1 After Abimelech there arose to save Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he lived in Shamir in the hill-country of Ephraim.
2 He judged Israel twenty-three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.
3 After him arose Jair, the Gileadite; and he judged Israel twenty-two years.
4 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 Jair died, and was buried in Kamon.
6 The people of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals, and the Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Sidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines; and they forsook the Lord, and didn't serve him.
7 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.
8 In that same year those people destroyed the Israelites who lived on the east side of the Jordan River, in the area of Gilead. That is the land where the Amorites had lived. The Israelites suffered for 18 years.
9 The Ammonites passed over the Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim. The Ammonites brought many troubles to the Israelites.
10 The people of Israel cried to the Lord, saying, We have sinned against you, because we have forsaken our God, and have served the Baals.
11 The Lord said to the people of Israel, Didn't I save you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the Ammonites, and from the Philistines?
12 The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and you cried to me, and I saved you out of their hand.
13 But you left me and started worshiping other gods, so I refuse to save you again.
14 Go and cry to the gods which you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.
15 The people of Israel said to the Lord, We have sinned: do you to us whatever seems good to you; only deliver us, we pray you, this day.
16 They put away the foreign gods from among them, and served the Lord; and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.
17 Then the Ammonites were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. The people of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpah.
18 The people, the princes of Gilead, said one to another, Who will lead us to fight against the Ammonites? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.