Judg. 10 Tola judgeth Israel; and Jair, whose thirty sons had thirty cities, Judg. 10:1–5. The people’s idolatry, Judg. 10:6. The Philistines and Ammonites oppress them, Judg. 10:7–9. They cry to God, who sendeth them to their false gods; but upon their repentance pitieth them, Judg. 10:10–11.

There arose; not of himself, but either chosen by the people; or rather, raised by God, as the other judges were. To defend Israel, or, to save, which he did not by fighting against and overthrowing their enemies, but by a prudent and pious government of them, whereby he kept them from sedition,…

A Gileadite; of Gilead beyond Jordan

Rode on ass colts, because horses were scarce there, and were not to be multiplied by the king himself, Deut. 17:16. Hence their kings and kings’ children used to ride upon mules, 2 Sam. 13:29, 2 Sam. 18:9, 1 Kings 1:33, 1 Kings 1:38–39, Judg. 5:10, Judg. 12:14. Havoth-jair. Object.

He shows how they grew worse and worse, and so ripened themselves for the ruin which afterward came upon them. Before they worshipped God and idols together; now they utterly forsake God, and wholly cleave to idols.

The one on the west, the other on the east; so they were molested on both sides.

Or, that year they had vexed and oppressed the children of Israel eighteen years. Or, they vexed them in that year, that was the eighteenth year, to wit, of that vexation. This was the eighteenth year from the beginning of that oppression.

Because, not contented to add idols to thee, we have preferred them before thee, and rejected thee to receive and worship them.

The Lord said; either by himself, the Son of God appearing in a visible shape, which then was usual; or by some prophet whom he raised and sent to this purpose; or by the high priest, who was consulted in the case. The Amorites; both Sihon and Og, and their people, Num.

The Zidonians also; for though we do not read of any oppression of Israel, particularly, by the Zidonians, yet there might be such a thing; as many things were said and done, both in the Old and New Testament, which are not recorded there; or they might join their forces with the king of…

To wit, except you repent in another manner than you yet have done; which when they performed, God suspends the execution of this threatening. Compare Jer. 18:7.

You have not been forced to worship those gods by your oppressors and tyrants; but you have freely chosen these gods before me.

Do not give us up into the hands of these cruel men, but do thou chastise us with thine own hand as much as thou pleasest, to wit, if we be not more faithful and constant to thee than we have hitherto been.

They put away the strange gods: this was an evidence of the sincerity of their sorrow, that they did not only confess and bewail their sins, but also forsake them, and loathe themselves for them.

That Mizpeh which was beyond Jordan in Gad or Manasseh; of which see Gen. 31:49, Josh. 18:26, Judg. 10:17, Judg. 11:11, Judg. 11:29, Judg. 11:34. There were other cities of that name in Scripture.