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¹ And after Abimelech, there arose to defend Israel, Tola the sonne of Puah, the sonne of Dodo, a man of Issachar, and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim.

² And he iudged Israel twenty and three yeeres, and died, and was buried in Shamir.

³ And after him arose Iair a Gileadite, and iudged Israel twentie and two yeeres.

⁴ And hee had thirtie sonnes that rode on thirtie asse-colts, and they had thirtie cities, which are called Hauoth-Iair vnto this day, which are in the land of Gilead.

⁵ And Iair died, and was buried in Camon.

⁶ And the children of Israel did euill againe in the sight of the Lord, and serued Baalim and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsooke the Lord, and serued not him.

⁷ And the anger of the Lord was hot agaiust Israel, and hee solde them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon.

⁸ And that yere they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteene yeeres, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Iordan, in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.

⁹ Moreouer, the children of Ammon passed ouer Iordan, to fight also against Iudah, and against Beniamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed.

¹⁰ And the children of Israel cried vnto the Lord, saying, Wee haue sinned against thee, both because wee haue forsaken our God, and also serued Baalim.

¹¹ And the Lord said vnto the children of Israel, Did not I deliuer you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines?

¹² The Zidonians also and the Amalekites, and the Maonites did oppresse you, and ye cried to me, and I deliuered you out of their hand.

¹³ Yet ye haue forsaken me, and serued other gods: wherefore I will deliuer you no more.

¹⁴ Go, and cry vnto the gods which ye haue chosen, let them deliuer you in the time of your tribulation.

¹⁵ And the children of Israel said vnto the Lord, We haue sinned, doe thou vnto vs whatsoeuer seemeth good vnto thee, deliuer vs onely, wee pray thee, this day.

¹⁶ And they put away the strange gods from among them, and serued the Lord: and his soule was grieued for the misery of Israel.

¹⁷ Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead: and the children of Israel assembled themselues together, and encamped in Mizpeh.

¹⁸ And the people and Princes of Gilead, said one to another, What man is hee that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be Head ouer all the inhabitants of Gilead.