescue you again.

But you have rejected me and worshiped other gods, so I won't save you again.

14 You have chosen those gods [to be the ones that you worship]. So call to them to help you. Allow them to rescue you when you have a lot of trouble!”

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

15 But the Israeli people said to Yahweh, “Truly we have sinned. Punish us in whatever way you wish to, but please rescue us now!”

The Israelites said to the Lord, “We have sinned! Treat us in whatever way you think you should, only please save us now!”

16 Then the Israelis threw away the [idols of the] gods that belonged to other people-groups, and they worshiped Yahweh again. He saw that they were suffering very much, and he felt sorry [IDM] for them.

So they got rid of the foreign gods they had and worshiped the Lord. And the Lord couldn't stand Israel's misery any longer.

17 The Ammon people-group gathered to fight [against the Israelis], and they set up their tents in [the] Gilead [region]. The Israeli men also gathered and set up their tents at Mizpah, [which was a city in Gilead].

The Ammonite armies had been called up and were camped in Gilead. The Israelites assembled and camped at Mizpah.

18 The Israeli leaders said, “Who will lead our soldiers to attack the Ammon people-group? The one who will lead us will become the leader of all us who live in this Gilead [region].”

The commanders of the people of Gilead agreed among themselves, “Whoever leads the attack on the Ammonites will become ruler over everyone who lives in Gilead.”