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Tola, Jair, Ibzan, Elon and Abdon
These short notices list five judges in sequence and give a few plain facts about each one. The passage highlights names, family links, places, years of judging, and where each man was buried.
Understanding the passage
Understanding this record
These verses combine brief judge notices linked by a repeated sequence. Tola arose, then Jair came after him. Later Ibzan judged Israel, then Elon after him, and Abdon after him. Each notice gives selected facts such as identity, place, length of judging, and sometimes family details, rather than a full story.
Judges 10:1–5; Judges 12:8–15Main takeaway
This passage records these judges in a simple pattern of name, place, years of judging, and at times added family or city details.
Explore the record
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Tola’s short noticeTola is identified carefully by family and tribe: son of Puah, son of Dodo, a man of Issachar.
Explanation
Tola is identified carefully by family and tribe: son of Puah, son of Dodo, a man of Issachar. The text also says he arose to save Israel. He lived in Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim, judged Israel for twenty-three years, and was buried in the same place.
02Jair and the cities called Havvoth JairJair the Gileadite came after Tola and judged Israel for twenty-two years. The passage says he had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkey colts, and that they had thirty cities called Havvoth Jair to this day in the land of Gilead.
Explanation
Jair the Gileadite came after Tola and judged Israel for twenty-two years. The passage says he had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkey colts, and that they had thirty cities called Havvoth Jair to this day in the land of Gilead. Jair died and was buried in Kamon.
03Ibzan’s family arrangementsIbzan of Bethlehem judged Israel for seven years. The passage records that he had thirty sons, sent thirty daughters outside his clan, and brought in thirty daughters from outside his clan for his sons.
Explanation
Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel for seven years. The passage records that he had thirty sons, sent thirty daughters outside his clan, and brought in thirty daughters from outside his clan for his sons. It does not explain these arrangements, only states them, and then records his burial at Bethlehem.
04Elon and Abdon in the same patternElon the Zebulunite judged Israel for ten years and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
Explanation
Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel for ten years and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun. After him came Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite, who judged eight years. Abdon had forty sons and thirty grandsons riding seventy donkey colts, and he was buried in Pirathon in Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01Which judge is specifically said to have arisen to save Israel?
Only one notice includes that description, so look for the words “arose to save Israel”.
02What repeated details help organise these short biographies?
Notice the sequence words such as “after him”, the number of years each judged, and the burial place often given at the end.
03Which judges are described with many sons and donkey colts, and what extra detail is linked with each one?
Compare Jair and Abdon closely: Jair is linked with thirty cities, while Abdon is linked with sons and grandsons.
Read the Bible passages
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Judges 10:1–5
1After Abimelech, Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, arose to save Israel. He lived in Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim.
2He judged Israel twenty-three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.
3After him Jair, the Gileadite, arose. He judged Israel twenty-two years.
4He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkey colts. They had thirty cities, which are called Havvoth Jair to this day, which are in the land of Gilead.
5Jair died, and was buried in Kamon.
Judges 12:8–15
8After him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.
9He had thirty sons. He sent his thirty daughters outside his clan, and he brought in thirty daughters from outside his clan for his sons. He judged Israel seven years.
10Ibzan died, and was buried at Bethlehem.
11After him, Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years.
12Elon the Zebulunite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
13After him, Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel.
14He had forty sons and thirty sons’ sons who rode on seventy donkey colts. He judged Israel eight years.
15Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.