After Abimelech - Tola - Judges 10:1

In the book of Judges we learned, “when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place. Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren. And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal”, and in chapter ten and verse one of Judges, we learn “after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah”  where we read,

And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim.

The verse reads, “And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar;” The writer began with the words, “and after Abimelech” whose name means “and following Abimelech whose name means ‘Melek is father or my father is king’ and was the son of Gideon by a concubine” “there arose to defend Israel” which means ”there ascended and came to power to save, liberate and deliver Israel whose name means ‘God prevails’ and is theme of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob” “Tola” whose name means ‘worm’ and was a man of Issachar, son of Puah and judge of Israel after Abimelech” “the son of Puah” which means “the male offspring and progeny belonging to Puah or Pua or Phuvah whose name means ‘splendid’ and was a man of Issachar, father of Tola who was the judge of Israel after Abimelech”, “the son of Dodo” or “the male offspring and progeny belonging to Dodo whose name means “his beloved”, “a man of Issachar” which means “a male human being belonging to Issachar whose name means ‘there is recompense’ and was the ninth son of Jacob and the fifth by Leah his first wife and the progenitor of a tribe by his name”.  The writer shared how following the time of “Abimelech”, “Tola” who was the male offspring of “Puah” and the grandson of “Dodo” from the tribe of “Issachar” arose to become the liberator and deliverer of “Israel”. 

The verse goes on to say, “and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim.” The writer continued with the words, “and he dwelt in Shamir” which means “and he, Tola, inhabited, lived and abided within Shamir whose name means ‘a point or thorn’ and was a town in Ephraim where the judge Tola lived and was buried” “in mount Ephraim” or “within the rising above the plain or hill call Ephraim whose name means ‘double ash-heap or I shall be doubly fruitful’ and was second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh”. The writer shared how “Tola” lived within the Ephraim mountain city of “Shamir”.

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn about another “judge” of “Israel” who arose to power following the time of “Abimelech”. “Tola” became the deliver of “Israel” at this time, and Jehovah God installed him as the new leader of them. God knows what is best for our lives, and when we believe and trust in His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was raised from the dead after three days as our personal “Lord and Savior”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put His Holy Spirit within us to guide us into all truth and give us assignments in the Kingdom of God to deliver people from the power of sin and death. (See John 3:16; Matthew 28:19-20)

Next time learn how Tola, “judged Israel twenty and three years, and died”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".