Judges 10:2 — Word Study
WLCוַיִּשְׁפֹּט֙ אֶת־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וְשָׁלֹ֖שׁ שָׁנָ֑ה וַיָּ֖מָת וַיִּקָּבֵ֥ר בְּשָׁמִֽיר׃ פ
BSATola judgedshâphaṭ▸ [led, governed, to vindicate, govern] IsraelYisrâʼêl [the descendants of Jacob] twenty-threeʻesrîym [twenty and three] yearsshâneh and when he diedmûwth▸ [passed away, came to the end of his life] he was buriedqâbar▸ [laid to rest, interred] in ShamirShâmîyr [a place in Palestine, a city of the Levites]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיִּשְׁפֹּט֙ | and he judged | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| אֶת־ | the object marker | Particle |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | Israel | Noun proper |
| עֶשְׂרִ֥ים | twenty | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| וְשָׁלֹ֖שׁ | and three | Conjunction, noun common both singular absolute |
| שָׁנָ֑ה | year[s] | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| וַיָּ֖מָת | and he died | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| וַיִּקָּבֵ֥ר | and he was buried | Verb, Niphal, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| בְּשָׁמִֽיר׃ פ | in Shamir | Preposition, noun proper |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Tola judged Israel twenty-three years, and when he died, he was buried in Shamir. |
| KJV | And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir. |
| ASV | And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir. |
| YLT | and he judgeth Israel twenty and three years, and he dieth, and is buried in Shamir. |
| WEB | He judged Israel twenty-three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir. |
| BBE | He was judge over Israel for twenty-three years; and at his death his body was put to rest in the earth in Shamir. |
Where they part company is עֶשְׂרִ֥ים — see How Translations Differ.
The structure consists of a main clause followed by additional phrases that detail duration and subsequent events.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them ›
clause
verbשָׁפַט
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Judges 10:2
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Judges of Israelgenerated
Judges 10:2 describes Tola's role as a judge in Israel, emphasizing his leadership for twenty-three years. This period is significant in the history of Israel, showcasing the cycle of judges who led the people during times of need. Tola's tenure is noted for its duration, and his burial in Shamir indicates his connection to that city, a location of importance in the region.
Cross References
The Key Word — שָׁפַט, vai.yish.Potgenerated
The verb שָׁפַט (shaphat) means to judge or govern, and it can also imply vindication or punishment. This term is often used to describe both divine judgment and human rulership, indicating a role of authority and decision-making.
In this verse, Tola's judgment signifies his leadership over Israel, where he governed and made decisions on behalf of the people. The parsing indicates that this is a sequential imperfect verb, showing that Tola was actively judging during his time, rather than a completed action.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against. The BSB uses judged for שָׁפַט, which aligns with the KJV and ASV.
Where translations differ is in the rendering of עֶשְׂרִ֥ים — twenty (BBE, BSB, KJV) versus twenty and three (ASV, YLT). This distinction highlights different approaches to translating the numerical phrase.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb is שָׁפַט, he judged, which governs the entire clause. The structure indicates that Tola's judgment is the central action, with additional information about the duration and the events following his death.
The sentence is composed of a main clause and additional phrases that provide context: the object of judgment, the duration, and the subsequent events of his death and burial.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, שָׁפַט is translated as ἔκρινεν, which also means 'to judge' but can carry a slightly different connotation in Greek. This choice reflects a continuity in the concept of judgment but may imply a more definitive legal decision.
The translation choice in the Septuagint suggests a focus on the authoritative aspect of Tola's role as a judge, aligning with the Hebrew meaning while adapting to the Greek audience's understanding.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Judges 10:2 tells us that Tola judged Israel for twenty-three years. After he died, he was buried in Shamir. This verse highlights Tola's leadership and the significance of his burial place.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Judging Israel means that Tola led and governed the people, making decisions in their favor and ensuring justice.
Tola served as a judge for twenty-three years, indicating a significant period of leadership.
Being buried in Shamir connects Tola to that city, which is noted in biblical history as a place associated with the Levites.
In this context, 'judge' implies a role of authority, governance, and decision-making over the people of Israel.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What qualities do you think made Tola an effective judge for Israel?
- How does Tola's leadership compare to other judges mentioned in the Book of Judges?
- What can we learn from Tola's story about the importance of leadership in our communities?
- Why do you think the location of burial is significant in biblical narratives?
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Judges 10:2 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd he judged Israel twenty three years, and died,.... He did not take upon him to be king, as Abimelech did, but acted as a judge, in which office he continued twenty three years, and faithfully
Read John Gill on Judges 10 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir. No JFB commentary on this verse.
Read Robert Jamieson on Judges 10 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJudges 10:2 And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.Ver. 2. And he judged Israel twenty and three years.] Appeasing the tumults at the end of Abimelech’ s reign, restoring the true religion, and administering justice according to God’ s laws. Dr May.
Read John Trapp on Judges 10 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(2) He judged Israel.—The recurrence of the normal verb (to judge) shows that Tola was an honour able “Suffes,” not a despot, like Abimelech. Nothing further is known about Tola.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Judges 10 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges2. And he judged] Judges 10:3; see Judges 3:10 n. and was buried, in Shamir] ‘We are probably to infer that the tomb of the eponymous ancestor of the clan was in later times shewn at Shamir’ (Moore). This applies, with different names, to similar notices of the other Minor Judges.
Read Cambridge on Judges 10 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleJair the Gileadite was probably the same person as is named in Numbers 32:41; Deuteronomy 3:14, as having given the name of “Havoth-jair” to certain villages in Bashan.
Read Albert Barnes on Judges 10 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Tola judged Israel twenty-three years, and when he died, he was buried in Shamir.
He judged Israel twenty-three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.
Tola judged Israel twenty-three years, and when he died, he was buried in Shamir.
He led Israel for twenty-three years, then died and was buried in Shamir.
Tyndale line
And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.
And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.
And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.
And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.
And he iudged Israel three and twentie yeere and dyed, and was buried in Shamir.
Strictly literal
And he judged Israel twenty-three years; and he died, and was buried in Shamir.
and he judgeth Israel twenty and three years, and he dieth, and is buried in Shamir.
and he judges Israel [for] twenty-three years, and he dies, and is buried in Shamir.
And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and then died, and was buried in Shamir.
He judged Israel twenty-three years. He died and was buried in Shamir.
From the Latin
And he judged Israel three and twenty years, and he died and was buried in Samir.
Simplified
He led Israel as a judge for twenty-three years. Then he died and was buried in Shamir.
He was judge over Israel for twenty-three years; and at his death his body was put to rest in the earth in Shamir.
Word by word, the decisions they made
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree in their representation of the verse, with eight of the nine words matching. This consistency indicates a stable transmission of the text, although the Septuagint's word order and additional articles reflect its own interpretive style.
וַיִּשְׁפֹּט֙ אֶת־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וְשָׁלֹ֖שׁ שָׁנָ֑ה וַיָּ֖מָת וַיִּקָּבֵ֥ר בְּשָׁמִֽיר׃ פ
8 of the 9 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Judges 10:2
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
שָׁפַט (shaphat) is a Hebrew verb meaning to judge or govern. It encompasses a range of actions including pronouncing sentences, executing judgments, and deciding controversies in various contexts such as civil and religious matters. The word can also imply being judged or entering into legal disputes. There is a specific mention of its use in the context of final judgment.
שָׁפַט 185 vb. judge, govern
Qal
act as law-giver, judge, governor
specif. decide controversy, discriminate betw. persons, in civil, political, domestic and religious questions
execute judgment
Niph.
recipr., enter into controversy, plead
pass. be judged
Pô‛el = my opponent-at-law
base
H8199 שָׁפַט judge, govern .. act as law-giver, judge, governor
. specif. decide controversy, discriminate betw. persons, in civil, political, domestic and religious questions
. execute judgment
. . recipr., enter into controversy, plead
. pass. be judged
.= my opponent-at-law
8199 shaphat shaw-fat'
a primitive root; to judge, i.e. pronounce sentence (for or
against); by implication, to vindicate or punish; by
extenssion, to govern; passively, to litigate (literally or
figuratively):--+ avenge, X that condemn, contend, defend,
execute (judgment), (be a) judge(-ment), X needs, plead,
reason, rule.
שָׁפַט (sha.phat) — to judge.
1) to judge, govern, vindicate, punish
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to act as law-giver or judge or governor (of God, man)
1a1a) to rule, govern, judge
1a2) to decide controversy (of God, man)
1a3) to execute judgment
1a3a) discriminating (of man)
1a3b) vindicating
1a3c) condemning and punishing
1a3d) at theophanic advent for final judgment
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to enter into controversy, plead, have controversy together
1b2) to be judged
1c) (Poel) judge, opponent-at-law (participle)
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vqw3ms
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
HTo — ParticleHTo
יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisra'el) refers to both the second name of Jacob, meaning 'God prevails,' and the name of the Hebrew nation descended from him. It is derived from roots meaning 'to rule' and 'God.' The term encompasses Jacob's descendants and is used historically for the northern kingdom of Israel and the nation as a whole after the Babylonian exile.
יִשְׂרָאֵל 2507 n.pr.m. et gent. Israel (Ēl persisteth, persevereth)
n.pr.m. second name of Jacob
n.pr.gent. name of Hebrew nation
base
H3478 יִשְׂרָאֵל Israel (Ēl persisteth, persevereth) . n. pr. m. second name of Jacob
. n. pr. gent. name of Hebrew nation
3478 Yisra'el yis-raw-ale'
from 8280 and 410; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical
name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity:
--Israel.
see HEBREW for 08280
see HEBREW for 0410
יִשְׂרָאֵל (yis.ra.el) — Israel.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.26;
son of: Isaac (H3327) and Rebekah (H7259);
brother of: Esau (H6215); married to Rachel (H7354), Leah (H3812), Zilpah (H2153) and Bilhah (H1090A);
father of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); also called Jacob frequently
§ Israel = "God prevails"
1) the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel
2) the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob
2a) the name of the nation until the death of Solomon and the split
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
iz'-ra-el.
See JACOB.
Israel
The name conferred on Jacob after the great prayer-struggle at Peniel (Gen. 32:28), because “as a prince he had power with God and prevailed.” (See JACOB.) This is the common name given to Jacob’s descendants. The whole people of the twelve tribes are called “Israelites,” the “children of Israel” (Josh. 3:17; 7:25; Judg. 8:27; Jer. 3:21), and the “house of Israel” (Ex. 16:31; 40:38).
This name Israel is sometimes used emphatically for the true Israel (Ps. 73:1: Isa. 45:17; 49:3;
(the prince that prevails with God). The name given, (Genesis 32:28) to Jacob after his wrestling with the angel, (Hosea 12:4) at Peniel. Gesenius interprets Israel "soldier of God." It became the national name of the twelve tribes collectively. They are so called in (Exodus 3:16) and afterward. It is used in a narrower sense, excluding Judah, in (1 Samuel 11:8; 2 Samuel 20:1; 1 Kings 12:16) Thenceforth it was assumed and accepted as the name of the northern kingdom. After the Babylonian captivity, the returned exiles resumed the name Israel as the designation of…
Who prevails with God, a name given to Jacob, after having wrestled with the Angel-Jehovah at Penuel. Ge 32:1,2,28,30 Ho 12:3. See JACOB. By the name Israel is sometimes understood all the posterity of Israel, the seed of Jacob, 1Co 10:18; sometimes all true believers, his spiritual seed, Ro 9:6; and sometimes the kingdom of Israel, or the ten tribes, as distinct from the kingdom of Judah.
עֶשְׂרִים (esriym) means 'twenty' and can also refer to the ordinal 'twentieth.' It is derived from the root word for 'ten' and has an Aramaic equivalent, עֶשְׂרִין (es.rin). The entries consistently define the term without significant disagreement.
עֶשְׂרִים (a) twenty
base
H6242 עֶשְׂרִים (a) twenty
6242 `esriym es-reem'
from 6235; twenty; also (ordinal) twentieth:--(six-)score,
twenty(-ieth).
see HEBREW for 06235
עֶשְׂרִים (es.rim) — twenty.
twenty, twentieth
Aramaic equivalent: es.rin (עֶשְׂרִין "twenty" H6243)
Adj — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
twen'-ti.
See NUMBER.
The Hebrew word שָׁלֹשׁ (*shalosh*) means 'three' or 'triad.' It can also refer to the ordinal 'third' and is used in various contexts, including multiplication as 'thrice.' The entries consistently define it as a primitive number without significant disagreement.
שָׁלֹשׁ, שָׁלוֹשׁ, שְׁלֹשָׁה 430 n.m. et f. a three, triad
base
H7969 שָׁלֹשׁ, שָׁלוֹשׁ, שְׁלֹשָׁה a three, triad
7969 shalowsh shaw-loshe'
or shalosh {shaw-loshe'}; masculine shlowshah {shel-o-shaw'};
or shloshah {shel-o-shaw'}; a primitive number; three;
occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multipl.) thrice:--+ fork,
+ often(-times), third, thir(-teen, -teenth), three, + thrice.
Compare 7991.
see HEBREW for 07991
שָׁלֹשׁ (sha.losh) — three.
1) three, triad
1a) 3, 300, third
Aramaic equivalent: te.lat (תְּלָת "three" H8532)
HC/Ncbsa — Conjunction · noun common both singular absoluteHC/Ncbsa
(shalosh; treis).
See NUMBER.
The phrase "three days and three nights," Mt 12:40, was equivalent in Hebrew to the English "three days;" the Jews employing the expression "a day and a night" to denote our "day" of twentyfour hours. Nor did "three days," 1Sa 30:13, literally "this third day," according to their usage, necessarily include the whole of three days, but a part of three days, a continuous period including one whole day of twenty-four hours, and a portion of the day preceding it and the day following it. Compare Ge 7:12,17 1Sa 30:12-13.
שָׁנָה (shaneh) means 'year' and is derived from the root meaning to change or revolve. It encompasses various aspects of time, including divisions of time, measures of age, and even a lifetime. The Aramaic equivalent is שְׁנָה (she.nah), also meaning 'year'.
שָׁנָה 877 n.f. year (etym. v. √[v.ek.aa])
base
H8141 שָׁנָה year (etym. v. √[8138a])
8141 shaneh shaw-neh'
(in plura or (feminine) shanah {shaw-naw'}; from 8138; a year
(as a revolution of time):--+ whole age, X long, + old,
year(X -ly).
see HEBREW for 08138
שָׁנָה (sha.neh) — year.
1) year
1a) as division of time
1b) as measure of time
1c) as indication of age
1d) a lifetime (of years of life)
Aramaic equivalent: she.nah (שְׁנָה "year" H8140)
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
מוּת (mūth) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to die' or 'to kill.' It encompasses a range of meanings from dying naturally to being executed as a penalty. The word can refer to both humans and animals, and it includes various forms such as causing death or being killed. There is a distinction in usage based on the subject, whether it is a person or God inflicting death.
מוּת vb. die
Qal
die, of natural or other causes
die as a penalty = be put to death
Po‛lel. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)
Hiph.
abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man
subj. God, by inflicting penalty
of animals killing men
bring to a premature death
Hoph. be killed, put to death
base
H4191 מוּת die .. die, of natural or other causes
. die as a penalty = be put to death
. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)
. . abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man
. subj. God, by inflicting penalty
. of animals killing men
. bring to a premature death
. be killed, put to death
4191 muwth mooth
a primitive root: to die (literally or figuratively);
causatively, to kill:--X at all, X crying, (be) dead (body,
man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to,
be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), X must needs,
slay, X surely, X very suddenly, X in (no) wise.
מוּת (mut) — to die.
1) to die, kill, have one executed
1a)(Qal)
1a1) to die
1a2) to die (as penalty), be put to death
1a3) to die, perish (of a nation)
1a4) to die prematurely (by neglect of wise moral conduct)
1b) (Polel) to kill, put to death, dispatch
1c) (Hiphil) to kill, put to death
1d) (Hophal)
1d1) to be killed, be put to death
1d1a) to die prematurely
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vqw3ms
קָבַר (qabar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to bury.' It has several forms, including Qal (to bury), Niphal (to be buried), Piel (to bury in masses), and Pual (to be buried). The entries indicate its use in various contexts, including a reference to Genesis 25:10.
קָבַר 132 vb. bury
Qal 86 bury
Niph. 39 be buried
Pi. bury (in masses)
Pu. Gn 25:10.
base
H6912 קָבַר bury
6912 qabar kaw-bar'
a primitive root; to inter:--X in any wise, bury(-ier).
קָבַר (qa.var) — to bury.
1) to bury
1a) (Qal) to bury
1b) (Niphal) to be buried
1c) (Piel) to bury, bury (in masses)
1d) (Pual) to be buried
Conj | V-Niphal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Niphal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/VNw3ms
The Hebrew word שָׁמִיר (Shamir) refers to a name associated with two towns in ancient Palestine, one in the mountain district of Judah and another in Ephraim. It is also noted to mean 'a point' or 'thorn.' Additionally, a man named Shamir from the tribe of Levi is mentioned in 1 Chronicles 24:24.
שָׁמִיר n.pr.loc.
Ju 10:1, 2
Jos 15:48
ref
H8069 שָׁמִיר
8069 Shamiyr shaw-meer'
the same as 8068; Shamir, the name of two places in
Palestine:--Shamir. Compare 8053.
see HEBREW for 08068
see HEBREW for 08053
שָׁמִיר (sha.mir) — Shamir.
§ Shamir = "a point" or "thorn"
a town in the mountain district of Judah
שָׁמִיר (sha.mir) — Shamir.
§ Shamir = "a point" or "thorn"
a town in Ephraim where the judge Tola lived and was buried
שָׁמִיר (sha.mir) — Shamir.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.24.24;
son of: Micah (H4318J)
Another name of sha.mur (שָׁמוּר "Shamir" H8053)
§ Shamir = "a point" or "thorn"
1) a town in the mountain district of Judah
2) a town in Ephraim where the judge Tola lived and was buried
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun properHR/Npl
Shamir
A sharp thorn. (1.) One of the sons of Michah (1 Chr. 24:24).
(2.) A town among the mountains of Judah (Josh. 15:48); probably Somerah, 2 1/2 miles north-west of Debir.
(3.) The residence of Tola, one of the judges, on Mount Ephraim (Judg. 10:1, 2).
(n point or thorn.) A town in the mountain district of Judah. (Joshua 15:48) only. It probably lay some eight or ten miles south of Hebron. A place in Mount Ephraim, the residence and burial-place of Tola the judge. (Judges 10:1,2) Perhaps Samur , half-way between Samaria and Jenin . A Kohathite, son of Micah or Michal, the first-born of Uzziel. (1 Chronicles 24:24)
Shamer, prison; bush; lees; thorn