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10:1 Tola was the first of five minor judges; little is known about him. Of the five, only Tola was said to rescue Israel. He came after Abimelech died, when Israel was in need of rescue, though not from a foreign enemy.
10:1-5 Each of the five minor judges (see also 12:8-15) judged Israel for a specific number of years; in this period of decline after Gideon, the formula “there was peace in the land” (3:11, 30; 5:31; 8:28) never recurs. The details given for these enigmatic figures include their places of origin and burial, and perhaps a brief genealogy or something notable...
10:1-5 Each of the five minor judges (see also 12:8-15) judged Israel for a specific number of years; in this period of decline after Gideon, the formula “there was peace in the land” (3:11, 30; 5:31; 8:28) never recurs. The details given for these enigmatic figures include their places of origin and burial, and perhaps a brief genealogy or something notable about their families. Four of the five names appear in other genealogical records: Tola and Puah as clans of Issachar (Gen 46:13; Num 26:23), Elon as a descendant of Zebulun (Gen 46:14; Num 26:26), and Jair at various points (see Num 32:41; Deut 3:14; Josh 13:30; 1 Kgs 4:13). The lack of specific military exploits and the common reference to “judging” suggests that they had some kind of administrative or judicial function.
10:17-18 The narrative returns to the Ammonite oppression, which sets the stage for Jephthah’s story.
10:18 The leaders of Gilead, in their desperation for leadership, did not consult the Lord (cp. 1:1; 20:18) but said that whoever stepped up to lead would become ruler over Gilead.
genesis 6:5-7
genesis 46:13
genesis 46:14
numbers 26:23
numbers 26:26
numbers 32:41
numbers 32:41
deuteronomy 3:14
God’s Grief over Apostasy
God’s Grief over Apostasy The God of the universe is grieved by his people’s misery (10:16; Hos 11:8-9). Even when repeatedly spurned, God’s love is more powerful than his wrath, and his compassion exceeds his indignation. That does not mean that his love negates his justice, however, and people will ultimately be judged in the end for their choices and actions (see 2Tim 4:1; Rev 20:11-15). The entire era of the judges shows what happens in God’s heart when his people repeatedly spurn him. There comes a point, as in the time of Noah (Gen 6:5-7), when God’s patience runs out. For the Israelites who inhabited the land of the judges, that time had come. At one point, after the Israelites had turned to worship other gods and God had allowed them to be oppressed by their enemies, God responded to their plea for help by saying, “Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen! Let them rescue you” (Judg 10:14). Yet, even then, when Israel repeated its plea for mercy, rid themselves of their idols, and submitted to the Lord’s justice (10:10, 15-16), he provided help. God longs for people to turn to him in repentance, not wanting anyone to be destroyed (2 Pet 3:9). And in his justice,...
Social Chaos in Judges
Social Chaos in Judges While the book of Judges celebrates divine rescue through heroes, it also chronicles the inadequacy of the status quo. A decline in individual piety throughout the period was accompanied by a rise in social dysfunction, powerfully expressed in chapter 5 (e.g., 5:6-8). Three features of the times stand out: First, the tribes had little ability to function in unison, even when faced by a common enemy (see, e.g., the Gideon and Jephthah stories; chs 8, 12). The civil strife within and between tribes reflects covenant disobedience. Second, the breakdown of civil society is also evidenced throughout the book. Abimelech’s murder of Gideon’s sons, Jephthah’s apparent sacrifice of his daughter, and Samson’s acts of revenge toward the Philistines highlight the depravity and lack of civility that characterized this period. Third, religious apostasy was widespread in those days. The “evil in the Lord’s sight” committed by the Israelites was repeatedly connected to idolatry (Judg 2:11-13; 3:7; 10:6). The altar to Baal and the Asherah pole in Gideon’s town of Ophrah (6:25-30) indicate flagrant abandonment of the Lord, as do the worship of the golden ephod made by...