Judges 10

1 And there arose, after Abimelech, to save Israel—Tola son of Puah son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, —and, he, used to sit in Shamir, in the hill country of Ephraim;

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.

2 and he judged Israel, twenty-three years, —and died, and was buried in Shamir.

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

3 And there arose, after him, Jair the Gileadite, —and judged Israel twenty-two years.

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

4 Now he had thirty sons, that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had, thirty cities, —they are called Havvoth-jair, until this day, which are in the land of Gilead.

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’.

5 And Jair died, and was buried in Kamon.

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

6 And the sons of Israel again did the thing that was wicked in the sight of Yahweh, and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the sons of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, —and forsook Yahweh, and served him not.

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.

7 So the anger of Yahweh kindled upon Israel, —and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the sons of Ammon;

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

8 and they enfeebled and oppressed the sons of Israel in that year, —eighteen years, did they this unto all the sons of Israel who were beyond the Jordan, in the land of the Amorites, that was in Gilead.

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.

9 And the sons of Ammon crossed the Jordan, to fight, even against Judah and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim, —so that Israel was sore distressed.

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.

10 Then did the sons of Israel make outcry unto Yahweh, saying, —We have sinned against thee, because we have forsaken our God, and have served the Baals.

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.”

11 Then said Yahweh unto the sons of Israel, —Was it not, from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, and from the sons of Ammon, and from the Philistines, [that I saved you]?

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

12 The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, oppressed you, —and ye made outcry unto me, and I saved you out of their hand.

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

13 Yet have, ye, forsaken me, and served other gods, —therefore will I not again save you.

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

14 Go and make outcry unto the gods whom ye have chosen, —they, must save you, in the time of your tribulation.

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!”

15 And the sons of Israel said unto Yahweh—We have sinned, do, thou, with us, according to all that is fitting in thine eyes, —only rescue us, we beseech thee this day.

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

16 And they put away the gods of the stranger out of their midst, and served Yahweh, —and his soul was impatient of the misery of Israel.

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.

17 Now the sons of Ammon were called out, and they encamped in Gilead, —and the sons of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpah.

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].

18 Then said the people, the princes of Gilead, one to another, Who is the man that will begin to fight against the sons of Ammon? he shall become head to all the inhabitants of Gilead.

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].”