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Selected Verse: Judges 10:1 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Jud 10:1	Strong Concordance	And after [0310] Abimelech [040] there arose [06965] to defend [03467] Israel [03478] Tola [08439] the son [01121] of Puah [06312], the son [01121] of Dodo [01734], a man [0376] of Issachar [03485]; and he dwelt [03427] in Shamir [08069] in mount [02022] Ephraim [0669].
	King James	And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim.

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
TOLA JUDGES ISRAEL IN SHAMIR. (Jdg 10:1-5) after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel, Tola--that is, "to save." Deliverance was necessary as well from intestine usurpation as from foreign aggression. the son of Puah--He was uncle to Abimelech by the father's side, and consequently brother of Gideon; yet the former was of the tribe of Issachar, while the latter was of Manasseh. They were, most probably, uterine brothers. dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim--As a central place, he made it the seat of government.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

TOLA JUDGES ISRAEL IN SHAMIR. (Jdg 10:1-5)

after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel, Tola--that is, "to save." Deliverance was necessary as well from intestine usurpation as from foreign aggression.

the son of Puah--He was uncle to Abimelech by the father's side, and consequently brother of Gideon; yet the former was of the tribe of Issachar, while the latter was of Manasseh. They were, most probably, uterine brothers.

dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim--As a central place, he made it the seat of government.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Defend - The marginal reading "to deliver," is far preferable. The word is the same as in Jdg 2:16, Jdg 2:18; Jdg 3:9, Jdg 3:15, Jdg 3:31, etc., and is the technical word applied to the judges. Compare Neh 9:27 ("saviours who saved them," the King James Version). The term "there arose," also marks Tola as one of the Judges, properly so called, raised by divine providence. Tola and Puah - Both names of heads of houses in the tribe of Issachar Ch1 7:1; Gen 46:13. Shamir - Not the same as that mentioned in Jos 15:48, which was in the hill country of Judah. Issaehar would seem from this to have extended into the northern part of mount Ephraim.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
Of these two judges no particular deeds are mentioned, no doubt because they performed none. Jdg 10:1-2 Tola arose after Abimelech's death to deliver Israel, and judged Israel twenty-three years until his death, though certainly not all the Israelites of the twelve tribes, but only the northern and possibly also the eastern tribes, to the exclusion of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, as these southern tribes neither took part in Gideon's war of freedom nor stood under Abimelech's rule. To explain the clause "there arose to defend (or save) Israel," when nothing had been said about any fresh oppression on the part of the foe, we need not assume, as Rosenmller does, "that the Israelites had been constantly harassed by their neighbours, who continued to suppress the liberty of the Israelites, and from whose stratagems or power the Israelites were delivered by the acts of Tola;" but Tola rose up as the deliverer of Israel, even supposing that he simply regulated the affairs of the tribes who acknowledged him as their supreme judge, and succeeded by his efforts in preventing the nation from falling back into idolatry, and thus guarded Israel from any fresh oppression on the part of hostile nations. Tola was the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, of the tribe of Issachar. The names Tola and Puah are already met with among the descendants of Issachar, as founders of families of the tribes of Issachar (see Gen 46:13; Num 26:23, where the latter name is written פּוּה), and they were afterwards repeated in the different households of these families. Dodo is not an appellative, as the Sept. translators supposed (υἱὸς πατραδέλφου αὐτοῦ), but a proper name, as in Sa2 23:9 (Keri), 24, and Ch1 11:12. The town of Shamir, upon the mountains of Ephraim, where Tola judged Israel, and was afterwards buried, was a different place from the Shamir upon the mountains of Judah, mentioned in Jos 15:48, and its situation (probably in the territory of Issachar) is still unknown. Jdg 10:3-5 After him Jair the Gileadite (born in Gilead) judged Israel for twenty-two years. Nothing further is related of him than that he had thirty sons who rode upon thirty asses, which was a sign of distinguished rank in those times when the Israelites had no horses. They had thirty cities (the second עירים in Jdg 10:4 is another form for ערים, from a singular עיר = עיר, a city, and is chosen because of its similarity in sound to עירים, asses). These cities they were accustomed to call Havvoth-jair unto this day (the time when our book was written), in the land of Gilead. The להם before יקראוּ is placed first for the sake of emphasis, "even these they call," etc. This statement is not at variance with the fact, that in the time of Moses the Manassite Jair gave the name of Havvoth-jair to the towns of Bashan which had been conquered by him (Num 32:41; Deu 3:14); for it is not affirmed here, that the thirty cities which belonged to the sons of Jair received this name for the first time from the judge Jair, but simply that this name was brought into use again by the sons of Jair, and was applied to these cities in a peculiar sense. (For further remarks on the Havvoth-jair, see at Deu 3:14.) The situation of Camon, where Jair was buried, is altogether uncertain. Josephus (Ant. v. 6, 6) calls it a city of Gilead, though probably only on account of the assumption, that it would not be likely that Jair the Gileadite, who possessed so many cities in Gilead, should be buried outside Gilead. But this assumption is a very questionable one. As Jair judged Israel after Tola the Issacharite, the assumption is a more natural one, that he lived in Canaan proper. Yet Reland (Pal. ill. p. 679) supports the opinion that it was in Gilead, and adduces the fact that Polybius (Hist. v. 70, 12) mentions a town called Καμοῦν, by the side of Pella and Gefrun, as having been taken by Antiochus. On the other hand, Eusebius and Jerome (in the Onom.) regard our Camon as being the same as the κώμη Καμμωνὰ ἐν τῷ μεγάΛῳ πεδίῳ, six Roman miles to the north of Legio (Lejun), on the way to Ptolemais, which would be in the plain of Jezreel or Esdraelon. This is no doubt applicable to the Κυαμών of Judith 7:3; but whether it also applies to our Camon cannot be decided, as the town is not mentioned again.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

Of these two judges no particular deeds are mentioned, no doubt because they performed none.

Jdg 10:1-2

Tola arose after Abimelech's death to deliver Israel, and judged Israel twenty-three years until his death, though certainly not all the Israelites of the twelve tribes, but only the northern and possibly also the eastern tribes, to the exclusion of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, as these southern tribes neither took part in Gideon's war of freedom nor stood under Abimelech's rule. To explain the clause "there arose to defend (or save) Israel," when nothing had been said about any fresh oppression on the part of the foe, we need not assume, as Rosenmller does, "that the Israelites had been constantly harassed by their neighbours, who continued to suppress the liberty of the Israelites, and from whose stratagems or power the Israelites were delivered by the acts of Tola;" but Tola rose up as the deliverer of Israel, even supposing that he simply regulated the affairs of the tribes who acknowledged him as their supreme judge, and succeeded by his efforts in preventing the nation from falling back into idolatry, and thus guarded Israel from any fresh oppression on the part of hostile nations. Tola was the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, of the tribe of Issachar. The names Tola and Puah are already met with among the descendants of Issachar, as founders of families of the tribes of Issachar (see Gen 46:13; Num 26:23, where the latter name is written פּוּה), and they were afterwards repeated in the different households of these families. Dodo is not an appellative, as the Sept. translators supposed (υἱὸς πατραδέλφου αὐτοῦ), but a proper name, as in Sa2 23:9 (Keri), 24, and Ch1 11:12. The town of Shamir, upon the mountains of Ephraim, where Tola judged Israel, and was afterwards buried, was a different place from the Shamir upon the mountains of Judah, mentioned in Jos 15:48, and its situation (probably in the territory of Issachar) is still unknown.

Jdg 10:3-5

After him Jair the Gileadite (born in Gilead) judged Israel for twenty-two years. Nothing further is related of him than that he had thirty sons who rode upon thirty asses, which was a sign of distinguished rank in those times when the Israelites had no horses. They had thirty cities (the second עירים in Jdg 10:4 is another form for ערים, from a singular עיר = עיר, a city, and is chosen because of its similarity in sound to עירים, asses). These cities they were accustomed to call Havvoth-jair unto this day (the time when our book was written), in the land of Gilead. The להם before יקראוּ is placed first for the sake of emphasis, "even these they call," etc. This statement is not at variance with the fact, that in the time of Moses the Manassite Jair gave the name of Havvoth-jair to the towns of Bashan which had been conquered by him (Num 32:41; Deu 3:14); for it is not affirmed here, that the thirty cities which belonged to the sons of Jair received this name for the first time from the judge Jair, but simply that this name was brought into use again by the sons of Jair, and was applied to these cities in a peculiar sense. (For further remarks on the Havvoth-jair, see at Deu 3:14.) The situation of Camon, where Jair was buried, is altogether uncertain. Josephus (Ant. v. 6, 6) calls it a city of Gilead, though probably only on account of the assumption, that it would not be likely that Jair the Gileadite, who possessed so many cities in Gilead, should be buried outside Gilead. But this assumption is a very questionable one. As Jair judged Israel after Tola the Issacharite, the assumption is a more natural one, that he lived in Canaan proper. Yet Reland (Pal. ill. p. 679) supports the opinion that it was in Gilead, and adduces the fact that Polybius (Hist. v. 70, 12) mentions a town called Καμοῦν, by the side of Pella and Gefrun, as having been taken by Antiochus. On the other hand, Eusebius and Jerome (in the Onom.) regard our Camon as being the same as the κώμη Καμμωνὰ ἐν τῷ μεγάΛῳ πεδίῳ, six Roman miles to the north of Legio (Lejun), on the way to Ptolemais, which would be in the plain of Jezreel or Esdraelon. This is no doubt applicable to the Κυαμών of Judith 7:3; but whether it also applies to our Camon cannot be decided, as the town is not mentioned again.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
There arose - Not of himself, but raised by God, as the other judges were. To defend - Or, to save, which he did not by fighting against, and overthrowing their enemies, but by a prudent and pious government of them, whereby he kept them from sedition, oppression, and idolatry. In Shamir - Which was in the very midst of the land.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Tola the son of Puah - As this Tola continued twenty-three years a judge of Israel after the troubles of Abimelech's reign, it is likely that the land had rest, and that the enemies of the Israelites had made no hostile incursions into the land during his presidency and that of Jair; which, together continued forty-five years.

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¹ And after [0310] Abimelech [040] there arose [06965] to defend [03467] Israel [03478] Tola [08439] the son [01121] of Puah [06312], the son [01121] of Dodo [01734], a man [0376] of Issachar [03485]; and he dwelt [03427] in Shamir [08069] in mount [02022] Ephraim [0669].
² And he judged [08199] Israel [03478] twenty [06242] and three [07969] years [08141], and died [04191], and was buried [06912] in Shamir [08069].
³ And after [0310] him arose [06965] Jair [02971], a Gileadite [01569], and judged [08199] Israel [03478] twenty [06242] and two [08147] years [08141].
⁴ And he had thirty [07970] sons [01121] that rode [07392] on thirty [07970] ass colts [05895], and they had thirty [07970] cities [05892], which are called [07121] Havothjair [02334] unto this day [03117], which are in the land [0776] of Gilead [01568].
⁵ And Jair [02971] died [04191], and was buried [06912] in Camon [07056].

⁴⁸ And in the mountains [02022], Shamir [08069], and Jattir [03492], and Socoh [07755],

¹³ And the sons [01121] of Issachar [03485]; Tola [08439], and Phuvah [06312], and Job [03102], and Shimron [08110].

¹ Now the sons [01121] of Issachar [03485] were, Tola [08439], and Puah [06312], Jashub [03437], and Shimron [08110], four [0702].

²⁷ Therefore thou deliveredst [05414] them into the hand [03027] of their enemies [06862], who vexed [06887] them: and in the time [06256] of their trouble [06869], when they cried [06817] unto thee, thou heardest [08085] them from heaven [08064]; and according to thy manifold [07227] mercies [07356] thou gavest [05414] them saviours [03467], who saved [03467] them out of the hand [03027] of their enemies [06862].

³¹ And after [0310] him was Shamgar [08044] the son [01121] of Anath [06067], which slew [05221] of the Philistines [06430] six [08337] hundred [03967] men [0376] with an ox [01241] goad [04451]: and he also delivered [03467] Israel [03478].

¹⁵ But when the children [01121] of Israel [03478] cried [02199] unto the LORD [03068], the LORD [03068] raised them up [06965] a deliverer [03467], Ehud [0164] the son [01121] of Gera [01617], a Benjamite [01145], a man [0376] lefthanded [0334] [03225]: and by him [03027] the children [01121] of Israel [03478] sent [07971] a present [04503] unto Eglon [05700] the king [04428] of Moab [04124].

⁹ And when the children [01121] of Israel [03478] cried [02199] unto the LORD [03068], the LORD [03068] raised up [06965] a deliverer [03467] to the children [01121] of Israel [03478], who delivered [03467] them, even Othniel [06274] the son [01121] of Kenaz [07073], Caleb's [03612] younger [06996] brother [0251].

¹⁸ And when the LORD [03068] raised [06965] them up judges [08199], then the LORD [03068] was with the judge [08199], and delivered [03467] them out of the hand [03027] of their enemies [0341] all the days [03117] of the judge [08199]: for it repented [05162] the LORD [03068] because [06440] of their groanings [05009] by reason of them that oppressed [03905] them and vexed [01766] them.

¹⁶ Nevertheless the LORD [03068] raised up [06965] judges [08199], which delivered [03467] them out of the hand [03027] of those that spoiled [08154] them.

¹⁴ Jair [02971] the son [01121] of Manasseh [04519] took [03947] all the country [02256] of Argob [0709] unto the coasts [01366] of Geshuri [01651] and Maachathi [04602]; and called [07121] them after his own name [08034], Bashanhavothjair [01316] [02334], unto this day [03117].

⁴¹ And Jair [02971] the son [01121] of Manasseh [04519] went [01980] and took [03920] the small towns [02333] thereof, and called [07121] them Havothjair [02334].

⁴ And he had thirty [07970] sons [01121] that rode [07392] on thirty [07970] ass colts [05895], and they had thirty [07970] cities [05892], which are called [07121] Havothjair [02334] unto this day [03117], which are in the land [0776] of Gilead [01568].

³ And after [0310] him arose [06965] Jair [02971], a Gileadite [01569], and judged [08199] Israel [03478] twenty [06242] and two [08147] years [08141].
⁴ And he had thirty [07970] sons [01121] that rode [07392] on thirty [07970] ass colts [05895], and they had thirty [07970] cities [05892], which are called [07121] Havothjair [02334] unto this day [03117], which are in the land [0776] of Gilead [01568].
⁵ And Jair [02971] died [04191], and was buried [06912] in Camon [07056].

⁴⁸ And in the mountains [02022], Shamir [08069], and Jattir [03492], and Socoh [07755],

¹² And after [0310] him was Eleazar [0499] the son [01121] of Dodo [01734], the Ahohite [0266], who was one of the three [07969] mighties [01368].

⁹ And after [0310] him was Eleazar [0499] the son [01121] of Dodo [01734] the Ahohite [0266], one of the three [07969] mighty men [01368] with David [01732], when they defied [02778] the Philistines [06430] that were there gathered together [0622] to battle [04421], and the men [0376] of Israel [03478] were gone away [05927]:

²³ Of the sons [01121] of Issachar [03485] after their families [04940]: of Tola [08439], the family [04940] of the Tolaites [08440]: of Pua [06312], the family [04940] of the Punites [06324]:

¹³ And the sons [01121] of Issachar [03485]; Tola [08439], and Phuvah [06312], and Job [03102], and Shimron [08110].