This chapter introduces us to the oppression by both the Ammonites and the Philistines. Although we can’t be certain, Tola may have been named after the sons of his ancestor, Issachar, Genesis 46:13.
He is the sixth judge whom God sent to deliver Israel, Judges 10:1. He lived in Shamir, in the hill country of Ephraim and served Israel as a judge for twenty-three years and was buried in Shamir, Judges 10:2. This is the only information we have about him.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘It is somewhat unusual to find the names of BOTH the father and the grandfather in this type of account, and here it might be due to the fact that Dodo was one of David’s ‘mighty men’, 2 Samuel 23:9 / 2 Samuel 23:24 / 1 Chronicles 11:12 / 1 Chronicles 27:7. Also, if the reference here is to one of David’s mighty men, it would indicate a long skip in the genealogy between Dodo and Puah, as is customary in Biblical genealogies.’
Again, no one is sure who Jair was, and although he served as a judge for Israel for twenty-two years, Judges 10:3. This is the only information we have about him.
It does appear, though, that he may have been very wealthy, with thirty sons who rode thirty donkeys and controlled thirty towns and was buried in Kamon, Judges 10:4-5.
Bradman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘J-air, the name of the judge, also appears as ‘(a-ir)’ meaning ‘donkey,’ and as ‘(ir)’ meaning city!’
Again, the Israelites did evil in the eyes of God and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites and the gods of the Philistines, Judges 10:6.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘It has been remarked that the Hebrew words for ‘to divine,’ ‘to practice magic,’ ‘idolatrous priests,’ and other like words, are of Syrian origin. The Syriac ritual proved very attractive to King Ahaz, 2 Kings 16:10-12. For the national gods of the Zidonians, Moabites, Ammonites, and Philistines, see 1 Kings 11:5 / 1 Kings 11:7 / 1 Kings 11:33 / 1 Samuel 5:2-5.’
We have to wonder, when will Israel learn from its past mistakes? When are they going to realise that these pagan deities only offered ample opportunity to sin, but provided no means of salvation? Well, like we have seen time and time again, they’re only going to learn the hard way.
God became angry with them because they forsook Him and punished them for eighteen years by allowing them to be oppressed by the Philistines and the Ammonites, Judges 10:7-8 / Numbers 21:21 / Deuteronomy 1:4 / Joshua 13:10 / Psalms 135:11.
When the Ammonites crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah, Benjamin and Ephraim, Israel was in great distress, Judges 10:9, and notice they cried out to God again, confessing their sins, Judges 10:10. Why did Israel cry out to God? Because once again they’re in trouble. In other words, the Israelites only want God when they need Him.
Yates, in his commentary, says the following.
‘This chapter is introductory to the Samson story, Judges 10:13:1-16:31, as well as to the judgeship of Jephthah, Judges 11:1-40.’
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The Israelites were delivered from the ‘Egyptians’ at the Exodus; from the ‘Amorites’ in the victories over Sihon, and Og, and the five kings of the Amorites, Joshua 10:5, from the ‘children of Ammon’ by Ehud and from the ‘Philistines’ by the hand of Shamgar, 1 Samuel 12:9.’
And so Israel once again calls upon the God of convenience, Judges 10:10, but notice God’s response. His response is almost sarcastic; he more or less says, ‘let the things you’ve trusted shelter you since you’ve refused to trust in Me!’ Judges 10:11-12 / Joshua 11:8.
Hervey, in his commentary, says the following.
‘These references to former deliverances of Israel are of great historical value. They show the existence of a real history in the background of that which has been preserved in the Bible. Furthermore, there are references here that mention events recorded in Exodus and in Numbers 21:21-35, thus giving irrefutable evidence of the existence of the entire Pentateuch at a time long before the monarchy had been established in Israel.’
And unlike these other gods, Judges 10:13-14, our God doesn’t desert His people. When we rely on those gods instead of the True God, we find ourselves as lost as Israel in the distressing days of the Judges.
Notice Israel’s confession here, they say that they have sinned and worshipped the foreign gods, Judges 10:15 / Judges 10:6. They had become unequally yoked with the nations around them, 2 Corinthians 6:14.
They tell God to do with them whatever He thinks is best, but please rescue us now, Judges 10:15. Their confession also implies repentance, as they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served God, Judges 10:16 / 2 Corinthians 7:10.
After confessing their sins and repenting by getting rid of their idols, God’s misery was so great about what the surrounding nations were doing, He was moved to take action, Judges 10:16 / Hosea 11:8-9. We find Him doing so in the next chapter.
The Ammonites gathered their army to try to bring an end to the Israelite rebellion, Judges 10:17 / Judges 11:13, but in response to the Ammonite threat, Israel gathered together for defence, Judges 10:18.
The problem was that when Israel gathered together, they had no leader, Judges 10:18. As we will see in the next chapter, God will indeed raise up another deliverer to help Israel in their time of distress, and his name is Jephthah.