Judges 10

1 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.

After Abimelech, Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, arose to save Israel. He lived in Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim.

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

He judged Israel twenty-three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.

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

After him Jair, the Gileadite, arose. He judged Israel twenty-two years.

4 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.

He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkey colts. They had thirty cities, which are called Havvoth Jair to this day, which are in the land of Gilead.

5 Jair died and he was buried in Kamon.

Jair died, and was buried in Kamon.

6 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.

The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, and served the Baals, the Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines. They abandoned the LORD, and did not serve him.

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

The LORD’s anger burned against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the children of Ammon.

8 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.

They troubled and oppressed the children of Israel that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the children of Israel that were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.

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

The children of Ammon passed over the Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was very distressed.

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

The children of Israel cried to the LORD, saying, “We have sinned against you, even because we have forsaken our God, and have served the Baals.”

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

The LORD said to the children of Israel, “Did not I save you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines?

12 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?

The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, oppressed you; and you cried to me, and I saved you out of their hand.

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

Yet you have forsaken me and served other gods. Therefore I will save you no more.

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

Go and cry to the gods which you have chosen. Let them save you in the time of your distress!”

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

The children of Israel said to the LORD, “We have sinned! Do to us whatever seems good to you; only deliver us, please, today.”

16 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.

They put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD; and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

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

Then the children of Ammon were gathered together and encamped in Gilead. The children of Israel assembled themselves together and encamped in Mizpah.

18 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.”

The people, the princes of Gilead, said to one another, “Who is the man who will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”