20140302 Sunday, March 2 2014
Judges 10: Tola, Jair and Jephthah

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"There arose to defend Israel"

There were numerous Judges recorded in Bible history (see Israel In History and Prophecy: The Judges). Some are still well-known today, such as Deborah (see Judges 4: Deborah and Judges 5: The Song of Deborah and Barak) and Gideon (see Judges 6: Gideon Of Manasseh, Judges 7: Gideon's Trumpets and Judges 8: Gideon's Victory). Others are not as much remembered today, except by those who read the Word of God.

Perhaps the primary reason that some of the Judges had relatively little recorded about them is because there was no purpose to do so. None of the Judges were appointed by the LORD (Who was and is Jesus Christ - see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God) for their own glory or fame, but some may also have had nothing negative about their service to record as a lesson and warning to others. Tola, after he was given "to defend Israel" and then "judged Israel twenty and three years," may have been in that category.

"10:1 And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim. 10:2 And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir." (Judges 10:1-2 KJV)

Jair too, who "judged Israel twenty and two years."

"10:3 And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years. 10:4 And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead.

10:5 And Jair died, and was buried in Camon." (Judges 10:3-5 KJV)

Jephthah is not popularly known either, but more is recorded about him, as we will read and explain the next two chapters. His account begins when the people of Israel had once again descended into gross idolatry. They "did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, 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."

"10:6 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon [see also Into The Coasts Of Tyre And Sidon], and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines [see also Delilah: Why The Fatal Attraction?], and forsook the LORD, and served not him.

10:7 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon. 10:8 And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead [see Numbers 32: The Israel Of East Jordan]. 10:9 Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also against Judah [see Joshua 15: Judah's Homeland], and against Benjamin [see Joshua 18: The Land Of Benjamin], and against the house of Ephraim [see Joshua 16: Ephraim's Inheritance]; so that Israel was sore distressed. 10:10 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.

10:11 And 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? 10:12 The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand. 10:13 Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more. 10:14 Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.

10:15 And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day. 10:16 And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

10:17 Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh. 10:18 And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another, What man is he that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead." (Judges 10:6-18 KJV)

Fact Finder: Are some of the Judges mentioned in Hebrews chapter 11, the so-called "faith chapter"? Why?
Hebrews 11:32-34 and see Lessons Of Perseverance And Faith