Fresh Declension and Fresh Revivals: Tola and Jair: Judges 10:1-5

By: Henri L. Rossier

Narrator: Ivona Gentwo

Judges, Meditations on the Book of: Tola and Jair

Judges 10:1‑5 • 2 min. read • grade level: 8

Judges 10:1-5¹And 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. ²And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir. ³And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years. ⁴And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havoth-jair unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead. ⁵And Jair died, and was buried in Camon. (Judges 10:1‑5)

The beginning of this chapter gives us a brief sketch of the history of two judges in Israel-Tola and Jair-both eminent men. The first was renowned for his descent, his ancestors being mentioned in Genesis amongst the sons of Israel who went down into Egypt-namely, Tola and Puah among the sons of Issachar (Gen. 46:13¹³And the sons of Issachar; Tola, and Phuvah, and Job, and Shimron. (Genesis 46:13); 1 Chron. 8:1¹Now Benjamin begat Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, and Aharah the third, (1 Chronicles 8:1)). The second was conspicuous for his wealth, the number of his sons, his prosperity (c.f. chap. 5:10), and his cities. But, strange to say, nothing else is added. Their rule continued for nearly the same length of time. God made use of them, qualifying even Tola “to save Israel” by (Rev. Ver.), but He did not glorify Himself by them in any special way. This reminds us of 1 Cor. 1:26-29²⁶For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: ²⁷But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; ²⁸And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: ²⁹That no flesh should glory in his presence. (1 Corinthians 1:26‑29); “Not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things, which are not, to bring to naught things that are; that no flesh should glory in His presence.” God uses, in preference, weak vessels, and that is the reason why so many of the judges bear, in one way or another, the stamp of weakness. On the other hand, all the value of God’s instruments consists in presenting the character of Christ. How difficult it would be for a man who was powerful, noble or rich, to reflect the traits of Him who, when here below, was found in the place of weakness, humiliation and poverty, that He might bring the grace of God to us. The judges who preceded them, being neither Tolas nor Jairs, were examples of humility, of forgetfulness of self, esteeming others better than themselves; and who, having nothing to lose, gave proof of spiritual energy which nothing could arrest and whose very weakness achieved a victory.

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