1Depois de Abimeleque, um homem de Issacar chamado Tolá, filho de Puá, filho de Dodô, levantou-se para libertar Israel. Ele morava em Samir, nos montes de Efraim,2e liderou Israel durante vinte e três anos; então morreu e foi sepultado em Samir.
Jair
3Depois dele veio Jair, de Gileade, que liderou Israel durante vinte e dois anos.4Teve trinta filhos, que montavam trinta jumentos. Eles tinham autoridade sobre trinta cidades, as quais até hoje são chamadas “povoados de Jair” e ficam em Gileade.5Quando Jair morreu, foi sepultado em Camom.
Jefté
6Mais uma vez os israelitas fizeram o que o SENHOR reprova. Serviram aos baalins, às imagens de Astarote, aos deuses de Arã, aos deuses de Sidom, aos deuses de Moabe, aos deuses dos amonitas e aos deuses dos filisteus. E como os israelitas abandonaram o SENHOR e não mais lhe prestaram culto,7a ira do SENHOR se acendeu contra eles. Ele os entregou nas mãos dos filisteus e dos amonitas,8que naquele ano os humilharam e os oprimiram. Durante dezoito anos oprimiram todos os israelitas do lado leste do Jordão, em Gileade, terra dos amorreus.9Os amonitas também atravessaram o Jordão para lutar contra Judá, contra Benjamim e contra a tribo de Efraim; e grande angústia dominou Israel.10Então os israelitas clamaram ao SENHOR, dizendo: “Temos pecado contra ti, pois abandonamos o nosso Deus e prestamos culto aos baalins!”11O SENHOR respondeu: “Quando os egípcios, os amorreus, os amonitas, os filisteus,12os sidônios, os amalequitas e os maonitas[1] os oprimiram, e vocês clamaram a mim, eu os libertei das mãos deles.13Mas vocês me abandonaram e prestaram culto a outros deuses. Por isso não os livrarei mais.14Clamem aos deuses que vocês escolheram. Que eles os livrem na hora do aperto!”15Os israelitas, porém, disseram ao SENHOR: “Nós pecamos. Faze conosco o que achares melhor, mas te rogamos, livra-nos agora”.16Então eles se desfizeram dos deuses estrangeiros que havia no meio deles e prestaram culto ao SENHOR. E ele não pôde mais suportar o sofrimento de Israel.17Quando os amonitas foram convocados e acamparam em Gileade, os israelitas reuniram-se e acamparam em Mispá.18Os líderes do povo de Gileade disseram uns aos outros: “Quem iniciar o ataque contra os amonitas será chefe dos que vivem em Gileade”.
1After Abimelech there arose to save Israel Tola the son of Puah, son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, and he lived at Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim. (Js 24:33; Jz 2:16; Jz 10:12)2And he judged Israel twenty-three years. Then he died and was buried at Shamir.3After him arose Jair the Gileadite, who judged Israel twenty-two years.4And he had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys, and they had thirty cities, called Havvoth-jair to this day, which are in the land of Gilead. (Dt 3:14; Jz 5:10; Jz 12:14)5And Jair died and was buried in Kamon.
Further Disobedience and Oppression
6The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines. And they forsook the Lord and did not serve him. (Dt 31:16; Jz 2:11; Jz 2:13; Jz 10:10; Jz 10:13; 1 Rs 11:5; 1 Rs 11:7; 1 Rs 11:33; 2 Rs 23:13)7So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the Ammonites, (Jz 2:14)8and they crushed and oppressed the people of Israel that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the people of Israel who were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.9And the Ammonites crossed the Jordan to fight also against Judah and against Benjamin and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was severely distressed.10And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, saying, “We have sinned against you, because we have forsaken our God and have served the Baals.” (Jz 3:9; Jz 10:6; Jz 10:13)11And the Lord said to the people of Israel, “Did I not save you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites, from the Ammonites and from the Philistines? (Ex 14:30; Nm 21:21; Jz 3:13; Jz 3:31)12The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you, and you cried out to me, and I saved you out of their hand. (Jz 2:16; Jz 3:13; Jz 6:3)13Yet you have forsaken me and served other gods; therefore I will save you no more. (Dt 32:15; Jz 10:6; Jz 10:10; Jr 2:13)14Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.” (Dt 32:37)15And the people of Israel said to the Lord, “We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to you. Only please deliver us this day.”16So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord, and he became impatient over the misery of Israel. (Jz 2:18; Is 63:9)17Then the Ammonites were called to arms, and they encamped in Gilead. And the people of Israel came together, and they encamped at Mizpah. (Jz 11:11; Jz 11:29)18And the people, the leaders of Gilead, said one to another, “Who is the man who will begin to fight against the Ammonites? He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.” (Jz 11:5; Jz 11:8; Jz 11:11)