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.
1. after Abimelech there arose to
defend Israel, Tola—that is, "to save." Deliverance
was necessary as well from intestine usurpation as from foreign
aggression.
the son of Puah—He was
uncle to Abimelech by the father's side, and consequently brother of
Gideon; yet the former was of the tribe of Issachar, while the latter
was of Manasseh. They were, most probably, uterine brothers.
dwelt in Shamir in mount
Ephraim—As a central place, he made it the seat of government.
2.
And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.
3.
And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years.
3. Jair, a Gileadite—This
judge was a different person from the conqueror of that northeastern
territory, and founder of Havoth-jair, or "Jair's villages"
(Numbers 32:41; Deuteronomy 3:14;
Joshua 13:3; 1 Chronicles 2:22).
4.
And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havoth-jair unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead.
4. he had thirty sons that rode on
thirty ass colts—This is a characteristic trait of Eastern
manners in those early times; and the grant of a village to each of
his thirty sons was a striking proof of his extensive possessions.
His having thirty sons is no conclusive evidence that he had more
than one wife, much less that he had more than one at a time. There
are instances, in this country, of men having as many children by two
successive wives.
. ISRAEL
OPPRESSED BY THE
PHILISTINES AND AMMONITES.
5.
And Jair died, and was buried in Camon.
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, 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.
6. the children of Israel did evil
again in the sight of the Lord—This apostasy seems to have
exceeded every former one in the grossness and universality of the
idolatry practised.
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.
7. Philistines, and . . . the
children of Ammon—The predatory incursions of these two hostile
neighbors were made naturally on the parts of the land respectively
contiguous to them. But the Ammonites, animated with the spirit of
conquest, carried their arms across the Jordan; so that the central
and southern provinces of Canaan were extensively desolated.
. THEY CRY
TO GOD.
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.
9.
Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed.
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. The children of Israel cried
unto the Lord, saying, We have sinned against thee—The first
step of repentance is confession of sin, and the best proof of its
sincerity is given by the transgressor, when he mourns not only over
the painful consequences which have resulted from his offenses to
himself, but over the heinous evil committed against God.
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?
11. the Lord said . . . Did I not
deliver you from the Egyptians—The circumstances recorded in
this and the following verses were not probably made through the high
priest, whose duty it was to interpret the will of God.
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.
12. Maonites—that is,
"Midianites."
. THEY REPENT;
GOD PITIES
THEM.
13.
Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more.
14.
Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.
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.
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.
16. they put away the strange gods .
. . and served the Lord; and his soul was grieved for the misery of
Israel—On their abandonment of idolatry and return to purity of
worship, God graciously abridged the term of national affliction and
restored times of peace.
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.
17, 18. the children of Ammon were
gathered together—From carrying on guerrilla warfare, the
Ammonites proceeded to a continued campaign. Their settled aim was to
wrest the whole of the trans-jordanic territory from its actual
occupiers. In this great crisis, a general meeting of the Israelitish
tribes was held at Mizpeh. This Mizpeh was in eastern Manasseh ().
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.