Judges 10 no.1: Tola

[Judges 10:1] AND AFTER ABIMELECH THERE AROSE TO DEFEND ISRAEL TOLA THE SON
OF PUAH, THE SON OF DODO, A MAN OF ISSACHAR; AND HE DWELT IN SHAMIR IN
MOUNT EPHRAIM.
The Radak (Rabbi David Kimchi) points out that the verse can be understand
to say that Tola also arose to save Israel after Abimelech  and that
Abimelech for all his faults in physical fact had been a "savior" of Israel
from her enemies. Tola above is described as "THE SON OF DODO" and "Dodo"
can be understood as "his uncle" and the Radak suggests that Tola was the
cousin of Abimelech.
Tola was followed by Yair (Jair).
Yairah Amit ("Shoftim", 1999) comments that Tola and Yair ("Jair" in the
KJ) followed each other and provided a continuity of rulership during which
the people did not fall back into idolatry as they had done in the past and
things were relatively quiet. She also points out that the sentence
recalling the name of Puah hints at all the clans of Issachar:
[Genesis 46:13] AND THE SONS OF ISSACHAR; TOLA, AND PHUVAH, AND JOB, AND
SHIMRON.
  PHUVAH is the same as Puah.
"Job" was also known as "Jashub" (Yashuv) Numbers 26:24.  "Yashuv" means
settle or dwell.                .
[1-Chronicles 7:1- NOW THE SONS OF ISSACHAR WERE, TOLA, AND PUAH, JASHUB,
AND SHIMROM, FOUR.
The verse in Judges 10:1 above says:
<<TOLA THE SON OF PUAH, THE SON OF DODO, A MAN OF ISSACHAR; AND HE DWELT
[vaYaSHaV] IN SHAMIR>>.
SHAMIR is related to SHIMRON.
We thus have the four clans of Issachar (Tola, Puah, Jashub-Yashuv,
Shimron) hinted at in the verse concerning Tola
<<TOLA [Tola-clan] THE SON OF PUAH [Puah clan], THE SON OF DODO, A MAN OF
ISSACHAR; AND HE DWELT [vaYaSHaV, Yashuv-clan] IN SHAMIR [Shimron-clan]>>.
Amit suggests that encompassing the names of the Issachar clans in a
description of Tola from Issachar suggests power emanating from the clan
system of the entire tribe.
We have traced Issachar mainly to groups in Switzerland and Finland. This
apparently unusual connection suggested by us has apparently been since
justified in part by DNA studies for what they are worth. Both groups
despite their differences have qualities of insulation, of clinging
together, and of deriving much power from this clannishness inwardness.
The verse (Judges 10:1) says that Tola DWELT IN SHAMIR IN MOUNT EPHRAIM.
Mount Ephraim spread through the areas of Ephraim and Manasseh but did not
reach the territory of Issachar. It may be that part of Issachar (like some
of the other tribes) had been displaced from its Tribal heritage and moved
into neighboring areas.

[Judges 10:2] AND HE JUDGED ISRAEL TWENTY AND THREE YEARS, AND DIED, AND
WAS BURIED IN SHAMIR.

Judges 10 no.2: Yair

[Judges 10:3] AND AFTER HIM AROSE JAIR, A GILEADITE, AND
JUDGED ISRAEL TWENTY AND TWO YEARS
  This is not the same Yair mentioned in Numbers 32:41 and in Deuteronomy
3:14, neither is it the one mentioned in 1-Chronicles ch.2;3,5,21,22,23 and
in Joshua 13:30:
[Joshua 13:30] AND THEIR COAST WAS FROM MAHANAIM, ALL BASHAN, ALL THE
KINGDOM OF OG KING OF BASHAN, AND ALL THE TOWNS OF JAIR, WHICH ARE IN
BASHAN, THREESCORE CITIES:
<<ALL THE TOWNS OF JAIR>>: Jair is "Yair". Yair is mentioned here and there
in the Bible in different contexts usually in association with the
"Townships of Yair" east of the Jordan.  Some of these descriptions about
Yair appear to contradict each other.  There are different approaches to
the subject of Yair. The opinion we are inclined to adopt at present is
that there were at least two famous leaders NAMED Yair. [I would now say
there were three or more]. They all founded or headed a group of
settlements named "Townships of Yair": One group was a bit to the northeast
of the Sea of Galilee and the other groups were much further to the north.
These heroes named deliberately modeled their actions after each other and
may have been related to each other.  They were all linked with Gilead of
Manasseh though the original Yair actually came from Judah. Yair in the
Middle East was also rendered "Iar". This was also the name of an ancestral
hero in Scotland and Ireland. He was the forefather of an important group
who left their mark in place-names and in Mythology.  The name Iar in
Scotland later became "Ian" which in turn became confused with the name
"John". Iar as a name is also linked to "Ing" which was the name of an
ancestral hero amongst the Scandinavians and early Anglo-Saxons.

  [Judges 10:4] AND HE HAD THIRTY SONS THAT RODE ON THIRTY ASS COLTS, AND
THEY HAD THIRTY CITIES, WHICH ARE CALLED HAVOTHJAIR UNTO THIS DAY, WHICH
ARE IN THE LAND OF GILEAD.
This is a play on words:
Arayim in Biblical Hebrew was a homonym (one word with two different
meanings) that could mean or male donkey (ass).
  HAVOTHJAIR or HAVOTH-YAIR i.e. the farming settlements of Yair.

[Judges 10:5] AND JAIR DIED, AND WAS BURIED IN CAMON.

For a short article on Yair go to:
http://www.britam.org/genealogy/namesakes.html
Hebrew Celtic Namesakes # 3
YAIR of Judah, Manasseh, Scotland, and Ireland all in One!

Judges 10 (continued): Downfall and Revival
[Judges 10:6] AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL DID EVIL AGAIN IN THE SIGHT OF THE
LORD, AND SERVED BAALIM, AND ASHTAROTH, AND THE GODS OF SYRIA, AND THE GODS
OF ZIDON, AND THE GODS OF MOAB,  AND THE GODS OF THE CHILDREN OF AMMON, AND
THE GODS OF THE PHILISTINES, AND FORSOOK THE LORD, AND SERVED NOT HIM.
<<BAALIM, AND ASHTAROTH>> Baalim is a plural of "baal" or "bel". The Celts
served "bel".  ASHTAROTH: The Anglo-Saxons had a femaile goddess called
Eistoreth. A similar goddess had been known to some of the Celts. The
worship of Ashtoreth involved dancing around trees or poles. The
Anglo-Saxons had a similar practice and the medieval "may pole" ceremonies
were a remnant of this.
<<THE GODS OF SYRIA>>: Syria in Hebrew is Aram. One of the gods of Gaul was
named Aram.

[Judges 10:7] AND THE ANGER OF THE LORD WAS HOT AGAINST ISRAEL, AND HE SOLD
THEM INTO THE HANDS OF THE PHILISTINES, AND INTO THE HANDS OF THE CHILDREN
OF AMMON.

[Judges 10:8] AND THAT YEAR THEY VEXED AND OPPRESSED THE CHILDREN OF
ISRAEL: EIGHTEEN YEARS, ALL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL THAT WERE ON THE OTHER
SIDE JORDAN IN THE LAND OF THE AMORITES, WHICH IS IN GILEAD.
The Ammonites and Philistines were together oppressing Israel in the region
of Gilead. This is worth noting since it shows a Philistine presence east
of the Jordan as well as west of it. They had began to worship the gods of
Philistine and Amon (10:6 above) and consequently had been delivered into
their hands.

[Judges 10:9] MOREOVER THE CHILDREN OF AMMON PASSED OVER JORDAN TO FIGHT
ALSO AGAINST JUDAH, AND AGAINST BENJAMIN, AND AGAINST THE HOUSE OF EPHRAIM;
SO THAT ISRAEL WAS SORE DISTRESSED.

[Judges 10:10] AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL CRIED UNTO THE LORD, SAYING, WE
HAVE SINNED AGAINST  THEE, BOTH BECAUSE WE HAVE FORSAKEN OUR GOD, AND ALSO
SERVED BAALIM.

[Judges 10:11] AND THE LORD SAID UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, DID NOT I
DELIVER YOU FROM THE EGYPTIANS, AND FROM THE AMORITES, FROM THE CHILDREN OF
AMMON, AND FROM THE PHILISTINES?

[Judges 10:12] THE ZIDONIANS ALSO, AND THE AMALEKITES, AND THE MAONITES,
DID OPPRESS YOU; AND YE CRIED TO ME, AND I DELIVERED YOU OUT OF THEIR HAND.
The oppressors of Israel: Egyptians, Amorites, Ammon, Philistine, Zidonians
(Phoenicians), Amaelekites, Maonites (an Arab group).

[Judges 10:13] YET YE HAVE FORSAKEN ME, AND SERVED OTHER GODS: WHEREFORE I
WILL DELIVER YOU NO MORE..                     .

[Judges 10:14] GO AND CRY UNTO THE GODS WHICH YE HAVE CHOSEN; LET THEM
DELIVER YOU IN THE TIME OF YOUR TRIBULATION..
[Judges 10:15] AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SAID UNTO THE LORD, WE HAVE
SINNED: DO THOU UNTO US WHATSOEVER SEEMETH GOOD UNTO THEE; DELIVER US ONLY,
WE PRAY THEE, THIS DAY.
.
  [Judges 10:16] AND THEY PUT AWAY THE STRANGE GODS FROM AMONG THEM, AND
SERVED THE LORD: AND HIS SOUL WAS GRIEVED FOR THE MISERY OF
ISRAEL..                     .

[Judges 10:17] THEN THE CHILDREN OF AMMON WERE GATHERED TOGETHER, AND
ENCAMPED IN GILEAD. AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL ASSEMBLED THEMSELVES
TOGETHER, AND ENCAMPED IN MIZPEH...
[Judges 10:18] AND THE PEOPLE AND PRINCES OF GILEAD SAID ONE TO ANOTHER,
WHAT MAN IS HE THAT WILL BEGIN TO FIGHT AGAINST THE CHILDREN OF AMMON? HE
SHALL BE HEAD OVER ALL THE INHABITANTS OF GILEAD.
Note the progression of events: The people sin and worship the gods of
foreigners and consequently these foreigners take over and oppress them.
They then realize their mistake and begin their repentance and ask God to
help them. God (through a prophet or accepted religious leader) tells them
that they they should go and ask the false gods they had been worshipping.
In other words, He say, No! But they keep trying. Only after they receive
the negative Answer do they put away the false gods. Their initial approach
had been a half-hearted one and insincere. They had been testing the
Almighty while keeping a foot in the camp of the opposition.  They however
keep trying and try harder and the Almighty listens. Their salvation is to
come through their own initiative but only after repenting do they find the
spirit to take this initiative and begin to look after themselves. The
enemy had begun by oppressing Gilead and from there had gone on to Ephraim
and Judah. It is the people of Gilead who lead the initiative that will
lead to salvation. Likewise it will be descendants of the people of Gilead
(headed by the half-tribe Manasseh east of the Jordan) who will lead the
Lost Ten Tribes in their return.
 
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Judges Index