Judges 10 explained: Crying Out After Turning Away

Tola leads quietly (vv. 1-2)

After the violent rule of Abimelek in the previous chapter, Tola, from the tribe of Issachar, leads Israel for 23 years from a town in the central hill country. Little is recorded, which likely points to a time of relative calm.

Jair and his sons (vv. 3-5)

Riding donkeys was a mark of rank, so Jair's thirty sons on thirty donkeys, each controlling a town, show a wealthy and powerful family east of the Jordan. The towns were known as Havvoth Jair, meaning "villages of Jair."

Many gods, crushing enemies (vv. 6-9)

Israel worships the Canaanite god Baal and the goddess Ashtoreth, along with the gods of every neighboring people, and abandons the LORD completely. The Philistines press from the west and the Ammonites from the east, crushing Israel's lands beyond the Jordan for 18 years, and the Ammonites also cross the river to attack tribes in the heartland.

The LORD refuses at first (vv. 10-14)

Israel admits its wrong, but the LORD lists past rescues and tells them to ask the gods they chose for help instead. Scholars are unsure who the "Maonites" were, and one ancient Greek translation reads "Midianites."

Israel gives up its gods (vv. 15-16)

This time the people hand themselves over to whatever the LORD decides and actually get rid of the foreign gods. The last line literally says the LORD's soul grew "short" over Israel's misery, which most read as pity, though some think it hints at impatience.

Gilead needs a leader (vv. 17-18)

The Ammonites gather for war in Gilead, and Israel camps at Mizpah to face them. The leaders offer rule over all Gilead to whoever will lead the attack, which sets up the story of Jephthah in the next chapter.

Key verse: Judges 10:16

Where Christians differ

Readers differ on whether Israel's turning back here was genuine change or mainly a plea to escape suffering, and so on what exactly moved the LORD in verse 16.

Something to think about

When someone keeps coming back only when they are in trouble, what would make you willing, or unwilling, to help them again?