| 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. SPECIAL OFFER: May last For a Limited Time Only Spreading the Brit-Am message is our task. We do this full time and God willing will continue to do so as long as necessary. 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Send a personal check to the address below: Yair Davidiy POB 595 Jerusalem 91004 Israel http://www.britam.org http://www.geocities.com/hiberi "And I will bless them that bless you" (Genesis 12:15). Judges Index |