1 Depois da morte de Abimeleque, Tolá, filho de Puá, filho de Dodô, foi o próximo libertador de Israel. Era da tribo de Issacar, mas morava na cidade de Samir, na região montanhosa de Efraim. 2 Julgou Israel por 23 anos. Quando morreu, foi sepultado em Samir.
3 Depois que Tolá morreu, Jair, de Gileade, julgou Israel por 22 anos. 4 Seus trinta filhos montavam trinta jumentos e possuíam na terra de Gileade trinta cidades que até hoje são chamadas de Cidades de Jair. 5 Quando morreu, foi sepultado em Camom.
6 Mais uma vez, os israelitas fizeram o que era mau aos olhos do Senhor. Serviram às imagens de Baal e Astarote e aos deuses da Síria, de Sidom, Moabe, Amom e da Filístia. Abandonaram o Senhor e deixaram de servi-lo. 7 Então a ira do Senhor se acendeu contra Israel, e ele os entregou nas mãos dos filisteus e dos amonitas, 8 que começaram a oprimi-los cruelmente naquele mesmo ano. Durante dezoito anos, oprimiram todos os israelitas a leste do Jordão na terra dos amorreus (isto é, em Gileade). 9 Os amonitas também atravessaram para o lado oeste do Jordão e atacaram as tribos de Judá, Benjamim e Efraim.
Os israelitas ficaram muito angustiados 10 e, por fim, pediram socorro ao Senhor. "Pecamos contra ti", disseram, "pois abandonamos nosso Deus e servimos às imagens de Baal!"
11 O Senhor respondeu: "Acaso não os livrei dos egípcios, dos amorreus, dos amonitas, dos filisteus, 12 dos sidônios, dos amalequitas e dos maonitas? Quando eles os oprimiram, vocês me pediram socorro, e eu os livrei. 13 E, no entanto, vocês me abandonaram e serviram a outros deuses. Por isso, não os livrarei mais. 14 Vão e clamem aos deuses que vocês escolheram! Que eles os livrem neste momento de angústia!".
15 Mas os israelitas suplicaram ao Senhor: "Sim, pecamos! Castiga-nos como te parecer melhor, mas livra-nos hoje de nossos inimigos". 16 Então eles se desfizeram dos deuses estrangeiros e serviram ao Senhor. E ele teve compaixão deles por causa de seu sofrimento.
17 Quando os exércitos de Amom foram convocados para guerrear e acamparam em Gileade, os israelitas se reuniram e acamparam em Mispá. 18 Os líderes de Gileade disseram uns aos outros: "O primeiro que atacar os amonitas governará todo o povo de Gileade".
1 And after Abimelech there arose Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, to save Israel, and he dwelt in Shamir in the hill-country of Ephraim.
2 And he judged Israel twenty-three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.
3 And after him arose Jair, the Gileadite, and he judged Israel twenty-two years.
4 And he had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkey colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havvoth-jair to this day, which are in the land of Gilead.
5 And Jair died, and was buried in Kamon.
6 And the sons of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of LORD, and served the Baalim, and the Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Sidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the sons of Ammon, and the god
7 And the anger of LORD was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the sons of Ammon.
8 And they vexed and oppressed the sons of Israel that year. Eighteen years [they oppressed] all the sons of Israel who were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.
9 And the sons of Ammon passed over the Jordan to also fight against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was exceedingly distressed.
10 And the sons of Israel cried to LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, even because we have forsaken our God, and have served the Baalim.
11 And LORD said to the sons of Israel, [Did] not [I save you] from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the sons of Ammon, and from the Philistines?
12 The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, oppressed you. And ye cried to me, and I saved you out of their hand.
13 Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods. Therefore I will save you no more.
14 Go and cry to the gods which ye have chosen. Let them save you in the time of your distress.
15 And the sons of Israel said to LORD, We have sinned. Do thou to us whatever seems good to thee, only deliver us, we pray thee, this day.
16 And they put away the foreign gods from among them, and served LORD. And his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.
17 Then the sons of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the sons of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpah.
18 And the people, the rulers of Gilead, said one to another, What man is he who will begin to fight against the sons of Ammon? He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.