1
And after Avimelekh there arose to save Yisra’el Tola son of Puah, son of Dodo, an ish of Yissakhar. And he dwelt in Shamir in the hill country of Efrayim.
2
And he judged Yisra’el twenty-three years. And he died and was buried in Shamir.
3
And after him arose Yair the Giladi, and he judged Yisra’el twenty-two years.
4
And he had thirty sons who rode upon thirty donkeys, and they had thirty cities, which are called Chavvot-Yair to this day, which are in the land of Gilad.
5
And Yair died and was buried in Qamon.
6
And the sons of Yisra’el again did what was evil in the eyes of Yahuah, and served the Baalim and the Ashtarot, and the elohim of Aram, and the elohim of Tzidon, and the elohim of Moav, and the elohim of the sons of Ammon, and the elohim of the Pelishtim. And they forsook Yahuah and did not serve Him.
7
And the anger of Yahuah burned against Yisra’el, and He sold them into the hand of the Pelishtim and into the hand of the sons of Ammon.
8
And they shattered and crushed the sons of Yisra’el in that year—eighteen years—all the sons of Yisra’el who were beyond the Yarden in the land of the Emori, which is in Gilad.
9
And the sons of Ammon crossed the Yarden to fight also against Yehudah, and against Binyamin, and against the house of Efrayim. And Yisra’el was greatly distressed.
10
And the sons of Yisra’el cried out to Yahuah, saying, “We have sinned against You, because we have forsaken our Elohim and served the Baalim.”
11
And Yahuah said to the sons of Yisra’el, “Did I not save you from Mitzrayim, and from the Emori, and from the sons of Ammon, and from the Pelishtim?
12
And the Tzidoni, and Amaleq, and Maon oppressed you, and you cried out to Me, and I saved you from their hand.
13
Yet you have forsaken Me and served other elohim. Therefore I will not continue to save you.
14
Go and cry out to the elohim whom you have chosen. Let them save you in the time of your distress.”
15
And the sons of Yisra’el said to Yahuah, “We have sinned. Do to us according to all that is good in Your eyes. Only please deliver us this day.”
16
And they removed the foreign elohim from their midst and served Yahuah. And His being became impatient over the misery of Yisra’el.
17
And the sons of Ammon were called together and encamped in Gilad. And the sons of Yisra’el gathered together and encamped at Mitzpah.
18
And the people, the rulers of Gilad, said, each ish to his neighbor, “Who is the ish who will begin to fight against the sons of Ammon? He shall become head over all the inhabitants of Gilad.”