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Soudců 10

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1 Povstal pak po Abimelechovi k obhajování Izraele Tola, syn Fua, syna Dodova, muž z pokolení Izachar, a ten bydlil v Samir na hoře Efraim.

2 I soudil Izraele za třimecítma let, a umřev, pochován jest v Samir.

3 Po něm povstal Jair Galádský, a soudil Izraele za dvamecítma let.

4 A měl třidceti synů, kteříž jezdili na třidcíti mezcích; a měli třidceti měst, kteráž sloula vsi Jairovy až do dnešního dne, a ty jsou v zemi Galád.

5 I umřel Jair, a pochován jest v Kamon.

6 Opět pak synové Izraelští činili to, což jest zlého před očima Hospodinovýma; nebo sloužili Bálům a Astarot, to jest, bohům Syrským, bohům Sidonským a bohům Moábským, tolikéž i bohům synů Ammon, i bohům Filistinským, tak že opustili Hospodina, a nesloužili jemu.

7 Protož roznítila se prchlivost Hospodinova na Izraele, a vydal je v ruku Filistinských a v ruku Ammonitských,

8 Kteříž stírali a potlačovali syny Izraelské toho roku, i potom za osmnácte let, všecky syny Izraelské, kteříž byli před Jordánem v zemi Amorejského, kteráž jest v Galád.

9 Přešli pak Ammonitští i Jordán, aby bojovali také proti Judovi, a proti Beniaminovi, i proti domu Efraimovu; i byl Izrael náramně ssoužen.

10 Tedy volali synové Izraelští k Hospodinu, řkouce: Zhřešiliť jsme tobě, tak že jsme opustili tě Boha svého, a sloužili jsme Bálům.

11 Ale Hospodin řekl synům Izraelským: Zdaliž jsem od Egyptských a od Amorejských a od Ammonitských a Filistinských,

12 Tolikéž od Sidonských, a Amalechitských, i od Maonitských, vás ssužujících, když jste volali ke mně, nevysvobodil vás z ruky jejich?

13 A vy opustili jste mne a sloužili jste bohům cizím, protož nevysvobodím vás více.

14 Jděte a volejte k bohům, kteréž jste sobě zvolili; oni nechť vás vysvobodí v čas ssoužení vašeho.

15 I řekli synové Izraelští Hospodinu: Zhřešili jsme; učiň s námi, cožť se dobře líbí, a však vysvoboď nás, prosíme, v tento čas.

16 Protož vyvrhše bohy cizí z prostředku svého, sloužili Hospodinu, a zželelo se duši jeho nad trápením Izraele.

17 Svolali se pak Ammonitští, a položili se v Galád; shromáždili se také synové Izraelští, a položili se v Masfa.

18 I řekli lid s knížaty Galád jedni druhým: Kdokoli počne bojovati proti Ammonitským, bude vůdce všech obyvatelů Galád.

   

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Exploring the Meaning of Judges 10

Napsal(a) New Christian Bible Study Staff, Julian Duckworth

Judges 10: Tola, Jair; Israel oppressed again.

This chapter opens by mentioning the judges Tola and Jair, who judged for twenty-three years and twenty-two years, respectively. The text gives us very little information about them, except that Jair had thirty sons, who rode on thirty donkeys and had thirty cities in the land of Gilead.

After Jair died, the people soon disobeyed the Lord, and worshipped the gods of Syria, Sidon, Moab, Philistia, and Ammon. This provoked the Lord’s anger, so He caused the Philistines and Ammonites to oppress Israel. The Ammonites first attacked the two-and-a-half tribes living on the eastern side of the Jordan, then crossed the river to attack Judah, Benjamin and Ephraim.

The people cried out to the Lord, saying that they had forsaken Him, but He told them to go to the other gods they had chosen. However, the people asked again for forgiveness, stopped worshipping foreign gods, and turned back to the Lord, so His anger toward them subsided.

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This chapter describes another episode in Israel’s cycle of disobedience and punishment, in which the people repeatedly turn away from the Lord when there is no leader. No matter how often we affirm our faith in the Lord, we, too, will default to our natural desires and false thinking. As we come to recognize and accept this fact of life, we can find comfort in the Lord. He understands this completely, and does not blame or punish us.

The first judge mentioned is Tola. His name means “a worm-like grub”, suggesting the idea of metamorphosis and regeneration (see Swedenborg’s work, True Christian Religion 106[2]). Tola’s father was Puah (meaning “shining”), his grandfather was Dodo (meaning “amorous, loving”), and their city was Shamir (which means “keeping the commandment”). These names bring to mind the spiritual qualities of truth, love and life in the Lord (see Swedenborg’s work, Arcana Caelestia 977).

The next judge is Jair, whose name means ”he whom God enlightens”. The number thirty (used in reference to his thirty sons and their thirty towns) means fullness or readiness. This readiness refers to our spiritual ‘remains’, or states of innocence and charity that the Lord imparts to us during childhood. These remains are essential during regeneration (Arcana Caelestia 1050).

The Philistines, soon to be a major enemy of Israel, stand for the belief in “faith alone” salvation. This way of thinking instills the idea that we will be saved if we “believe in the Lord”, regardless of our actions. “Faith alone” doctrine is present in many religious practices (see Swedenborg’s work, Doctrine of Life 4).

The people of Ammon stand for profaning what is true, by turning the truths of the Word into false ideas. We profane the truth when we claim to know what the Word teaches, but live in a way that is contrary to the Lord’s commandments (Arcana Caelestia 6348[3]).

This chapter, like many others in the book of Judges, shows Israel’s decline into chaos and evil. The two judges, Tola and Jair, provide a picture of spiritual integrity, in contrast with Israel’s oppression by the very evils they have turned to. In our regeneration, with its highs and lows, we must avoid the temptation of shallow faith by acting according to our values.