Judges 10

Jud 10:1-5.

TOLA

JUDGES

ISRAEL IN

SHAMIR.

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.

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"

(Nu 32:41;

De 3:14;

Jos 13:3;

1Ch 2:22).

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.

Jud 10:6-9.

ISRAEL

OPPRESSED BY THE

PHILISTINES AND

AMMONITES.

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. 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.

Jud 10:10-15.

THEY

CRY TO

GOD.

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. 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. Maonites--that is, "Midianites."

Jud 10:16-18.

THEY

REPENT;

GOD

PITIES

THEM.

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, 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

(Jos 11:3).