Judges 10:2-12

2 He judged Israel for 23 years. Tola died and was buried in Shamir.

3 After Tola, Jair from Gilead became a judge. He judged Israel for 22 years.

4 Jair had 30 sons who rode on 30 donkeys. He also had 30 towns that are still called Havvoth Jair to this day. They are in the region of Gilead.

5 Jair died and was buried in Kamon.

6 The people of Israel again did what the LORD considered evil. They began to serve other gods and goddesses--the Baals and the Astartes--and the gods of Aram, Sidon, Moab, Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines. They abandoned the LORD and did not serve him.

7 The LORD became angry with the people of Israel. So he used the Philistines and Ammonites to defeat them.

8 They oppressed and crushed the people of Israel that year. For 18 years they oppressed all who lived east of the Jordan River in the land of the Amorites in Gilead.

9 Ammon also crossed the Jordan River to fight the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim. So Israel suffered a great deal.

10 Then the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help. They said, "We have sinned against you. We have abandoned our God and served other gods--the Baals."

11 The LORD said to the people of Israel, "When the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines,

12 the Sidonians, the Amalekites, and the Maonites oppressed you, you cried out to me for help. Didn't I rescue you from them?

Judges 10:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 10

This chapter gives an account of two judges of Israel, in whose days they enjoyed peace, Jud 10:1-5, after which they sinning against God, came into trouble, and were oppressed by their enemies eighteen years, and were also invaded by an army of the Ammonites, Jud 10:6-9, when they cried unto the Lord for deliverance, confessing their sin; but he had first refused to grant them any, though upon their importunity and reformation he had compassion on them, Jud 10:10-16 and the chapter is concluded with the preparation made by both armies for a battle, Jud 10:17,18.