1 Now after Abimelech died, Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, AJudg 2:16arose to save Israel; and he lived in Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim. 2 He judged Israel twenty-three years. Then he died and was buried in Shamir.

3 After him, Jair the Gileadite arose and judged Israel twenty-two years. 4 He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys, and they had thirty cities 1Lit which are inin the land of Gilead ANum 32:41that are called 2I.e. the towns of JairHavvoth-jair to this day. 5 And Jair died and was buried in Kamon.

6 Then the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Loʀᴅ, AJudg 2:13served the Baals and the Ashtaroth, the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, BJudg 11:24the gods of the sons of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines; thus CDeut 31:16, 17; 32:15they forsook the Loʀᴅ and did not serve Him. 7 The anger of the Loʀᴅ burned against Israel, and He A1 Sam 12:9sold them into the hands of the Philistines and into the hands of the sons of Ammon. 8 They 1Lit shatteredafflicted and crushed the sons of Israel 2Lit in thatthat year; for eighteen years they afflicted all the sons of Israel who were beyond the Jordan 3Lit which is inin Gilead in the land of the Amorites. 9 The sons of Ammon crossed the Jordan to fight also against Judah, Benjamin, and the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was greatly distressed.

10 Then the A1 Sam 12:10sons of Israel cried out to the Loʀᴅ, saying, “We have sinned against You, for indeed, we have forsaken our God and served the Baals.” 11 The Loʀᴅ said to the sons of Israel, “Did I not deliver you AJudg 2:12from the Egyptians, BNum 21:21-25the Amorites, CJudg 3:13the sons of Ammon, and the Philistines? 12  “Also when the Sidonians, the Amalekites and the Maonites APs 106:42oppressed you, you cried out to Me, and I delivered you from their hands. 13  “Yet AJer 2:13you have forsaken Me and served other gods; therefore I will no longer deliver you. 14  “ADeut 32:37Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your distress.” 15 The sons of Israel said to the Loʀᴅ, “We have sinned, A1 Sam 3:18do to us whatever seems good to You; only please deliver us this day.” 16 AJosh 24:23So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Loʀᴅ; and 1Lit His soul was short with the miseryBDeut 32:36He could bear the misery of Israel no longer.

17 Then the sons of Ammon were summoned and they camped in Gilead. And the sons of Israel gathered together and camped in AJudg 11:29Mizpah. 18 The people, the leaders of Gilead, said to one another, “Who is the man who will begin to fight against the sons of Ammon? He shall become head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”