Cornelius a Lapide
Table of Contents
Synopsis of the Chapter
Tola is chosen as the seventh judge; Jair the eighth, verse 3. Then, verse 6, the Hebrews, returning to their idols, are chastised by God through the Philistines and Ammonites for eighteen years. Whence, verse 10, seriously repenting, they call upon God, who, after rebuking them, finally, verse 16, has mercy on them.
Vulgate Text: Judges 10:1-18
1. After Abimelech, a leader arose in Israel, Tola the son of Puah, the uncle of Abimelech, a man of Issachar, who lived in Shamir of the hill country of Ephraim: 2. and he judged Israel twenty-three years, and he died and was buried in Shamir. 3. He was succeeded by Jair the Gileadite, who judged Israel for twenty-two years, 4. having thirty sons who rode on thirty young donkeys, and who were rulers of thirty cities, which from his name were called Havvoth-jair, that is, the towns of Jair, to this day, in the land of Gilead. 5. And Jair died and was buried in the place called Kamon. 6. Now the children of Israel, adding new sins to old, did evil in the sight of the Lord and served the idols of Baalim and Ashtaroth and the gods of Syria and of Sidon and of Moab and of the children of Ammon and of the Philistines; and they forsook the Lord and did not worship Him. 7. And the Lord, angry against them, delivered them into the hands of the Philistines and the children of Ammon. 8. And they were afflicted and vehemently oppressed for eighteen years — all who dwelt beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead — 9. to such an extent that the children of Ammon, crossing the Jordan, laid waste Judah and Benjamin and Ephraim; and Israel was afflicted exceedingly. 10. And crying out to the Lord, they said: We have sinned against You, because we have forsaken the Lord our God and served the Baals. 11. And the Lord spoke to them: Did not the Egyptians and the Amorites, and the children of Ammon and the Philistines, 12. and the Sidonians and Amalek and Canaan oppress you, and you cried out to Me, and I delivered you from their hand? 13. And yet you have forsaken Me and worshipped other gods; therefore I will not deliver you any more. 14. Go and call upon the gods whom you have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of distress. 15. And the children of Israel said to the Lord: We have sinned; do to us whatever pleases You; only deliver us now. 16. And saying this, they cast away from their borders all the idols of foreign gods and served the Lord God, who grieved over their miseries. 17. And so the children of Ammon, shouting the war cry in Gilead, pitched their tents; and the children of Israel, assembled against them, encamped at Mizpah. 18. And the rulers of Gilead said each to his neighbor: Whoever first begins to fight against the children of Ammon shall be the leader of the people of Gilead.
Verse 1: Tola the son of Puah, judge of Israel
1. AFTER ABIMELECH, A LEADER AROSE IN ISRAEL, TOLA, THE SON OF PUAH, THE UNCLE OF ABIMELECH. — Tola was therefore a cousin of Abimelech, being the son of Puah, who was the brother of Gideon, the father of Abimelech. Tola seems to have been made Judge by the election of the people, for no mention of God is made here. So Abulensis. Likewise by the people were elected as Judges Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon, chapter XII, verse 8. He 'arose' therefore, elected by the people, to correct the scandal and abolish the tyranny of Abimelech, lest anyone thereafter imitate it and attempt something similar. Whence the Hebrew and the Septuagint add: he arose to save Israel, namely to free the commonwealth from the tyranny and idolatry of Baal-berith introduced by Abimelech, and to defend it from neighboring enemies if, according to their custom, they should invade Israel; and perhaps he actually did defend it, even though Scripture does not record the fact. For the Judges of Israel were saviors, as was stated in chapter II, verse 16, and chapter III, verse 9.
For 'uncle of Abimelech,' the Hebrew is ben dodo, that is, 'the son of his uncle,' namely of Abimelech — supply: Tola was this new Judge. So also the Septuagint, and even the Chaldean, except that he translates it in the genitive as 'son of his uncle'; as if not Tola, but his father Puah, were the son of Abimelech's uncle. But the Rabbis, and among them Pagninus, Arias, Vatablus, Cajetan, retain 'Dodo' as a proper name and translate: 'Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo'; as though Dodo were the father of Puah and grandfather of Tola the Judge. But more trust should be given to St. Jerome, the Septuagint, and the Chaldean, who translate dodo as 'his uncle.' For the Hebrews, on account of the merits of Gideon, wished to create a Judge from his family to succeed him; and since all the sons of Gideon had been killed by Abimelech, they took the son of his brother, namely Tola, and made him Judge.
A MAN OF ISSACHAR. — You will object: Gideon was of the tribe of Manasseh; how then was his brother Puah, and Puah's son Tola, of the tribe of Issachar? St. Augustine and others respond that Gideon and Puah were only half-brothers on their mother's side, so that their mother first married Joash the Manassite, and from him bore Gideon, then married another man from the tribe of Issachar, and from him bore Puah, the father of Tola. For women could marry men of a different tribe when they had brothers who were their fathers' heirs and kept the inheritance within their own tribe, so that it would not pass through a woman (if she were the heiress in the absence of male offspring) marrying a man of another tribe, to that other tribe, Numbers, last chapter.
WHO LIVED IN SHAMIR (a city) OF THE HILL COUNTRY OF EPHRAIM. — Although therefore he was from the tribe of Issachar, nevertheless he lived in the tribe of Ephraim, so that dwelling as it were in the midst of the more numerous tribes, he might govern them more easily as Judge. For it is fitting for a king to be in the center of the kingdom, so that he may easily be approached and met from all parts of the kingdom.
Allegorically, Tola in Hebrew means 'a little worm' or 'scarlet.' Hence he was a type of Christ, who says: 'I am a worm and not a man,' Psalm XXI, 7; He likewise was scarlet both in blood and in charity, because He was made purple with His blood for us, and burning with fiery charity; He was the son of Puah, that is, 'of the Corner,' because He Himself is the cornerstone of the Church. His seat was Shamir, that is, 'guard,' 'dregs,' 'thorns,' 'diamond.' For we have great need of watchfulness amid so many dangers and snares, great need of knowledge and contempt of our own dregs, great compunction of flesh and spirit, and finally great constancy and adamantine strength.
Verse 3: Jair the Gileadite
3. HE WAS SUCCEEDED BY JAIR THE GILEADITE — and therefore of the tribe of Manasseh; for this tribe dwelt beyond the Jordan in Gilead near Mount Gilead; whence also the towns over which his thirty sons presided were in the tribe of Manasseh. He becomes the eighth Judge of Israel.
Jair in Hebrew means 'enlightener,' because he enlightened Israel with his justice, virtue, and religion. All the Judges were given to Israel by God for this purpose: to keep them in true faith in and worship of God; therefore all were holy, and as such are praised by Ecclesiasticus, chapter XLVI, verse 13, and by the Apostle, Hebrews XI, 32. Hence Jair was a type of Christ, who as the light of the world 'enlightens every man coming into this world,' John I, 9.
Tropologically, let every prelate and faithful person be a 'Jair,' that is, an enlightener of others, according to Christ's words: 'So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven,' Matthew V, 16.
Verse 4: Thirty sons on thirty donkeys
4. HAVING THIRTY SONS RIDING (in Hebrew: riding; the Septuagint: mounting; Josephus: very skilled in riding) ON THIRTY YOUNG DONKEYS. — Cajetan wants these young animals to have been horses, not donkeys, because, he says, this is mentioned here to show the glory of these princes; and it is glorious to ride upon a horse, not a donkey. But Cajetan is wrong. In Hebrew, aiarim signifies young donkeys, not horses, here and elsewhere, as St. Jerome, the Septuagint, Pagninus, and others testify everywhere. So too Lyranus, Arias, Vatablus, and Abulensis, who by 'young donkeys' understand mules, which are born from a donkey and a mare; for nobles rode on mules. More simply, understand them as pure donkeys, because this is what the Hebrew aiarim signifies, and donkeys in Palestine are livelier and stronger than ours; hence there they used donkeys in place of horses, especially because God had forbidden the Hebrews the use and abundance of horses, as I showed in my commentary on the Pentateuch, Deuteronomy XVII, 16, on the words: 'He shall not multiply horses for himself.' The etymology of the donkey is relevant here, about which St. Isidore in book XII of the Etymologies says: 'The donkey (asinus), he says, is called from sitting (a sedendo), as if assedus (seated upon); but this name, which better suited horses, this animal took, because before men captured horses they began to ride upon this one. For being a slow animal, resisting nothing, as soon as man wished, he submitted to him.'
AND RULERS OF THIRTY CITIES. — In Hebrew there is an elegant paronomasia in the word aiarim, which signifies both young donkeys and cities. A similar one exists in Greek between polou (foal) and poleis (cities).
WHICH FROM HIS NAME WERE CALLED HAVVOTH-JAIR, THAT IS, THE TOWNS OF JAIR. — For a long time already these thirty cities, and moreover another thirty, that is, sixty in all, had been named the towns of Jair from another, more ancient Jair, as is clear from Numbers XXXII, 41; here however that name was confirmed upon them and, as it were, given anew for a new reason — namely that these thirty cities were governed by thirty princes, the sons of Jair the judge; but of the other thirty no mention is made here, because they did not pertain to these thirty princes.
Verse 8: Oppressed eighteen years
8. OPPRESSED FOR EIGHTEEN YEARS. — These 18 years cannot be included within the years of the following Judge, namely Jephthah, for he ruled for only six years. Wherefore Serarius wants them to be added entirely to the chronology and years of the other Judges. But I showed in chapter II that this cannot be done. Therefore these 18 years must be included within the years of the preceding Judge, namely Jair, who ruled for 22 years. For although Jair strove with all diligence to keep the Israelites in the worship of the one true God, nevertheless they — partly from innate wickedness and inclination toward idols, partly from commerce and marriages with neighboring idolatrous nations, partly from the continuous 23 years of peace under Judge Tola, during which they abounded in wealth and feasts and grew licentious — turned aside to the idols and vices of the nations. Therefore God, the just avenger of faithlessness, immediately chastised them by sending against them the Philistines and Ammonites, who despoiled and oppressed them, and this for 18 years, until they, broken by so many scourges, seriously repenting and casting away their idols, returned to God, who, reconciled by this repentance, delivered them through Jephthah, as is clear from the following chapter. For this is what Scripture foretold, chapter II, verse 16: 'And the Lord raised up Judges, who would deliver them from the hands of those who ravaged them; but they refused to listen even to them, committing fornication with foreign gods.'
Verse 12: And Canaan
12. AND CANAAN. — So also the Septuagint translates. In Hebrew it is Maon, which others retain as a proper name of a place. See St. Jerome in his Book of Hebrew Places: 'Maon, he says, is a region of the Moabites, according to Jeremiah,' chapter XLVIII, verse 23; according to the Septuagint, Marinus in his Lexicon and others think Maon is the same as Beth-maon and Baal-maon, which was a city of the Moabites near the torrent Arnon in the tribe of Reuben. Hence the inhabitants of Maon, I Paralipomenon IV, 41, and II Paralipomenon XXVI, 7, are called Meonenim, where the Septuagint translates Minaeans. Whence also the Septuagint, Job chapter II, verse 11, makes Zophar, the friend of Job, king of the Minaeans. But St. Jerome, II Paralipomenon XXVI, 7, translates it as Ammonites. Whence he seems to have understood Meonenim by metathesis as standing for Ammonim, that is, Ammonites. In the former passage, however, I Paralipomenon IV, 41, he translates it as 'inhabitants,' for this is what meonenim signifies. Be that as it may, it is certain that these were Canaanites. For so the Septuagint and our translator render it, who assign to them the common name of the Canaanites, as if they in that age were called Canaan and Canaanites above others.
Verse 14: Go and call upon the gods you have chosen
14. GO AND CALL UPON THE GODS WHOM YOU HAVE CHOSEN. — This is sarcasm similar to that in Deuteronomy XXXII: 'Where are their gods, in whom they trusted? etc. Let them arise and help you, and protect you in your need.'
Verse 16: They cast away their idols
16. THEY CAST AWAY THEIR IDOLS. — Behold, this is the sign of genuine sorrow and repentance: to cast away one's idols and vices; and therefore God immediately had mercy on them.
WHO GRIEVED OVER THEIR MISERIES. — In Hebrew katsar, that is, 'His soul was distressed at the labor of Israel.' The Septuagint: 'was diminished or contracted.' This is said anthropopathically; for distress does not befall God, but it figuratively signifies the great feeling of compassion in God. So God says, Jeremiah XVIII, 7: 'In an instant I may speak against a nation and against a kingdom, to uproot and destroy and ruin it. If that nation repents of its evil, about which I spoke against it, I too will relent of the evil that I had planned to do to it. And suddenly I may speak about a nation and a kingdom, to build and plant it.' See St. Chrysostom, homily 5 to the People, and 25 on Genesis, and 41 on Matthew.
Verse 17: The children of Ammon encamped in Gilead
17. AND SO THE CHILDREN OF AMMON, SHOUTING THE WAR CRY (that is, summoning their men to war), PITCHED THEIR TENTS IN GILEAD. — For the region of Ammon is near Gilead and the Gileadites, namely the Manassites, who therefore were the first to oppose them when they attacked.
AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, ASSEMBLED AGAINST THEM, ENCAMPED AT MIZPAH. — There are two Mizpahs: one in the tribe of Gad, another in the tribe of Manasseh, which is the one meant here; both because the Ammonites had invaded the tribe of Manasseh which was near them, and because Jephthah, who was from Manasseh, was appointed as their commander, as we shall hear in the following chapter. Now Mizpah in Hebrew means 'watchtower,' because it was in a high place, from which they would watch for the approach of the Ammonites and other neighboring enemies, so as to provide for their defense.
Verse 18: Whoever first begins to fight shall be leader
18. WHOEVER FIRST BEGINS TO FIGHT AGAINST THE CHILDREN OF AMMON SHALL BE THE LEADER OF THE PEOPLE OF GILEAD — so at the time they decreed by a hasty counsel, but not a sufficiently sound one. Hence shortly afterwards a sounder plan came to their minds, to summon Jephthah, a warlike man, as we shall hear in the following chapter. So Abulensis.