Judges, 10

1. After Abimelech, Tola son of Puah, son of Dodo, rose to deliver Israel. He belonged to Issachar and lived at Shamir in the mountain country of Ephraim.

1. After Abim'elech there arose to deliver Israel Tola the son of Pu'ah, son of Dodo, a man of Is'sachar; and he lived at Shamir in the hill country of E'phraim.

2. He was judge in Israel for twenty-three years; he then died and was buried at Shamir.

2. And he judged Israel twenty-three years. Then he died, and was buried at Shamir.

3. After him rose Jair of Gilead, who judged Israel for twenty-two years.

3. After him arose Ja'ir the Gileadite, who judged Israel twenty-two years.

4. He had thirty sons who rode on thirty young donkeys and who owned thirty towns, still known today as the Encampments of Jair, in the territory of Gilead.

4. And he had thirty sons who rode on thirty asses; and they had thirty cities, called Hav'voth-ja'ir to this day, which are in the land of Gilead.

5. Jair then died and was buried at Kamon.

5. And Ja'ir died, and was buried in Kamon.

6. The Israelites again began doing what is evil in Yahweh's eyes. They served Baal and Astarte, and the gods of Aram and Sidon, the gods of Moab and those of the Ammonites and Philistines. They deserted Yahweh and served him no more.

6. And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and served the Ba'als and the Ash'taroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines; and they forsook the LORD, and did not serve him.

7. Yahweh's anger then grew hot against Israel and he gave them over into the power of the Philistines and the power of the Ammonites,

7. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the Ammonites,

8. who from that year onwards crushed and oppressed the Israelites for eighteen years -- all those Israelites living on the other side of the Jordan in Amorite territory, in Gilead.

8. and they crushed and oppressed the children of Israel that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the people of Israel that were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.

9. Furthermore, the Ammonites would cross the Jordan and also make war on Judah, Benjamin and the House of Ephraim, so that Israel was in distress.

9. And the Ammonites crossed the Jordan to fight also against Judah and against Benjamin and against the house of E'phraim; so that Israel was sorely distressed.

10. The Israelites then cried to Yahweh and said, 'We have sinned against you, because we have turned from Yahweh our God to serve Baals.'

10. And the people of Israel cried to the LORD, saying, "We have sinned against thee, because we have forsaken our God and have served the Ba'als."

11. And Yahweh said to the Israelites, 'When Egyptians and Amorites, Ammonites and Philistines,

11. And the LORD said to the people of Israel, "Did I not deliver you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites, from the Ammonites and from the Philistines?

12. when the Sidonians, Amalek and Midian oppressed you and you cried to me, did I not rescue you from their power?

12. The Sido'nians also, and the Amal'ekites, and the Ma'onites, oppressed you; and you cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand.

13. But it is you who have forsaken me and served other gods; and so I shall rescue you no more.

13. Yet you have forsaken me and served other gods; therefore I will deliver you no more.

14. Go and cry to the gods whom you have chosen. Let them rescue you in your time of trouble.'

14. Go and cry to the gods whom you have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your distress."

15. The Israelites replied to Yahweh, 'We have sinned. Treat us as you see fit, but please rescue us today.'

15. And the people of Israel said to the LORD, "We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to thee; only deliver us, we pray thee, this day."

16. They got rid of their foreign gods and served Yahweh, who could bear Israel's suffering no longer.

16. So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD; and he became indignant over the misery of Israel.

17. The Ammonites gathered and pitched camp in Gilead. The Israelites rallied and pitched camp at Mizpah.

17. Then the Ammonites were called to arms, and they encamped in Gilead; and the people of Israel came together, and they encamped at Mizpah.

18. The people, the chieftains of Gilead, then said to one another, 'Who will volunteer to attack the Ammonites? He shall be chief of all who live in Gilead!'

18. And the people, the leaders of Gilead, said one to another, "Who is the man that will begin to fight against the Ammonites? He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead."