10 After Abimelech there arose to save Israel Tola the son of Puah, son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, and he lived at Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim. 2 And he judged Israel twenty-three years. Then he died and was buried at Shamir.
3 After him arose Jair the Gileadite, who judged Israel twenty-two years. 4 And he had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys, and they had thirty cities, called Havvoth-jair to this day, which are in the land of Gilead. 5 And Jair died and was buried in Kamon.
Section Overview
In this section we encounter two more minor judges. They have been grouped together. In the first panel of judges (Othniel, Ehud, and Deborah/Barak) only Shamgar appeared between Ehud and Deborah/Barak. Now here Tola and Jair appear between Gideon/Abimelech and Jephthah. Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon will appear together as a group of three minor judges between Jephthah and Samson. There is an element of escalation in these groupings, from one to two to three. However, the reason for these groupings is unknown. The six minor judges, together with the six major judges, certainly represent the twelve tribes of Israel, but their placement in the book remains somewhat of a mystery. It is possible that they mark or introduce progressively climactic judge figures: Deborah/Barak, Jephthah, and Samson. However, this assessment excludes Gideon, who would certainly constitute a climactic figure in Judges.
Response
The brief accounts of Tola and Jair remind us that God continues to save and deliver his people and to provide appropriate leadership in dark and difficult times. This series of judges also reminds us of the temporary nature of their role in the theocratic economy of God—judge after judge, king after king, until the one who will come and deliver God’s people with one final victory, lasting for all of eternity. “He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Heb. 9:26; cf. 7:27; 9:12; 10:10). When this one, Jesus, returns, he will reign forever (Rev. 11:15), and we will reign with him (Rev. 22:5).