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Judges 10

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1 και-C αναιστημι-VHI-AAI3S μετα-P *αβιμελεχ-N---ASM ο- A--GSN σωζω-VA--AAN ο- A--ASM *ισραηλ-N---ASM *θωλα-N---NSM υιος-N2--NSM *φουα-N---GSM υιος-N2--NSM πατραδελφος-N2--GSM αυτος- D--GSM ανηρ-N3--NSM *ισσαχαρ-N---NSM και-C αυτος- D--NSM οικεω-V2I-IAI3S εν-P *σαμιρ-N---DSF εν-P ορος-N3E-DSN *εφραιμ-N---GSM

2 και-C κρινω-VAI-AAI3S ο- A--ASM *ισραηλ-N---ASM εικοσι-M τρεις-A3--APN ετος-N3E-APN και-C αποθνησκω-VBI-AAI3S και-C θαπτω-VDI-API3S εν-P *σαμιρ-N---DSF

3 και-C αναιστημι-VHI-AAI3S μετα-P αυτος- D--ASM *ιαιρ-N---NSM ο- A--NSM *γαλααδ-N---NSM και-C κρινω-VAI-AAI3S ο- A--ASM *ισραηλ-N---ASM εικοσι-M δυο-M ετος-N3E-APN

4 και-C ειμι-V9--IAI3P αυτος- D--DSM τριακοντα-M και-C δυο-M υιος-N2--NPM επιβαινω-V1--PAPNPM επι-P τριακοντα-M δυο-M πωλος-N2--NPM και-C τριακοντα-M δυο-M πολις-N3I-NPF αυτος- D--DPM και-C καλεω-V2I-IAI3P αυτος- D--APF επαυλις-N3I-APF *ιαιρ-N---GSM εως-P ο- A--GSF ημερα-N1A-GSF ουτος- D--GSF εν-P γη-N1--DSF *γαλααδ-N---GSM

5 και-C αποθνησκω-VBI-AAI3S *ιαιρ-N---NSM και-C θαπτω-VDI-API3S εν-P *ραμνων-N---DSF

6 και-C προςτιθημι-VEI-AMI3P ο- A--NPM υιος-N2--NPM *ισραηλ-N---GSM ποιεω-VA--AAN ο- A--ASN πονηρος-A1A-ASM ενωπιον-P κυριος-N2--GSM και-C δουλευω-VAI-AAI3P ο- A--DPM *βααλιμ-N---DPM και-C ο- A--DPF *ασταρωθ-N---DPF και-C ο- A--DPM θεος-N2--DPM *αραδ-N---GSF και-C ο- A--DPM θεος-N2--DPM *σιδων-N3W-GSM και-C ο- A--DPM θεος-N2--DPM *μωαβ-N---GSF και-C ο- A--DPM θεος-N2--DPM υιος-N2--GPM *αμμων-N---GSM και-C ο- A--DPM θεος-N2--DPM *φυλιστιιμ-N---GPM και-C εν καταλειπω-VBI-AAI3P ο- A--ASM κυριος-N2--ASM και-C ου-D δουλευω-VAI-AAI3P αυτος- D--DSM

7 και-C οργιζω-VSI-API3S θυμος-N2--DSM κυριος-N2--NSM εν-P *ισραηλ-N---DSM και-C αποδιδωμι-VOI-AMI3S αυτος- D--APM εν-P χειρ-N3--DSF *φυλιστιιμ-N---GPM και-C εν-P χειρ-N3--DSF υιος-N2--GPM *αμμων-N---GSM

8 και-C θλιβω-VAI-AAI3P και-C θλαω-VAI-AAI3P ο- A--APM υιος-N2--APM *ισραηλ-N---GSM εν-P ο- A--DSM καιρος-N2--DSM εκεινος- D--DSM δεκα-M οκτω-M ετος-N3E-APN ο- A--APM πας-A3--APM υιος-N2--APM *ισραηλ-N---GSM ο- A--APM εν-P ο- A--DSM περαν-P ο- A--GSM *ιορδανης-N1M-GSM εν-P γη-N1--DSF ο- A--GSM *αμορρι-N---GSM ο- A--GSM εν-P *γαλααδ-N---DSM

9 και-C διαβαινω-VZI-AAI3P ο- A--NPM υιος-N2--NPM *αμμων-N---GSM ο- A--ASM *ιορδανης-N1M-ASM παρατασσω-VA--AMN προς-P *ιουδας-N1T-ASM και-C *βενιαμιν-N---ASM και-C προς-P *εφραιμ-N---ASM και-C θλιβω-VVI-API3S *ισραηλ-N---GSM σφοδρα-D

10 και-C βοαω-VAI-AAI3P ο- A--NPM υιος-N2--NPM *ισραηλ-N---GSM προς-P κυριος-N2--ASM λεγω-V1--PAPNPM αμαρτανω-VBI-AAI1P συ- P--DS οτι-C εν καταλειπω-VBI-AAI1P ο- A--ASM θεος-N2--ASM και-C δουλευω-VAI-AAI1P ο- A--DSM *βααλιμ-N---DPM

11 και-C ειπον-VBI-AAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM προς-P ο- A--APM υιος-N2--APM *ισραηλ-N---GSM μη-D ου-D εκ-P *αιγυπτος-N2--GSF και-C απο-P ο- A--GSM *αμορραιος-N2--GSM και-C απο-P υιος-N2--GPM *αμμων-N---GSM και-C απο-P *φυλιστιιμ-N---GPM

12 και-C *σιδωνιος-N2--GPM και-C *αμαληκ-N---GSM και-C *μαδιαμ-N---GSF ος- --NPM θλιβω-VAI-AAI3P συ- P--AP και-C βοαω-VAI-AAI2P προς-P εγω- P--AS και-C σωζω-VAI-AAI1S συ- P--AP εκ-P χειρ-N3--GSF αυτος- D--GPM

13 και-C συ- P--NP εν καταλειπω-VBI-AAI2P εγω- P--AS και-C δουλευω-VAI-AAI2P θεος-N2--DPM ετερος-A1A-DPM δια-P ουτος- D--ASN ου-D προςτιθημι-VF--FAI1S ο- A--GSN σωζω-VA--AAN συ- P--AP

14 πορευομαι-V1--PMD2P και-C βοαω-VA--AAD2P προς-P ο- A--APM θεος-N2--APM ος- --APM εκλεγω-VAI-AMI2P εαυτου- D--DPM και-C αυτος- D--NPM σωζω-VA--AAD3P συ- P--AP εν-P καιρος-N2--DSM θλιψις-N3I-GSF συ- P--GP

15 και-C ειπον-VAI-AAI3P ο- A--NPM υιος-N2--NPM *ισραηλ-N---GSM προς-P κυριος-N2--ASM αμαρτανω-VBI-AAI1P ποιεω-VA--AAD2S συ- P--NS εγω- P--DP κατα-P πας-A3--ASN ο- A--ASN αγαθος-A1--ASN εν-P οφθαλμος-N2--DPM συ- P--GS πλην-D εκαιρεω-VB--AMD2S εγω- P--AP εν-P ο- A--DSF ημερα-N1A-DSF ουτος- D--DSF

16 και-C εκκλινω-VAI-AAI3P ο- A--APM θεος-N2--APM ο- A--APM αλλοτριος-A1A-APM εκ-P μεσος-A1--GSM αυτος- D--GPM και-C δουλευω-VAI-AAI3P ο- A--DSM κυριος-N2--DSM μονος-A1--DSM και-C ολιγοω-VCI-API3S ο- A--NSF ψυχη-N1--NSF αυτος- D--GSM εν-P κοπος-N2--DSM *ισραηλ-N---GSM

17 και-C αναβαινω-VZI-AAI3P ο- A--NPM υιος-N2--NPM *αμμων-N---GSM και-C παρα ενβαλλω-VBI-AAI3P εν-P *γαλααδ-N---DSM και-C συναγω-VQI-API3P ο- A--NPM υιος-N2--NPM *ισραηλ-N---GSM και-C παρα ενβαλλω-VBI-AAI3P εν-P ο- A--DSF σκοπια-N1A-DSF

18 και-C ειπον-VBI-AAI3P ο- A--NSM λαος-N2--NSM ο- A--NPM αρχων-N3--NPM *γαλααδ-N---GSM ανηρ-N3--NSM προς-P ο- A--ASM πλησιον-D αυτος- D--GSM τις- I--NSM ο- A--NSM ανηρ-N3--NSM οστις- X--NSM αν-X αρχω-VA--AMS3S παρατασσω-VA--AMN προς-P υιος-N2--APM *αμμων-N---GSM και-C ειμι-VF--FMI3S εις-P αρχων-N3--ASM πας-A3--DPM ο- A--DPM καταοικεω-V2--PAPDPM *γαλααδ-N---DSM

   

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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.

*****

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.

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Judges 9

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1 Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother's brothers, and spoke with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying,

2 "Please speak in the ears of all the men of Shechem, 'Is it better for you that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who are seventy persons, rule over you, or that one rule over you?' Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh."

3 His mother's brothers spoke of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, "He is our brother."

4 They gave him seventy [pieces] of silver out of the house of Baal Berith, with which Abimelech hired vain and light fellows, who followed him.

5 He went to his father's house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy persons, on one stone: but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.

6 All the men of Shechem assembled themselves together, and all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar that was in Shechem.

7 When they told it to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said to them, "Listen to me, you men of Shechem, that God may Listen to you.

8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said to the olive tree, 'Reign over us.'

9 "But the olive tree said to them, 'Should I leave my fatness, with which by me they honor God and man, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?'

10 "The trees said to the fig tree, 'Come and reign over us.'

11 "But the fig tree said to them, 'Should I leave my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?'

12 "The trees said to the vine, 'Come and reign over us.'

13 "The vine said to them, 'Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?'

14 "Then all the trees said to the bramble, 'Come and reign over us.'

15 "The bramble said to the trees, 'If in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.'

16 "Now therefore, if you have dealt truly and righteously, in that you have made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him according to the deserving of his hands

17 (for my father fought for you, and risked his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:

18 and you have risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, seventy persons, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother);

19 if you then have dealt truly and righteously with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you:

20 but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech."

21 Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and lived there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.

22 Abimelech was prince over Israel three years.

23 God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:

24 that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and that their blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers.

25 The men of Shechem set an ambush for him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech.

26 Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers, and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their trust in him.

27 They went out into the field, and gathered their vineyards, and trod [the grapes], and held festival, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech.

28 Gaal the son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Isn't he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: but why should we serve him?

29 Would that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech." He said to Abimelech, "Increase your army, and come out!"

30 When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.

31 He sent messengers to Abimelech craftily, saying, "Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers are come to Shechem; and behold, they constrain the city [to take part] against you.

32 Now therefore, go up by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field:

33 and it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, you shall rise early, and rush on the city; and behold, when he and the people who are with him come out against you, then may you do to them as you shall find occasion."

34 Abimelech rose up, and all the people who were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.

35 Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people who were with him, from the ambush.

36 When Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, "Behold, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains." Zebul said to him, "You see the shadow of the mountains as if they were men."

37 Gaal spoke again and said, "Behold, people are coming down by the middle of the land, and one company comes by the way of the oak of Meonenim."

38 Then Zebul said to him, "Now where is your mouth, that you said, 'Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?' Isn't this the people that you have despised? Please go out now and fight with them."

39 Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.

40 Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many fell wounded, even to the entrance of the gate.

41 Abimelech lived at Arumah: and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers, that they should not dwell in Shechem.

42 It happened on the next day, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.

43 He took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field; and he looked, and behold, the people came forth out of the city; He rose up against them, and struck them.

44 Abimelech, and the companies that were with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city: and the two companies rushed on all who were in the field, and struck them.

45 Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and killed the people who were therein: and he beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.

46 When all the men of the tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered into the stronghold of the house of Elberith.

47 It was told Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.

48 Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it up, and laid it on his shoulder: and he said to the people who were with him, "What you have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done!"

49 All the people likewise each cut down his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them at the base of the stronghold, and set the stronghold on fire on them; so that all the people of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.

50 Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.

51 But there was a strong tower within the city, and there fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut themselves in, and went up to the roof of the tower.

52 Abimelech came to the tower, and fought against it, and drew near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire.

53 A certain woman cast an upper millstone on Abimelech's head, and broke his skull.

54 Then he called hastily to the young man his armor bearer, and said to him, "Draw your sword, and kill me, that men not say of me, 'A woman killed him.' His young man thrust him through, and he died."

55 When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man to his place.

56 Thus God requited the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did to his father, in killing his seventy brothers;

57 and all the wickedness of the men of Shechem did God requite on their heads: and on them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.