Tola
1Tola rose up to save Israel. That happened after the time of Abimelek. Tola was from the tribe of Issachar. He was the son of Puah, who was the son of Dodo. Tola lived in Shamir. It’s in the hill country of Ephraim. 2Tola led Israel for 23 years. After he died, he was buried in Shamir.
Jair
3Jair became the leader after Tola. Jair was from the land of Gilead. He led Israel for 22 years. 4He had 30 sons. They rode on 30 donkeys. His sons controlled 30 towns in Gilead. Those towns are called Havvoth Jair to this day. 5After Jair died, he was buried in Kamon.
Jephthah
6Once again the Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. They served gods that were named Baal. They served female gods that were named Ashtoreth. They worshiped the gods of Aram and Sidon. They served the gods of Moab and Ammon. They also worshiped the gods of the Philistines. The Israelites deserted the Lord. They didn’t serve him anymore. 7So the Lord became very angry with them. He handed them over to the Philistines and the Ammonites. 8That year they broke Israel’s power completely. They treated the Israelites badly for 18 years. The people who did this lived east of the Jordan River. They lived in Gilead. That was the land of the Amorites. 9The Ammonites also went across the Jordan. They crossed over to fight against the tribes of Judah, Benjamin and Ephraim. Israel was suffering terribly. 10Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord. They said, “We have sinned against you. We have deserted our God. We have served gods that are named Baal.”
11The Lord replied, “The Egyptians and Amorites treated you badly. So did the Ammonites and Philistines. 12And so did the Amalekites and the people of Sidon and Maon. Each time you cried out to me for help. And I saved you from their power. 13But you have deserted me. You have served other gods. So I will not save you anymore. 14Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you when you get into trouble!”
15But the Israelites replied to the Lord, “We have sinned. Do to us what you think is best. But please save us now.” 16Then they got rid of the false gods that were among them. They served the Lord. And he couldn’t stand to see Israel suffer anymore.
17The Ammonites were called together to fight. They camped in the land of Gilead. Then the Israelites gathered together. They camped at the city of Mizpah. 18The leaders of Gilead spoke to one another. They said, “Who will lead the attack against the Ammonites? That person will be the ruler of all the people who live in Gilead.”
士师陀拉和雅珥
1亚比米勒死后，以萨迦人陀拉拯救了以色列人。他住在以法莲山区的沙密，祖父是朵多，父亲是普瓦。 2陀拉做士师二十三年，死后葬在沙密。
3之后，基列人雅珥做士师二十二年。 4他有三十个儿子，每人骑一头驴。他们在基列拥有三十座城，那些城到现在还叫“雅珥之城”。 5雅珥死后，葬在加们。
以色列人因犯罪而受罚
6后来，以色列人又做耶和华视为恶的事，祭拜巴力和亚斯她录，又拜亚兰、西顿、摩押、亚扪和非利士的神明。他们背弃耶和华，不再事奉祂。 7耶和华向他们发怒，把他们交在非利士人和亚扪人手中。 8那年，非利士人和亚扪人击垮了以色列人，压迫基列地区、约旦河东亚摩利境内的以色列人达十八年。 9亚扪人还渡过约旦河攻击犹大、便雅悯和以法莲支派，使以色列人苦不堪言。 10于是，他们呼求耶和华说：“我们背弃我们的上帝去祭拜巴力，我们得罪了你。” 11耶和华对他们说：“你们受埃及人、亚摩利人、亚扪人、非利士人、 12西顿人、亚玛力人和马云人的压迫，就呼求我，我岂没有拯救你们吗？ 13但你们竟背弃我，去事奉别的神明，所以我不再救你们。 14你们去呼求自己选择的神明吧！你们有难，让他们救你们吧！” 15他们对耶和华说：“我们犯了罪，任你处置我们，只求你今天拯救我们。” 16以色列人除掉了他们的外邦神像，转而事奉耶和华。耶和华不忍再看以色列人受苦。
17当时，亚扪人整装备战，在基列安营；以色列人也集合起来，在米斯巴安营。 18基列的首领们彼此商议说：“谁先攻打亚扪人，谁就做所有基列人的首领。”
