Judges 10: Group Study Handout

How to use: read Judges 10 aloud together, then take the questions in order. One page is enough for an evening.

Overview

Tola the son of Puah judged Israel for twenty-three years, living in Shamir (vv. 1-2). After him, Jair the Gileadite judged Israel for twenty-two years.

Key verse

“The children of Israel again did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and served the Baals, the Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines. They abandoned Yahweh, and didn’t serve him.”
Judges 10:6 (WEB)

Outline

Judges 10:1–2 Judges Tola and Jair
Judges 10:3–5 Jair's Leadership
Judges 10:6–8 Israel's Idolatry and Oppression
Judges 10:9–10 Crying Out to Yahweh
Judges 10:11–14 God's Response to Israel
Judges 10:15–16 Repentance and God's Compassion
Judges 10:17–18 Preparation for Battle

Discussion questions

What do the people of Israel do in v6 that angers Yahweh?
In v16, what action do the children of Israel take to show their repentance?
In vv. 11-12, what does Yahweh remind the children of Israel of regarding His past deliverance?
In v14, why does Yahweh tell the Israelites to cry out to the gods they have chosen?
When have you felt the weight of your actions, similar to the Israelites' cry in v15, 'We have sinned!'?

Go deeper

Passages that echo Judges 10: 1 Samuel 7, Judges 11, Judges 2.

Before next time: read Judges 11.