1 Depois de Abimelec, Tola, filho de Fua, filho de Dodo, de Issacar, levantou-se para livrar Israel. Habitava em Samir, na montanha de Efraim,

2 e foi juiz em Israel durante vinte e três anos. Depois disso morreu e foi sepultado em Samir.

3 A este sucedeu Jair, de Galaad, que foi juiz em Israel durante vinte e dois anos.

4 Tinha trinta filhos que montavam em trinta jumentinhos, e possuíam trinta cidades que se chamam ainda hoje Havot-Jair, situadas em Galaad.

5 Jair morreu e foi sepultado em Camon.

6 Os filhos de Israel fizeram de novo o mal aos olhos do Senhor, servindo os baal e os astarot, os deuses da Síria, de Sidon, de Moab, os deuses dos amonitas e dos filisteus; e abandonaram o culto do Senhor.

7 A cólera do Senhor inflamou-se contra Israel, e ele entregou-os nas mãos dos filisteus e dos amonitas.

8 Estes últimos oprimiram e esmagaram os israelitas naquele ano; e a opressão estendeu-se por dezoito anos sobre os israelitas de além do Jordão, na terra dos amorreus, em Galaad.

9 Os amonitas, tendo passado o Jordão, combateram contra Judá, Benjamim e a tribo de Efraim, e Israel viu-se numa extrema aflição.

10 Os israelitas clamaram ao Senhor, dizendo: Pecamos contra vós, abandonando o nosso Deus e servindo aos Baal.

11 O Senhor respondeu-lhes: Porventura não vos tenho eu livrado dos egípcios, dos amorreus, dos amonitas, dos filisteus?

12 E quando os sidônios, os amalecitas e Maon vos oprimiam e vós clamastes a mim, não vos libertei?

13 Vós, porém, me abandonastes de novo para servir a outros deuses; por isso não mais vos livrarei.

14 Ide e invocai os deuses que escolhestes; eles que vos livrem de vossa angústia!

15 Os israelitas disseram ao Senhor: Pecamos; tratai-nos como melhor vos parecer. Somente, livrai-nos hoje.

16 Tiraram então do meio deles os deuses estranhos e serviram ao Senhor, que se compadeceu dos males de Israel.

17 Os amonitas juntaram-se e acamparam em Galaad, enquanto os israelitas faziam o mesmo em Masfa.

18 O povo e os chefes de Galaad diziam uns para os outros: Quem começará a pelejar contra os amonitas? Esse será o chefe de todo o povo de Galaad.

1 Now after Abimelech, Tola, the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, became the saviour of Israel; he was living in Shamir in the hill-country of Ephraim.

2 He was judge over Israel for twenty-three years; and at his death his body was put to rest in the earth in Shamir.

3 And after him came Jair the Gileadite, who was judge over Israel for twenty-two years.

4 And he had thirty sons, who went on thirty young asses; and they had thirty towns in the land of Gilead, which are named Havvoth-Jair to this day.

5 And at the death of Jair his body was put to rest in the earth in Kamon.

6 And again the children of Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord, worshipping the Baals and Astartes, and the gods of Aram and the gods of Zidon and the gods of Moab and the gods of the children of Ammon and the gods of the Philistines; they gave up the Lord and were servants to him no longer.

7 And the wrath of the Lord was burning against Israel, and he gave them up into the hands of the Philistines and into the hands of the children of Ammon.

8 And that year the children of Israel were crushed under their yoke; for eighteen years all the children of Israel on the other side of Jordan, in the land of the Amorites which is in Gilead, were cruelly crushed down.

9 And the children of Ammon went over Jordan, to make war against Judah and Benjamin and the house of Ephraim; and Israel was in great trouble.

10 Then the children of Israel, crying out to the Lord, said, Great is our sin against you, for we have given up our God and have been servants to the Baals.

11 And the Lord said to the children of Israel, Were not the Egyptians and the Amorites and the children of Ammon and the Philistines

12 And the Zidonians and Amalek and Midian crushing you down, and in answer to your cry did I not give you salvation from their hands?

13 But, for all this, you have given me up and have been servants to other gods: so I will be your saviour no longer.

14 Go, send up your cry for help to the gods of your selection; let them be your saviours in the time of your trouble.

15 And the children of Israel said to the Lord, We are sinners; do to us whatever seems good to you: only give us salvation this day.

16 So they put away the strange gods from among them, and became the Lord's servants; and his soul was angry because of the sorrows of Israel.

17 Then the children of Ammon came together and put their army in position in Gilead. And the children of Israel came together and put their army in position in Mizpah.

18 And the people of Israel said to one another, Who will be the first to make an attack on the children of Ammon? We will make him head over all Gilead.