Skip to Content
Nach YomiJudges · שו׀טיםChapter 10

Judges 10

שו׀טים ׀ךק י׮

Section: נביאים · נביאים ךאשונים | Book: Judges | Chapter: 10 of 21 | Day: 34 of 742

Date: March 17, 2026

קלאוד על הנ׮ך

Judges 10 serves as a pivotal transitional chapter in the book, bridging the catastrophic aftermath of Abimelech’s self-destructive reign with the rise of Jephthah in the chapters that follow. The chapter divides neatly into two literary units: a brief notice of the “minor judges” Tola and Jair (verses 1-5), and a far more elaborate account of Israel’s apostasy, divine rebuke, and eventual repentance (verses 6-18). This bipartite structure is itself significant, as the quiet stability of the minor judges contrasts sharply with the theological crisis that erupts the moment their tenure ends.

The opening verses record Tola ben Puah of Issachar and Jair the Gileadite in the characteristically terse style reserved for the so-called minor judges. Tola “arose to deliver Israel” (vayakam lehoshia et yisrael), yet the text offers no narrative of military exploit or divine calling — only twenty-three years of unnarrated leadership. Jair receives slightly more color: his thirty sons riding thirty donkeys and governing thirty towns in Gilead (havvot yair) paint a picture of dynastic prosperity. The Hebrew wordplay on “ayarim” — meaning both “donkeys” and “towns” — is a deliberate literary flourish that underscores the family’s wealth and territorial control. Radak raises the intriguing chronological question of whether this Jair is identical with the Jair ben Manasseh of the Torah, a problem that highlights the compressed and allusive nature of the Judges narrative.

The chapter’s theological center lies in verses 6-16, which present the most elaborate iteration of the recurring Judges cycle of sin, oppression, crying out, and deliverance. What distinguishes this instance is its unprecedented severity. The catalogue of seven foreign deities — the Baalim, the Ashtarot, and the gods of Aram, Sidon, Moab, Ammon, and the Philistines — represents the most comprehensive list of apostasy in the entire book. Rashi, drawing on the Talmud (Beitzah 25b), notes that these seven idolatries correspond precisely to the seven past salvations God recounts in His response. The symmetry is theologically pointed: each act of divine mercy has been answered by a new betrayal. Most damning is the final clause, “they forsook the Lord and did not serve Him” (vayaazvu et Hashem velo avaduhu) — they did not even maintain worship of God alongside the foreign gods, a total abandonment that the commentators uniformly emphasize.

God’s response in verses 11-14 is unlike anything earlier in Judges. Rather than immediately raising a deliverer, God refuses. The divine speech, delivered through a prophet according to Radak and Metzudat David, recounts a history of salvations and then declares, “I will not deliver you again” (lo osif lehoshia etkhem). The bitter irony of verse 14 — “Go cry to the gods you have chosen; let them deliver you” — marks the only moment in Judges where God explicitly withholds salvation and challenges Israel to test the power of their idols. This rhetorical strategy forces a deeper repentance than the formulaic crying out that had sufficed in earlier cycles.

Israel’s response in verses 15-16 represents a qualitative shift in their teshuvah (repentance). They do not merely cry out in distress; they confess guilt, submit to divine judgment (“do to us as You see fit”), and — crucially — back their words with action by removing the foreign gods from their midst (vayasiru et elohei hanekhar mikirbam). The anthropomorphic expression that follows, “His soul grew short with the misery of Israel” (vatiktzar nafsho ba’amal yisrael), is one of the most striking theological statements in the book. Rashi explains it as God being unable to contain His compassion, while Rambam (as Radak reports) interprets “nafsho” as “His will” — God’s desire to prolong their punishment simply ceased. The chapter closes with both armies assembled and a leadership vacuum in Israel, as the officers of Gilead offer the chieftainship to anyone willing to lead the fight against Ammon. This open question — “Who is the man who will begin to fight?” (mi ha’ish asher yachel lehilachem) — is the narrative hook that draws the reader directly into the Jephthah story of chapter 11, one of the most complex and tragic episodes in all of Judges.

׀ךק י׮ · Chapter 10

׀סוק א׳ · Verse 1

Hebrew:

וַי֌֞֩קׇם֩ אַחֲךֵ֚י אֲב֎ימֶ֜לֶךְ לְהוֹשׁ֎֣יעַ אֶת֟י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֗ל ת֌וֹל֧֞ע ב֌ֶן֟׀֌ו֌א֛֞ה ב֌ֶן֟ד֌וֹד֖וֹ א֎֣ישׁ י֎שׂ֌֞שכ֑֞ך וְהו֌א֟יֹשֵׁ֥ב ב֌ְשׁ֞מ֎֖יך ב֌ְהַ֥ך אֶ׀ְך֞֜י֎ם׃

English:

After Abimelech, Tola son of Puah son of Dodo, of Issachar,aof Issachar Or “Issachar’s man in charge”; cf. 7.14. arose to deliver Israel. He lived at Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim.

After the destruction caused by Abimelech, Tola from the tribe of Issachar rises as a judge to restore stability to Israel. Radak notes that even Abimelech, despite his flaws, served a deliverer role, and Tola continued that function from his base in the Ephraimite hill country.
ךש׎יRashi
בֶ֌ן ד֌וֹדוֹ. כ֞֌ךְ שְׁמוֹ:
Ben Dodo. This was his name.

׀סוק ב׳ · Verse 2

Hebrew:

וַי֌֎שְׁ׀֌ֹט֙ אֶת֟י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֔ל עֶשְׂך֎֥ים וְשׁ֞לֹ֖שׁ שׁ֞נ֑֞ה וַי֌֖֞מׇת וַי֌֎ק֌֞בֵ֥ך ב֌ְשׁ֞מ֎֜יך׃ {×€}

English:

He led Israel for twenty-three years; then he died and was buried at Shamir.

Tola's twenty-three year judgeship ends quietly with his death and burial at Shamir. Metzudat David notes that his final year overlapped with Jair's tenure, following the chronology established in Seder Olam.

׀סוק ג׳ · Verse 3

Hebrew:

וַי֌֣֞קׇם אַחֲך֞֔יו י־א֖֮י׹ הַג֌֎לְע֞ד֎֑י וַי֌֎שְׁ׀֌ֹט֙ אֶת֟י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֔ל עֶשְׂך֎֥ים ו֌שְׁת֌ַ֖י֎ם שׁ֞נ֞֜ה׃

English:

After him arose Jair the Gileadite, and he led Israel for twenty-two years.

׀סוק ד׳ · Verse 4

Hebrew:

וַ֜יְה֎י֟ל֞וֹ שְׁלֹשׁ֎֣ים ב֌֞נ֎֗ים ךֹ֜כְב֎ים֙ עַל֟שְׁלֹשׁ֎֣ים עֲי֞ך֎֔ים ו֌שְׁלֹשׁ֎֥ים עֲי֞ך֎֖ים ל֞הֶ֑ם ל֞הֶ֞ם י֎קְךְא֣ו֌ ׀ חַו֌ֺ֣ת י־א֮֗י׹ עַ֚ד הַי֌֣וֹם הַז֌ֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ך ב֌ְאֶ֥ךֶץ הַג֌֎לְע֞֜ד׃

English:

(He had thirty sons, who rode on thirty burros and owned thirty boroughsbburros
boroughs Imitating the pun in the Heb., which employs Ê»ayarim first in the sense of “donkeys” and then in the sense of “towns.” in the region of Gilead; these are called Havvoth-jaircHavvoth-jair I.e., “the villages of Jair”; cf. Num. 32.41. to this day.)

Jair's wealth and prominence are demonstrated through his thirty sons, each riding a donkey and governing a town in Gilead. The Hebrew wordplay on 'ayarim' (donkeys/towns) underscores the family's status, and Radak questions whether this Jair is the same as the one mentioned in the Torah, given the chronological difficulty.
ךש׎יRashi
עֲי֞ך֎ים. (תךגום:) עו֌ל֎ין, סו֌ס֎ים בְ֌חו֌ך֎ים: ו֌שְׁלֹש֎ׁים עֲי֞ך֎ים ל֞הֶם. ו֌שְׁלֹש֎ׁים ע֞ך֎ים בְ֌לֹא חוֹמ֞ה ל֞הֶם, לְכ־ךְ נ֎קְךְאו֌ עֲי֞ך֎ים, לְשׁוֹן עֲי֞יךוֹת:
Thoroughbreds.עו֌ל֎ין,1This is Targum Yonasan’s translation. the choicest horses. They owned thirty towns. They owned thirty unwalled municipalities. This is why they are described as עַי֞ך֎ים, "towns", meaning the same as עַי֞יך֞וֹת.2Rather than ע֞ך֎ים meaning walled cities.

׀סוק ה׳ · Verse 5

Hebrew:

וַי֌֣֞מׇת י־א֮֔י׹ וַי֌֎ק֌֞בֵ֖ך ב֌ְק֞מ֜וֹן׃ {×€}

English:

Then Jair died and was buried at Kamon.

׀סוק ו׳ · Verse 6

Hebrew:

וַי֌ֹס֎֣י׀ו֌ ׀ ב֌ְנֵ֣י י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֗ל לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת ה֞ךַע֮ ב֌ְעֵינֵ֣י יְהֹו֞ה֒ וַי֌ַעַבְד֣ו֌ אֶת֟הַב֌ְע֞ל֎֣ים וְאֶת֟ה֞עַשְׁת֌֞ך֡וֹת וְאֶת֟אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֲך֞ם֩ וְאֶת֟אֱלֹהֵ֚י ׊֎יד֜וֹן וְאֵ֣ת ׀ אֱלֹהֵ֣י מוֹא֞֗ב וְאֵת֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י בְנֵ֜י֟עַמ֌֔וֹן וְאֵ֖ת אֱלֹהֵ֣י ׀ְל֎שְׁת֌֎֑ים וַי֌ַעַזְב֥ו֌ אֶת֟יְהֹו֖֞ה וְלֹ֥א עֲב֞ד֜ו֌הו֌׃

English:

The Israelites again did what was offensive to GOD. They served the Baalim and the Ashtaroth,dAshtaroth See note at 2.13. and the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines; they forsook and did not serve GOD.

Israel's apostasy reaches its worst level yet, as the text lists seven distinct foreign gods they worshipped. Rashi emphasizes that they abandoned God completely — not even worshipping Him alongside these idols, which made this betrayal especially total.
ךש׎יRashi
אֶת הַבְ֌ע֞ל֎ים וְגוֹ׳. שֶׁבַע עֲבוֹדוֹת ז֞ךוֹת נ֎מְנו֌ כ֞֌אן: וַיַ֌עַזְבו֌ אֶת ה׳ וְלֹא עֲב֞דו֌הו֌. אֲ׀֎ילו֌ בְ֌שׁו֌ת֞֌׀ו֌ת ע֎ם אֵל֌ו֌:
The Baals. Seven pagan gods are enumerated here.3Beitzah, 25:b. “The deities of Aram, Tzidon, etc.” does not explain where the Baals and Ashteros were worshiped, but lists deities in addition to them. Hence, the total is seven. They abandoned Adonoy, and did not worship Him. Not even concurrently with these.4Otherwise, “and did not worship Him” is redundant. (Beitzah, ibid).

׀סוק ז׳ · Verse 7

Hebrew:

וַי֌֎֜חַך֟אַ֥ף יְהֹו֖֞ה ב֌ְי֎שְׂך֞אֵ֑ל וַ֜י֌֎מְכ֌ְךֵם֙ ב֌ְיַד֟׀֌ְל֎שְׁת֌֎֔ים ו֌בְיַ֖ד ב֌ְנֵ֥י עַמ֌֜וֹן׃

English:

And GOD, incensed with Israel, surrendered them to the Philistines and to the Ammonites.

׀סוק ח׳ · Verse 8

Hebrew:

וַ֜י֌֎ךְעֲ׊րו֌ וַיְךֹ֜׊ְ׊ו֌֙ אֶת֟ב֌ְנֵ֣י י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֔ל ב֌ַשׁ֌֞נ֖֞ה הַה֎֑יא שְׁמֹנֶ֚ה עֶשְׂךֵ֜ה שׁ֞נ֞֗ה אֶ֜ת֟כ֌ׇל֟ב֌ְנֵրי י֎שְׂך֞אֵל֙ אֲשֶׁך֙ ב֌ְעֵ֣בֶך הַי֌ַךְד֌ֵ֔ן ב֌ְאֶ֥ךֶץ ה֞אֱמֹך֎֖י אֲשֶׁ֥ך ב֌ַג֌֎לְע֞֜ד׃

English:

That year they battered and shattered the Israelites—forefor Meaning of Heb. uncertain; perhaps “enough for” or “continuing for.” eighteen years—all the Israelites beyond the Jordan, in [what had been] the land of the Amorites in Gilead.

Immediately upon Jair's death, the Ammonites begin an eighteen-year oppression of the Israelite tribes east of the Jordan. Rashi explains that the Transjordanian tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh bore the brunt because they were the Ammonites' nearest neighbors.
ךש׎יRashi
בַ֌ש֞֌ׁנ֞ה הַה֎יא. כְ֌שֶׁמֵ֌ת י־א֮י׹: אֲשֶׁך בְ֌עֵבֶך הַיַ֌ךְדֵ֌ן. אֶךֶץ ךְאו֌בֵן וְג־ד וַחֲ׊֎י הַמְ֌נַשֶ֌ׁה, שֶׁה֞יו֌ שְׁכֵנֵיהֶם:
That year when Yair died. Across the Yardein. The territory of Reuven, Gad, and half of Menasheh; they were neighbors.5Of the Ammonites. See below, ch.11.

׀סוק ט׳ · Verse 9

Hebrew:

וַי֌ַעַבְךրו֌ בְנֵ֜י֟עַמ֌וֹן֙ אֶת֟הַי֌ַךְד֌ֵ֔ן לְה֎ל֌֞חֵ֛ם ג֌ַם֟ב֌֎יהו֌ד֥֞ה ו֌בְב֎נְי֞מ֎֖ין ו֌בְבֵ֣ית אֶ׀ְך֑֞י֎ם וַת֌ֵ֥׊ֶך לְי֎שְׂך֞אֵ֖ל מְאֹ֜ד׃

English:

The Ammonites also crossed the Jordan to make war on Judah, Benjamin, and the House of Ephraim. Israel was in great distress.

The Ammonites escalate the conflict by crossing the Jordan to attack the western tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim, spreading the crisis across all of Israel and causing extreme national distress.

׀סוק י׮ · Verse 10

Hebrew:

וַ֜י֌֎זְעֲקו֌֙ ב֌ְנֵ֣י י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֔ל אֶל֟יְהֹו֖֞ה לֵאמֹ֑ך ח֞ט֣֞אנו֌ ל־֔ךְ וְכ֎րי ע֞זַ֙בְנו֌֙ אֶת֟אֱלֹהֵ֔ינו֌ וַ֜נ֌ַעֲבֹ֖ד אֶת֟הַב֌ְע֞ל֎֜ים׃ {×€}

English:

Then the Israelites cried out to GOD, “We stand guilty before You, for we have forsaken our God and served the Baalim.”

Under the weight of oppression, Israel cries out to God with a confession acknowledging their double sin. Metzudat David explains the twofold nature of their guilt: they both abandoned God and actively served the Baalim.

׀סוק י׮א · Verse 11

Hebrew:

וַי֌ֹ֥אמֶך יְהֹו֖֞ה אֶל֟ב֌ְנֵ֣י י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֑ל הֲלֹրא מ֎מ֌֎׊ְךַ֙י֎ם֙ ו֌מ֎ן֟ה֣֞אֱמֹך֎֔י ו֌מ֎ן֟ב֌ְנֵ֥י עַמ֌֖וֹן ו֌מ֎ן֟׀֌ְל֎שְׁת֌֎֜ים׃

English:

But GOD said to the Israelites, “[I have rescued you] from the Egyptians, from the Amorites, from the Ammonites, and from the Philistines.

God responds through a prophet by recounting the many times He saved Israel — from Egypt, the Amorites, Ammonites, and Philistines. Rashi notes that God lists seven salvations, corresponding precisely to the seven foreign gods Israel worshipped.
ךש׎יRashi
הֲלֹא מ֎מ֎֌׊ְךַי֎ם. שֶׁבַע תְ֌שׁו֌עוֹת יֵשׁ כ֞֌אן, כְ֌נֶגֶד שֶׁבַע עֲבוֹדוֹת ז֞ךוֹת שֶׁה֞יו֌ עוֹבְד֎ים:
Was it not from Mitzrayim. There are seven salvations here, corresponding with the seven pagan gods they worshiped.6V. 6. See Rashi there.

׀סוק י׮ב · Verse 12

Hebrew:

וְ׊֎ידוֹנ֎րים וַ֜עֲמ֞לֵק֙ ו֌מ֞ע֔וֹן ל֞חֲ׊֖ו֌ אֶתְכֶ֑ם וַת֌֎׊ְעֲק֣ו֌ אֵלַ֔י ו֞אוֹשׁ֎֥יע֞ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם מ֎י֌֞ד֞֜ם׃

English:

The Sidonians, Amalek, and MaonfMaon Septuagint reads “Midian.” also oppressed you; and when you cried out to Me, I saved you from them.

God continues His rebuke, listing additional oppressors — the Sidonians, Amalek, and Maon — from whom He delivered Israel when they cried out, emphasizing His consistent faithfulness despite their repeated unfaithfulness.
ךש׎יRashi
ו֌מ֞עוֹן. שֵׁם או֌מ֞֌ה:
And Maon. The name of a nation.7But not, as generally translated, “a dwelling place.”

׀סוק י׮ג · Verse 13

Hebrew:

וְאַת֌ֶם֙ עֲזַבְת֌ֶ֣ם אוֹת֎֔י וַת֌ַעַבְד֖ו֌ אֱלֹה֎֣ים אֲחֵך֎֑ים ל֞כֵ֥ן לֹ֜א֟אוֹס֎֖יף לְהוֹשׁ֎֥יעַ אֶתְכֶ֜ם׃

English:

Yet you have forsaken Me and have served other gods. No, I will not deliver you again.

׀סוק י׮ד · Verse 14

Hebrew:

לְכ֗ו֌ וְזַ֜עֲקו֌֙ אֶל֟ה֣֞אֱלֹה֎֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ך ב֌ְחַךְת֌ֶ֖ם ב֌֑֞ם הֵ֛מ֌֞ה יוֹשׁ֎֥יעו֌ ל֞כֶ֖ם ב֌ְעֵ֥ת ׊֞ךַתְכֶ֜ם׃

English:

Go cry to the gods you have chosen; let them deliver you in your time of distress!”

God sarcastically tells Israel to seek help from the gods they chose to worship, challenging the idols to deliver them in their time of need. Metzudat David notes that this is spoken in mockery and derision.

׀סוק ט׮ו · Verse 15

Hebrew:

וַי֌ֹאמְך֚ו֌ בְנֵי֟י֎שￜￜְך֞אֵրל אֶל֟יְהֹו֞ה֙ ח֞ט֞֔אנו֌ עֲשֵׂ֜ה֟אַת֌֣֞ה ל֞֔נו֌ כ֌ְכׇל֟הַט֌֖וֹב ב֌ְעֵינֶ֑יך֞ אַ֛ךְ הַ׊֌֎ילֵ֥נו֌ נ־֖א הַי֌֥וֹם הַז֌ֶ֜ה׃

English:

But the Israelites implored GOD: “We stand guilty. Do to us as You see fit; only save us this day!”

Israel responds with deeper repentance, accepting whatever punishment God deems fit while pleading only for immediate deliverance. Metzudat David explains that they preferred to fall into God's hands rather than remain at the mercy of their human enemies.

׀סוק ט׮ז · Verse 16

Hebrew:

וַי֌֞ס֎֜יךו֌ אֶת֟אֱלֹהֵրי הַנ֌ֵכ֞ך֙ מ֎ק֌֎ךְב֌֞֔ם וַי֌ַעַבְד֖ו֌ אֶת֟יְהֹו֑֞ה וַת֌֎קְ׊ַ֥ך נַ׀ְשׁ֖וֹ ב֌ַעֲמַ֥ל י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֜ל׃ {×€}

English:

They removed the alien gods from among them and served GOD; and [God] could not bear the miseries of Israel.

Israel backs up their words with action by removing their foreign gods and returning to serve God, and the text says God could no longer bear Israel's suffering. Rashi explains this anthropomorphic expression as meaning God's compassion overflowed — He could not contain the pain He felt at their misery.
ךש׎יRashi
וַת֎֌קְ׊ַך נַ׀ְשׁוֹ בַ֌עֲמַל. כ֎֌בְי֞כוֹל לֹא ה־י־ה ךַחֲבַת מ֞קוֹם ל֎סְב֌וֹל וְל֎כ֌֞נֵס שׁ֞ם ש־׹־ה שֶׁה֞י֞ה לוֹ בַ֌עֲמַל י֎שְׂך֞אֵל:
Could not contain Himself at [Yisroel's] anguish. As if one could depict God as lacking the space to bear and encompass His pain at Yisroel's anguish.

׀סוק י׮ז · Verse 17

Hebrew:

וַי֌֎׊֌֞֜עֲקו֌֙ ב֌ְנֵ֣י עַמ֌֔וֹן וַ֜י֌ַחֲנ֖ו֌ ב֌ַג֌֎לְע֑֞ד וַי֌ֵא֞֜סְ׀ו֌֙ ב֌ְנֵ֣י י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֔ל וַ֜י֌ַחֲנ֖ו֌ ב֌ַמ֌֎׊ְ׀֌֞֜ה׃

English:

The Ammonites mustered and they encamped in Gilead; and the Israelites massed and they encamped at Mizpah.

Both sides prepare for war: the Ammonites muster and encamp in Gilead, while Israel assembles at Mizpah. Rashi explains that the Ammonites were gathered by proclamation, and Radak notes that the Ammonites aimed to capture the city of Gilead itself.
ךש׎יRashi
וַי֎֌׊֞֌עֲקו֌. נֶאֶסְ׀ו֌ עַל יְדֵי כ֞֌ךו֌ז:
Were called together. They were assembled by proclamation.

׀סוק י׮ח · Verse 18

Hebrew:

וַי֌ֹאמְך֚ו֌ ה֞ע֞֜ם שׂ֞ךֵրי ג֎לְע֞ד֙ א֎֣ישׁ אֶל֟ךֵעֵ֔הו֌ מ֎֣י ה֞א֎֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ך י֞חֵ֔ל לְה֎ל֌֞חֵ֖ם ב֌֎בְנֵ֣י עַמ֌֑וֹן י֎֜הְיֶ֣ה לְךֹ֔אשׁ לְכֹ֖ל יֹשְׁבֵ֥י ג֎לְע֞֜ד׃ {×€}

English:

The troops—the officers of Gilead—said to one another, “Let whoever is the first to fight the Ammonites be chieftain over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”

The leaders of Gilead offer the position of chieftain to whoever will step forward to lead the fight against Ammon, setting the stage for Jephthah's emergence in the next chapter.

← Judges 9 | Judges 11 →

Back to Judges | Back to Nach Yomi

Last updated on
Chapter 9Chapter 11