What does Israel do after the Lord tells them to call on the gods they chose?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

They confess their sin again, ask him to do whatever pleases him but deliver them this time, cast all strange idols out of their territory and serve him. The account says he is touched with their miseries.

Chapter breakdown

After Abimelech, Thola arises as ruler in Israel. He is described as son of Phua, the uncle of Abimelech, a man of Issachar dwelling in Samir of mount Ephraim. Challoner separately explains the uncle relationship as Gedeon’s half brother: born of the same mother, but with a different father and from a different tribe. Thola judges Israel twenty-three years, dies and is buried in Samir. Jair the Galaadite succeeds him and judges twenty-two years. His thirty sons ride thirty ass colts and are princes of thirty cities in Galaad, called Havoth Jair from his name, meaning the towns of Jair, until this present day. Challoner separately says the name is now confirmed to towns that had earlier received it from another Jair, referring to Numbers 32:41. Jair dies and is buried at Camon.

Israel adds new sins to old ones and does evil before the Lord. They serve Baalim and Astaroth, and the gods of Syria, Sidon, Moab, Ammon and the Philistines, leaving the Lord and not serving him. In anger he delivers them to the Philistines and Ammonites. Those beyond the Jordan in the Amorrhite land in Galaad suffer grievous oppression for eighteen years. Ammon crosses the Jordan and wastes Juda, Benjamin and Ephraim, leaving Israel exceedingly distressed.

Israel cries to the Lord and confesses that they sinned by forsaking their God and serving Baalim. He asks whether Egypt, the Amorrhites, Ammon, the Philistines, the Sidonians, Amalec and Chanaan did not oppress them, and whether he did not deliver them when they cried to him. Yet they have forsaken him and worshipped strange gods, so he says he will deliver them no more and tells them to call upon their chosen gods for deliverance in distress. Israel again confesses sin, asks him to do whatever pleases him and begs only for deliverance this time. While saying this, they cast all strange idols out of their territory and serve the Lord their God. He is touched with their miseries.

Ammon’s people shout together and pitch tents in Galaad. Israel assembles against them and camps in Maspha. Galaad’s princes say to one another that whoever first begins to fight Ammon will be leader of Galaad’s people.

The story inside

Thola’s and Jair’s rule is recorded through their years, family details, named towns and burials. Israel then adds new sins and serves the listed gods instead of the Lord. His anger is followed by oppression beyond the Jordan and Ammon’s crossing into named western territories. Israel’s confession receives a reminder of past deliverance, a refusal and a command to call on its chosen gods. Their renewed confession and plea accompany removal of the idols and service to the Lord, who is touched with their miseries. The final opposing camps and the princes’ first-fight condition leave the coming battle’s leadership unresolved within this chapter.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The two judges’ records give concrete facts without calling their whole tenures peaceful. Thola’s twenty-three years and Jair’s twenty-two years are followed by their burials. Jair’s thirty sons, mounts and cities and the note about an earlier Jair keep the account specific.
2
The conversation includes a refusal as well as compassion. The Lord recalls the peoples from whom he delivered Israel and tells them to seek their chosen gods. Israel’s renewed plea is accompanied by removal of the idols and service to him; the chapter then says he is touched with their miseries.
3
The final leadership offer has a stated condition. The armies camp at Galaad and Maspha, and the princes say the first to begin fighting Ammon will lead Galaad’s people. The chapter ends with that offer rather than naming its fulfillment.

Test your recall

What does the Lord remind Israel of, and what words and actions follow his refusal to deliver them again?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 26323–26351
Judges Chapter 10 Thola ruleth Israel twenty-three years; and Jair twenty-two. The people fall again into idolatry, and are afflicted again by the Philistines and Ammonites. They cry to God for help, who upon their repentance hath compassion on them. 10:1. After Abimelech, there arose a ruler in Israel, Thola, son of Phua, the uncle of Abimelech, a man of Issachar, who dwelt in Samir of mount Ephraim: Uncle of Abimelech.... i. e., half brother to Gedeon, as being born of the same mother, but by a different father, and of a different tribe. 10:2. And he judged Israel three and twenty years, and he died, and was buried in Samir. 10:3. To him succeeded Jair, the Galaadite, who judged Israel for two and twenty years, 10:4. Having thirty sons, that rode on thirty ass colts, and were princes of thirty cities, which from his name were called Havoth Jair, that is, the towns of Jair, until this present day, in the land of Galaad. Havoth Jair.... This name was now confirmed to these towns, which they had formerly received from another Jair. Num. 32.41. 10:5. And Jair died, and was buried in the place which is called Camon.
Lines 26353–26368
10:6. But the children of Israel, adding new sins to their old ones, did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served idols, Baalim and Astaroth, and the gods of Syria, and of Sidon, and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon, and of the Philistines: and they left the Lord, and did not serve him. 10:7. And the Lord being angry with them, delivered them into the hands of the Philistines, and of the children of Ammon. 10:8. And they were afflicted, and grievously oppressed for eighteen years, all they that dwelt beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorrhite, who is in Galaad: 10:9. Insomuch that the children of Ammon, passing over the Jordan, wasted Juda, and Benjamin, and Ephraim: and Israel was distressed exceedingly.
Lines 26370–26391
10:10. And they cried to the Lord, and said, We have sinned against thee, because we have forsaken the Lord our God, and have served Baalim. 10:11. And the Lord said to them: Did not the Egyptians, and the Amorrhites, and the children of Ammon, and the Philistines, 10:12. The Sidonians also, and Amalec, and Chanaan, oppress you, and you cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand? 10:13. And yet you have forsaken me, and have worshipped strange gods: therefore I will deliver you no more: 10:14. Go, and call upon the gods which you have chosen: let them deliver you in the time of distress. 10:15. And the children of Israel said to the Lord: We have sinned, do thou unto us whatsoever pleaseth thee: only deliver us this time. 10:16. And saying these things, they cast away out of their coasts all the idols of strange gods, and served the Lord their God: and he was touched with their miseries.
Lines 26393–26401
10:17. And the children of Ammon shouting together, pitched their tents in Galaad: against whom the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and camped in Maspha. 10:18. And the princes of Galaad said one to another: Whosoever of us shall first begin to fight against the children of Ammon, he shall be the leader of the people of Galaad.