Judges 10:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And Jair died and was buried in Kamon.

NIV: When Jair died, he was buried in Kamon.

NASB: And Jair died and was buried in Kamon.

CSB: When Jair died, he was buried in Kamon.

NLT: When Jair died, he was buried in Kamon.

KJV: And Jair died, and was buried in Camon.

NKJV: And Jair died and was buried in Camon.

The entire story of Jair's era as judge over Israel (Judges 10:3–4) is told in three verses. The writer of Judges did not apparently think more information was needed. Perhaps this is because his story did not involve as much interaction between the people of Israel and the Lord. Though Israel's history in this book follows a predictable cycle (Judges 2:11–19), some of the men raised to rescue Israel fall in between those cycles. Shamgar (Judges 3:31), Tola (Judges 10:1–2), Jair, and others seem to be in that category.

Jair passes away after ruling for twenty-two years as judge from his home in Gilead, in the tribe of Manasseh, on the east side of the Jordan. His place of burial is listed as Kamon. This may be the modern town of Qamm in the region of Gilead, though scholars do not know that for sure.

Judges 10:1–5 describes a period between Abimelech's atrocities and Israel's return to serving false gods. Little information is given about the two judges who arise during this time. Tola, from Issachar, saves Israel in some way and rules for twenty-three years. Jair rules from Gilead for twenty-two years, along with his thirty sons, who rule over thirty different towns. That area of Gilead is known by a name meaning "the settlements of Jair."

Two more judges, Tola and Jair, rescue Israel for a time. Little detail is given about either. Once again, the people return to idolatry and depraved sins (Deuteronomy 12:29–31). In response, God submits His people to the Ammonites and Philistines. After eighteen years, they confess and beg for mercy. God bluntly refuses, this time. And yet, Israel shows humble repentance, getting rid of their idols. As God prepares to save the people, an army of Israelites in Gilead gathers to face an army of Ammonites. But the Israelite army lacks a leader.

After Gideon rescued Israel (Judges 6—8), his son, Abimelech, murdered his siblings and became a despotic ruler (Judges 9). That ended with further tragedy and bloodshed. Judges 10 begins with a brief description of two judges who ruled after the time of Abimelech. Then Israel falls further than ever into the worship of false gods. Nearly two decades after God turns the people over to their enemies, they confess their sinfulness. The Ammonites encamp against Israel in Gilead. The leaders of Gilead search for someone to lead them in battle. Chapter 11 details the call and success of the next judge, Jephthah.

The Book of Judges describes Israel's history from the death of Joshua to shortly before Israel's first king, Saul. Israel fails to complete God's command to purge the wicked Canaanites from the land (Deuteronomy 7:1–5; 9:4). This results in a centuries-long cycle where Israel falls into sin and is oppressed by local enemies. After each oppression, God sends a civil-military leader, labeled using a Hebrew word loosely translated into English as "judge." These appointed rescuers would free Israel from enemy control and govern for a certain time. After each judge's death, the cycle of sin and oppression begins again. This continues until the people of Israel choose a king, during the ministry of the prophet-and-judge Samuel (1 Samuel 1—7).

Accessed 4/29/2024 6:57:09 AM