← Back to Judges

Judges 10

18 verses

TL;DR

After a period of judges, Israel again turns to idolatry, leading to oppression by neighboring peoples and divine judgment; they repent, and God responds by removing their foreign gods.

Summary

Following Abimelech’s reign, Tola and then Jair serve as judges, each lasting about two decades. Israel's renewed idolatry, including worship of Baals and other foreign deities, provokes God’s anger, and the nation is delivered into the hands of the Philistines and the Ammonites. The Ammonites cross the Jordan and attack the northern tribes, causing great distress. The Israelites cry out, admitting their sin, and God reminds them of His past deliverances but warns that He will no longer save them if they persist in idolatry. They then expel the foreign gods and return to worshiping Him. The chapter ends with the Ammonites encamping in Gilead while the Israelites assemble at Mizpeh, and the people of Gilead seek a leader to confront Ammon.

Outline
  1. Judges Tola and Jair, their reigns and the subsequent idolatrous cycle
  2. God’s wrath and the oppression by Philistines and Ammonites
  3. Israel’s repentance, removal of foreign gods, and the political scene at Mizpeh
Themes
The consequences of idolatry and apostasyDivine judgment and deliveranceThe role of judges as temporary leaders
Keywords
IsraelsinjudgesBaalAmmonPhilistinesdeliveranceidolatry
People
AbimelechTolaPuahDodoJairthe LORD
Places
ShamirMount EphraimGileadHavothjairCamonJordanAmmonJudahBenjaminEphraimMizpeh
Things
thirty sonsthirty citiesass coltsforeign gods (Baal, Ashtaroth)judgessindeliverance
Key Verses
  • Judges 10:6: Israel’s renewed idolatry triggers God’s wrath.
  • Judges 10:13: God declares He will no longer deliver Israel if they continue in idolatry.
  • Judges 10:16: Israel removes the foreign gods and returns to worship the LORD.
Questions
  • Why does Israel repeatedly fall into idolatry despite past deliverances?
  • What does the repeated pattern of sin, judgment, and repentance teach about covenant faithfulness?
  • How does the role of judges in this chapter differ from that of Moses or David?
  • In what ways does Israel’s experience in Judges 10 mirror later biblical themes of apostasy and restoration?
Sentiment

mixed
The chapter portrays divine judgment and sorrow for Israel’s sin, but also hope in repentance and the removal of idolatry.