1 And after Abimelech Thola the son of Phua rose up to save Israel, being the son of *i. e. Abimelech's.his father's brother, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Samir in mount Ephraim. 2 And he judged Israel twenty-three years, and died, and was buried in Samir.

3 And after him arose Jair of Galaad, and he judged Israel twenty-two years. 4 And he had thirty-two sons riding on thirty-two colts, and they had thirty-two cities; and they called them Jair's towns until this day in the land of Galaad. 5 And Jair died, and was buried in Rhamnon.

6 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim, and Astaroth, and the gods of Aram, and the gods of Sidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Phylistines; and they forsook the Lord, and did not serve him. 7 And the Lord was very angry with Israel, and sold them into the hand of the Phylistines, and into the hand of the children of Ammon. 8 And they afflicted and bruised the children of Israel at that time eighteen years, all the children of Israel beyond Jordan in the land of the Amorite in Galaad. 9 And the children of Ammon went over Jordan to fight with Juda, and Benjamin, and with Ephraim; and the children of Israel were greatly afflicted.

10 And the children of Israel cried to the Lord, saying, We have sinned against thee, because we have forsaken God, and served Baalim. 11 And the Lord said to the children of Israel, Did I not save you from Egypt and from the Amorite, and from the children of Ammon, and from the Phylistines, 12 and from the Sidonians, and Amalec, and Madiam, who afflicted you? and ye cried to me, and I saved you out of their hand? 13 Yet ye forsook me and served other gods; therefore I will not save you any more. 14 Go, and cry to the gods whom ye have chosen to yourselves, and let them save you in the time of your affliction. 15 And the children of Israel said to the Lord, We have sinned: do thou to us according to all that is good in thine eyes; only deliver us this day. 16 And they put away the strange gods from the midst of them, and served the Lord only, and his soul was pained for the trouble of Israel.

17 And the children of Ammon went up, and encamped in Galaad; and the children of Israel were gathered together and encamped †Or, near the watch-tower. Heb. מעפה, name of a town.on the hill. 18 And the people the princes of Galaad said every man to his neighbour, Who is he that shall begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall even be head over all that dwell in Galaad.