Judges

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.

1After Abimelech died, a man named Tola stood up to save Israel. He was the son of Puah and the grandson of Dodo. He came from the family group of Issachar. He lived in a town called Shamir, in the hills of Ephraim.

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

2Tola was a judge for Israel for twenty-three years. A judge was a leader who helped the people and kept them safe. Then he died, and they buried him in Shamir.

3And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years.

3After Tola, a man named Jair became the next leader. He came from a place called Gilead. He led Israel for twenty-two years.

4And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead.

4Jair had thirty sons. Each one rode his own young donkey. The sons owned thirty towns in the land of Gilead. Even today those towns are called Havoth-jair.

NoteThe old wording says "ass colts," which means young donkeys. Riding donkeys showed that these sons were important men.

5And Jair died, and was buried in Camon.

5Then Jair died, and they buried him in a town called Camon.

6And 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.

6Once again the people of Israel did what God said was wrong. They worshiped statues of gods called Baals and Ashtoreths. They also worshiped the gods of Syria, Sidon, Moab, Ammon, and the Philistines. They turned away from the LORD and stopped serving Him.

7And 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.

7So the LORD became very angry with Israel. He let the Philistines and the people of Ammon take control of them.

NoteThe old wording says God "sold" Israel to their enemies. It means He handed them over and let those enemies win.

8And 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.

8That same year those enemies began to hurt and boss around the people of Israel. This went on for eighteen years. It hurt all the Israelites living east of the Jordan River. That land is called Gilead, and the Amorites once lived there.

9Moreover 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.

9The people of Ammon even crossed the Jordan River to fight more of Israel. They fought Judah, Benjamin, and the family group of Ephraim. Israel was in very deep trouble.

10And 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.

10So the people of Israel called out to the LORD for help. They said, "We have done wrong against you. We turned away from our God. We worshiped the Baals instead."

11And 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?

11The LORD answered the people of Israel. He said, "I saved you from the Egyptians and the Amorites. I saved you from the people of Ammon and from the Philistines.

12The 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"The people of Sidon, the Amalekites, and the Maonites also hurt you. You called out to me for help, and I saved you from them.

13Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more.

13"But you have still turned away from me. You have worshiped other gods. So I will not save you again.

14Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.

14"Go and call out to the gods you picked instead of me. Let them save you when you are in trouble."

15And 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.

15The people of Israel said to the LORD, "We have done wrong. Do to us whatever you think is right. But please save us today."

16And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

16So they threw away the other gods they had kept. They served the LORD instead. And God could not stand to watch Israel suffer anymore.

NoteThe old wording says God's "soul was grieved." It means He felt sad about Israel's pain and could not stand it any longer.

17Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh.

17Then the army of Ammon gathered and set up camp in Gilead. The people of Israel gathered too. They set up their camp at a place called Mizpeh.

18And 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.

18The people and the leaders of Gilead talked to each other. They asked, "Who will lead us into battle against Ammon?" They said, "That man will become the leader of everyone in Gilead."