1 And after Abimelech Tola the son of Puah rose up to save Israel, being the son of his father’s brother, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in Mount Ephraim. 2 And he judged Israel twenty-three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.

3 And after him arose Jair of Gilead, 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 Gilead. 5 And Jair died, and was buried in Kamon.

6 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, 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 Philistines; 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 Philistines, 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 Gilead. 9 And the children of Ammon went over Jordan to fight with Judah, 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 Philistines, 12 and from the Sidonians, and Amalek, and Midian, 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 anymore. 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 Gilead; and the children of Israel were gathered together and encamped on the hill. 18 And the people the princes of Gilead said every man to his neighbor, Who is he that shall begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall even be head over all that dwell in Gilead.