1 And after Abimelech there arose Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, to save Israel, and he dwelt in Shamir in the hill-country of Ephraim.

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

3 And after him arose Jair, the Gileadite, and he judged Israel twenty-two years.

4 And he had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkey colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havvoth-jair to this day, which are in the land of Gilead.

5 And Jair died, and was buried in Kamon.

6 And the sons of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and served the Baalim, and the Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Sidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the sons of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines. And they forsook Jehovah, and did not serve him.

7 And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the sons of Ammon.

8 And they vexed and oppressed the sons of Israel that year. Eighteen years they oppressed all the sons of Israel who were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.

9 And the sons of Ammon passed over the Jordan to also fight against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was exceedingly distressed.

10 And the sons of Israel cried to Jehovah, saying, We have sinned against thee, even because we have forsaken our God, and have served the Baalim.

11 And Jehovah said to the sons of Israel, Did not I save you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the sons of Ammon, and from the Philistines?

12 The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, oppressed you. And ye cried to me, and I saved you out of their hand.

13 Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods. Therefore I will save you no more.

14 Go and cry to the gods which ye have chosen. Let them save you in the time of your distress.

15 And the sons of Israel said to Jehovah, We have sinned. Do thou to us whatever seems good to thee, only deliver us, we pray thee, this day.

16 And they put away the foreign gods from among them, and served Jehovah. And his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

17 Then the sons of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the sons of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpah.

18 And the people, the rulers of Gilead, said one to another, What man is he who will begin to fight against the sons of Ammon? He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.