| Berean Study Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1After the time of Abimelech, a man of Issachar, Tola son of Puah, the son of Dodo, rose up to save Israel. He lived in Shamir, in the hill country of Ephraim. | 1After Abimelech died, Tola son of Puah, son of Dodo, was the next person to rescue Israel. He was from the tribe of Issachar but lived in the town of Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim. |
| 2Tola judged Israel twenty-three years, and when he died, he was buried in Shamir. | 2He judged Israel for twenty-three years. When he died, he was buried in Shamir. Jair Becomes Israel’s Judge |
| 3Tola was followed by Jair the Gileadite, who judged Israel twenty-two years. | 3After Tola died, Jair from Gilead judged Israel for twenty-two years. |
| 4He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys. And they had thirty towns in the land of Gilead, which to this day are called Havvoth-jair. | 4His thirty sons rode around on thirty donkeys, and they owned thirty towns in the land of Gilead, which are still called the Towns of Jair. |
| 5When Jair died, he was buried in Kamon. | 5When Jair died, he was buried in Kamon. The Ammonites Oppress Israel |
| 6And again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD. They served the Baals, the Ashtoreths, the gods of Aram, Sidon, and Moab, and the gods of the Ammonites and Philistines. Thus they forsook the LORD and did not serve Him. | 6Again the Israelites did evil in the LORD’s sight. They served the images of Baal and Ashtoreth, and the gods of Aram, Sidon, Moab, Ammon, and Philistia. They abandoned the LORD and no longer served him at all. |
| 7So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and Ammonites, | 7So the LORD burned with anger against Israel, and he turned them over to the Philistines and the Ammonites, |
| 8who that very year harassed and oppressed the Israelites, and did so for eighteen years to all the Israelites on the other side of the Jordan in Gilead, the land of the Amorites. | 8who began to oppress them that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the Israelites east of the Jordan River in the land of the Amorites (that is, in Gilead). |
| 9The Ammonites also crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah, Benjamin, and the house of Ephraim, and Israel was in deep distress. | 9The Ammonites also crossed to the west side of the Jordan and attacked Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim. The Israelites were in great distress. |
| 10Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, saying, “We have sinned against You, for we have indeed forsaken our God and served the Baals.” | 10Finally, they cried out to the LORD for help, saying, “We have sinned against you because we have abandoned you as our God and have served the images of Baal.” |
| 11The LORD replied, “When the Egyptians, Amorites, Ammonites, Philistines, | 11The LORD replied, “Did I not rescue you from the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, |
| 12Sidonians, Amalekites, and Maonites oppressed you and you cried out to Me, did I not save you from their hands? | 12the Sidonians, the Amalekites, and the Maonites? When they oppressed you, you cried out to me for help, and I rescued you. |
| 13But you have forsaken Me and served other gods, so I will no longer save you. | 13Yet you have abandoned me and served other gods. So I will not rescue you anymore. |
| 14Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you in your time of trouble.” | 14Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen! Let them rescue you in your hour of distress!” |
| 15“We have sinned,” the Israelites said to the LORD. “Deal with us as You see fit; but please deliver us today!” | 15But the Israelites pleaded with the LORD and said, “We have sinned. Punish us as you see fit, only rescue us today from our enemies.” |
| 16So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD, and He could no longer bear the misery of Israel. | 16Then the Israelites put aside their foreign gods and served the LORD. And he was grieved by their misery. |
| 17Then the Ammonites were called to arms and camped in Gilead, and the Israelites assembled and camped at Mizpah. | 17At that time the armies of Ammon had gathered for war and were camped in Gilead, and the people of Israel assembled and camped at Mizpah. |
| 18And the rulers of Gilead said to one another, “Whoever will launch the attack against the Ammonites will be the head of all who live in Gilead.” | 18The leaders of Gilead said to each other, “Whoever attacks the Ammonites first will become ruler over all the people of Gilead.” |
|
