Judges Chapter 10 in Simple English

Updated on October 1, 2026

Read Judges Chapter 10

1After Abimelech, Tola rose up to save Israel. He was the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar. He lived in Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim.

2He judged Israel twenty-three years. Then he died, and he was buried in Shamir.

3After him rose up Jair, a Gileadite. He judged Israel twenty-two years.

4He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkey colts. They had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair to this day. They are in the land of Gilead.

5Jair died, and he was buried in Camon.

6The children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD. They served the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, the gods of Zidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines. They left the LORD and did not serve him.

7The anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines and into the hands of the children of Ammon.

8That year they crushed and oppressed the children of Israel. For eighteen years they oppressed all the children of Israel who were on the other side of the Jordan, in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.

9The children of Ammon also crossed over the Jordan to fight against Judah, against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim. So Israel was in great distress.

10The children of Israel cried out to the LORD, saying, "We have sinned against you. We have left our God, and we have served the Baals."

11The LORD said to the children of Israel, "Did I not save you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines?"

12"The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites oppressed you. You cried out to me, and I saved you out of their hand."

13"Yet you have left me and served other gods. So I will save you no more."

14"Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you in your time of trouble."

15The children of Israel said to the LORD, "We have sinned. Do to us whatever seems good to you. Only save us, we pray, this day."

16They put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD. And his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

17Then the children of Ammon gathered together and camped in Gilead. And the children of Israel came together and camped in Mizpeh.

18The people and leaders of Gilead said to one another, "Who is the man that will begin the fight against the children of Ammon? He shall be head over all who live in Gilead."

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Explanation

Judges 10

In short

This chapter shows a familiar pattern: Israel turns away from God to worship other gods, God hands them over to enemies for eighteen years, the people cry out and confess their sin, God forgives them, and the Israelites gather to prepare for battle. The chapter introduces two judges before the main story and ends with leaders looking for someone to fight the Ammonites.

Context

Judges 10 comes after the story of Abimelech, a failed leader who tried to make himself king. Now the narrative shifts to a time of peace under judges Tola and Jair, then shows the cycle repeating: Israel does evil, God punishes them, they repent. This sets up the next judge's story. The speaker in verses 11-14 is God responding directly to Israel's confession.

What the text says

Verses 1-5 name two judges who led Israel for forty-five years total. Tola judged for twenty-three years from Shamir, and Jair for twenty-two years; Jair's thirty sons rode thirty donkeys and controlled thirty cities.

Starting in verse 6, Israel "did evil again" by serving Baalim, Ashtaroth, and the gods of surrounding nations instead of the Lord. Verses 7-9 describe God's response: He "sold them" to the Philistines and Ammonites, who oppressed them for eighteen years, attacking Israel across the Jordan and even reaching Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim.

In verse 10, Israel cries out confessing they have forsaken God and served Baalim. But in verses 11-14, the Lord reminds them of all the times He delivered them before, then refuses, telling them to "cry unto the gods which ye have chosen."

Verses 15-16 show Israel's further repentance: they say "we have sinned" and ask God to do what seems good to Him. They put away foreign gods and serve the Lord. The text says "his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel," indicating God's emotional response to their suffering.

Verse 17-18 ends the chapter with Israel and the people of Gilead gathering and asking who will lead them to fight the Ammonites.

Takeaways

The judges' period follows a repeating pattern of Israel's disobedience, God's judgment, and conditional restoration through repentance.
God's initial refusal to help (verse 14) is broken when Israel removes idols and fully turns back to Him.
The chapter prepares the reader for the next judge who will fight Ammon, suggesting deliverance is coming.

Judges 10 - Simple English