Judges 10

Chap. X. Ver. 1—18. The governments of Tola and of Jair, and the oppression of the Philistines and the Ammonites.—The governments of Tola and of Jair afford no event for historical record, except that the latter had thirty sons who rode on asses colts (a mark of honour) and who possessed thirty cities, which were called Havoth-jair, or “the villages of Jair,” and therefore certainly places of no great consequence. It is lamentable to observe that the children of Israel adhered to the worship of Jehovah no longer than they were either in affliction or under the strong control of some pious supreme magistrate. This however may serve to show the great importance of a wise and efficient magistracy; and no sooner, indeed, are any people liberated from the controls of law and government, than they fall into anarchy and irreligion, which generally go together, and soon sink the people into the lowest degradation, and reduce them under slavery to the nearest despot.

This was the case with Israel: the tribes west of Jordan fell into the hands of the Philistines, and those on the east of that river, into the hands of the children of Ammon. It is the natural tendency of trouble, whether national or personal, to set us on reflection; such was the case with Israel on this and many other occasions. And they no sooner reflected, than they perceived that all their misfortunes originated in their apostacy. They therefore resolve immediately to forsake their idols and return unto Jehovah; but he replied, (either by the high priest, or by some accredited prophet,) “Go cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.” While, however, the Lord appears to turn a deaf ear to their complaints, his heart melts with pity over them; “his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel,”

and he provided for them a deliverer. Let us turn our attention now from Israel to ourselves, and we shall find here, 1. A faithful picture of the fickleness and rebellion of the human heart. 2. A representation of the nature of true penitence, which casts the sinner at the footstool of divine mercy, in an unconditional surrender: “We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee this day.” And, 3. A just repre- - deliver us only, we pray thee, grace of God. Like the father sentation of the goodness and of the returning prodigal, his heart to the sinner; and no sooner does he sink “he is when he falls upon his neck, and kisses him.” ((Luke 15:20-21).)

Notes on the verses

Chap. X. Ver. 3. Jair, here named, was probably a descendant of the Jair mentioned (Numbers 32:41). and inherited his possessions. Ver. 12. Maonites.—(The LXX. has “the Midianites,” the true reading. But the Maonites might be a tribe of Arabs, inhabitants of Maon, ((Joshua 15:55). (1 Samuel 23:24-25).)