Chapter 10

Thola ruleth in Israel twenty three years. ℣.3 Jair twenty two. ℣.6 The people fall again to idolatry, are afflicted by the Philisthimes and Ammonites. ℣.10 They cry to God for help, who biddeth them call for help to the gods whom they have served. ℣.16 But crying still to God, and throwing away their idols, he hath compassion of them.

1. 1

   After Abimelech there arose Ruler in Israel Thola the son of Phua the uncle of Abimelech, a man of Issachar, which dwelt in Samir of mount Ephraim:

2. 2

   and judged Israel three and twenty years, and died and was buried in Samir.

3. 3

   After him succeeded Jair the Galaadite, who judged Israel for two and twenty years,

4. 4

   having thirty sons sitting upon thirty ass colts, & Princes of thirty cities, which of his name were called Havoth Jair, that is, the towns of Jair, until this present day, in the Land of Galaad.

5. 5

   And Jair died, and was buried in the place, which is called Camon.

6. 6

   But the children of Israel joining new sins to their old, did evil in the sight of our Lord, & served the idols, Baalim and Astaroth, & the gods of Syria and of Sidon and of Moab and the children of Ammon and of the Philisthiims: and they left our Lord, and did not serve him.

7. 7

   Against whom our Lord being wrath, delivered them into the hands of the Philisthiims and of the children of Ammon.

8. 8

   And they were afflicted and sore oppressed for eighteen years, all that dwelt beyond Jordan in the Land of the Amorrhite, which is in Galaad:

9. 9

   in so much, that the children of Ammon passing over Jordan wasted Judas and Benjamin and Ephraim: and Israel was afflicted exceedingly.

10. 10

    And crying to our Lord, they said: We have sinned to thee, because we have forsaken our Lord God & have served Baalim.

11. 11

    To whom our Lord spake: Have not the Ægyptians and the Amorrhites, and the children of Ammon and the Philisthiims,

12. 12

    the Sidonians also and Amalech and Chanaan oppressed you, & you cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hands?

13. 13

    And yet you have forsaken me, and have worshipped strange gods: therefore I will not add to deliver you any more:

14. 14

    go and invocate the gods which you have chosen: let them deliver you in the time of distress.

15. 15

    And the children of Israel said to our Lord: We have sinned, render to us whatsoever pleaseth thee: only now deliver us.

16. 16

    In saying which things, they threw away out of their coasts all the idols of strange gods, and served our Lord God: who sorrowed for their miseries.

17. 17

    Therefore the children of Ammon crying together pitcht their tents in Galaad: against whom the children of Israel being assembled camped in Maspha.

18. 18

    And the Princes of Galaad said every one to their neighbours: Who of us shall first begin to fight against the children of Ammon, shall be the Duke of the people of Galaad.