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英文原文
In this chapter we have, I. The peaceable times Israel enjoyed under the government of two judges, Tola and Jair, Jdg 10:1-5. II. The troublesome times that ensued. 1. Israel's sin that brought them into trouble, Jdg 10:6. 2. The trouble itself they were in, Jdg 10:7-9. III. Their repentance and humiliation for sin, their prayers and reformation, and the mercy they found with God thereupon, Jdg 10:10-16. IV. Preparation made for their deliverance out of the hand of their oppressors, Jdg 10:17,18.
1-5
Government of Tola and Jair (1183 BC)
陀拉和睚珥的治理（主前 1183 年）
¹ 亞比米勒以後，有以薩迦人普瓦的兒子、陀拉興起，拯救以色列人；他住在以法蓮山地的沙密。* ² 他作以色列的士師二十三年就死了，葬在沙密。* ³ 在他以後有基列人睚珥興起，作以色列的士師二十二年。* ⁴ 他有三十個兒子，騎著三十匹驢駒；他們有三十座城邑，直到今日還稱為哈倭特睚珥，都在基列地。* ⁵ 睚珥死了，葬在加們。*
太平無事的治理，雖然對生活在其中的人是最美好的，卻最不利於記載，因為它們為歷史家所提供的、可用來使讀者愉悅的多樣題材最少；陀拉和睚珥這兩位士師的治理便是如此——他們在這歷史中所佔的篇幅甚小，地位也無足輕重。但無疑他們二位都是「神所興起」的，以士師的身分服事他們的國家——他們並不像亞比米勒那樣覬覦君王的尊榮，也不像他那樣將榮譽據為己有，而是蒙神呼召才擔任此職。1. 論到陀拉，經上說他在亞比米勒之後興起拯救以色列人（士十1）。亞比米勒既以他的惡行使以色列人敗壞，又以他無止境的野心攪擾、擾亂他們，並因他所加給他們的禍患，使他們暴露於外敵的攻擊之下；神便激動這位好人出來改革弊端，廢除拜偶像之事，平息騷亂，並醫治亞比米勒的篡位給國家造成的創傷。如此他救他們脫離自己，又護衛他們免受仇敵之害。他屬於以薩迦支派——一個慣於服事的支派，因為他「以肩負重」（創四十九14,15）；然而那支派中竟有一人被興起來治理；因為「自卑的必升為高」。他承受了那支派第一個家族之祖先的名字——以薩迦的兒子中，陀拉是首生的（創四十六13；民二十六23）。這名字的意思是「蟲」，然而因為這是他祖先的名字，他並不以之為恥。他雖屬以薩迦支派，但當他被興起治理之時，他便來住在以法蓮山地——這地更在國家的中心地帶，使百姓可以更方便地到他面前受審判。他作以色列的士師二十三年（士十2），維持了一切良好的秩序，卻沒有作過甚麼特別值得記念的事。2. 睚珥是基列人——他下一任的繼承者耶弗他也是如此——他們都屬於約但河外瑪拿西半支派；他們雖然似乎與弟兄們隔絕，但神仍顧念他們：當治理的尊榮從一個支派轉到另一個支派、並在猶大支派定居之前，他使那些住在偏遠地帶的人有時也能分享這尊榮，「把更豐盛的尊榮加在那缺乏的肢體上」。睚珥承受了同支派中一位極有名望之人的名字——此人在摩西時代曾積極攻取這片地業（民三十二41；書十三30）。論到這位睚珥，最值得注意的乃是他家族的繁衍和尊榮：「他有三十個兒子」（士十4）。並且：(1) 他們有好的職位，因為他們「騎著三十匹驢駒」；意思是他們是巡迴的審判官，作父親的副手，在各個巡迴區域往來施行審判。我們後來看見撒母耳也立他的兒子作士師，雖然他不能使他們成為好士師（撒上八1-3）。(2) 他們有好的產業——每人一座城，是從那些因與他們父親同名之祖先而被稱為「哈倭特睚珥」（即「睚珥的村莊」）的城邑中分出來的；然而經上稱之為「城」，或是因為受分派給這些年輕紳士的，他們加以擴建和鞏固，使之成為城；或是因為他們對自己在這些鄉鎮中的分十分滿意，如同它們是「建造整齊、有門有閂」的城一般。對知足的心而言，村莊就是城。
英文原文
Government of Tola and Jair (1183 BC)
¹ 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.
² And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.
³ And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years.
⁴ And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havoth-jair unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead.
⁵ And Jair died, and was buried in Camon.
Quiet and peaceable reigns, though the best to live in, are the worst to write of, as yielding least variety of matter for the historian to entertain his reader with; such were the reigns of these two judges, Tola and Jair, who make but a small figure and take up but a very little room in this history. But no doubt they were both raised up of God to serve their country in the quality of judges, not pretending, as Abimelech had done, to the grandeur of kings, nor, like him, taking the honour they had to themselves, but being called of God to it. 1. Concerning Tola it is said that he arose after Abimelech to defend Israel, Jdg 10:1. After Abimelech had debauched Israel by his wickedness, disquieted and disturbed them by his restless ambition, and, by the mischiefs he brought on them, exposed them to enemies from abroad, God animated this good man to appear for the reforming of abuses, the putting down of idolatry, the appeasing of tumults, and the healing of the wounds given to the state by Abimelech's usurpation. Thus he saved them from themselves, and guarded them against their enemies. He was of the tribe of Issachar, a tribe disposed to serve, for he bowed his shoulder to bear (Ge 49:14,15), yet one of that tribe is here raised up to rule; for those that humble themselves shall be exalted. He bore the name of him that was ancestor to the first family of that tribe; of the sons of Issachar Tola was the first, Ge 46:13, Nu 26:23. It signifies a worm, yet, being the name of his ancestor, he was not ashamed of it. Though he was of Issachar, yet, when he was raised up to the government, he came and dwelt in Mount Ephraim, which was more in the heart of the country, that the people might the more conveniently resort to him for judgment. He judged Israel twenty-three years (Jdg 10:2), kept things in good order, but did not any thing very memorable. 2. Jair was a Gileadite, so was his next successor Jephthah, both of that half tribe of the tribe of Manasseh which lay on the other side Jordan; though they seemed separated from their brethren, yet God took care, while the honour of the government was shifted from tribe to tribe and before it settled in Judah, that those who lay remote should sometimes share in it, putting more abundant honour on that part which lacked. Jair bore the name of a very famous man of the same tribe who in Moses's time was very active in reducing this country, Nu 32:41, Jos 13:30. That which is chiefly remarkable concerning this Jair is the increase and honour of his family: He had thirty sons, Jdg 10:4. And, (1.) They had good preferments, for they rode on thirty ass colts; that is, they were judges itinerant, who, as deputies to their father, rode from place to place in their several circuits to administer justice. We find afterwards that Samuel made his sons judges, though he could not make them good ones, 1Sa 8:1-3. (2.) They had good possessions, every one a city, out of those that were called, from their ancestor of the same name with their father, Havoth-jair—the villages of Jair; yet they are called cities, either because those young gentlemen to whom they were assigned enlarged and fortified them, and so improved them into cities, or because they were as well pleased with their lot in those country towns as if they had been cities compact together and fenced with gates and bars. Villages are cities to a contented mind.
6-9
Israel Oppressed by the Ammonites (1161 BC)
以色列受亞捫人欺壓（主前 1161 年）
⁶ 以色列人又行耶和華眼中看為惡的事，去事奉諸巴力和亞斯他錄，並亞蘭的神、西頓的神、摩押的神、亞捫人的神、非利士人的神，離棄耶和華，不事奉他。* ⁷ 耶和華的怒氣向以色列人發作，就把他們交在非利士人和亞捫人的手中。* ⁸ 從那年起，他們擾害欺壓約但河那邊、住亞摩利人之地的以色列人，就是基列人，共有十八年。* ⁹ 亞捫人又過約但河去攻打猶大和便雅憫，並以法蓮家；以色列人就甚覺窘迫。*
當陀拉和睚珥這兩位士師管理以色列國事之時，一切尚好；但此後：
一、以色列又回到拜偶像——那最容易纏累他們的罪（士十6）：「他們又行耶和華眼中看為惡的事」，背離那位他們無可理喻地偏要離棄的神，如同「愚昧無知的百姓」。1. 他們敬拜許多神；不但有他們舊日鬼魔般的諸巴力和亞斯他錄——迦南人所敬拜的——而且，似乎要向所有鄰舍宣告自己的愚妄，他們竟事奉亞蘭的神、西頓的神、摩押的神、亞捫的神、非利士人的神。看來以色列的主要貿易竟是從各國進口神明。這究竟是更不敬虔，還是更不智，實在難說。引進這些外邦神明，使他們自取卑微、被人鄙視，因為任何有榮譽感的國家都不更換自己的神。我們可以推想，以色列的許多財富被運出去，作為祭物獻到各國當地這些神明的廟中——這些廟作為「母會」，以色列境內的廟被期望承認自己依附於它們。這些可憐神明的祭司和虔诚信徒，無疑成群結隊地跟著他們的神進入以色列地，若不能住在自己的本國，便在那裡扎根，於是「外邦人就吞滅他們的力量」（何七9）。他們若以向鄰國獻媚、與他們結交為目的而行這事，他們公義地受挫；因為他們以邪惡手段企圖結為朋友的那些國家，因神公義的審判，竟成了他們的仇敵和壓迫者。「人犯甚麼罪，就在甚麼事上受罰。」2. 他們甚至不容以色列的神作他們所敬拜的許多神明中的一位，竟完全丟棄了他：「他們離棄耶和華，完全不事奉他」。那些想要同時事奉神和財利的人，很快便會完全離棄神，單單事奉財利。神若沒有全部的心，他很快就連一點心也得不著。
二、神又向他們施行審判，使他們落在欺壓之仇敵的權下。他們若直接「落在耶和華的手中」，也許會發現「他的憐憫廣大」；但神任憑他們「落在人的手中」——人的「怜憫殘忍」（箴十二10欽定本）。他把他們「交在非利士人手中」（位於迦南西南方）和「亞捫人手中」（位於東北方）——這是同時發生的；所以他們在這兩塊磨石之間慘遭「碾磨」——這正是原文「欺壓」一詞的意思（士十8）。神曾命定，若是以色列的任何城邑背叛去拜偶像，其餘的應當向它宣戰並將其剪除（申十三12-18等）。他們從前在這事上極其嫉妒，幾乎到了極端的地步——兩個半支派築壇之事便是如此（書二十二1-34）；但如今他們已經壞到一個地步，當一座城被拜偶像的傳染病感染之時，鄰城也被感染，不但不懲罰，反而效法並且變本加厲；所以，既然那些本當作為「刑罰作這惡之人的報復者」的人自己也犯了罪，或「佩劍卻徒然」，神便差遣鄰國來懲罰他們的背道。以色列受亞捫人——羅得的後裔——的欺壓：1. 時間極長。延續了十八年。有人將這些年算作睚珥作士師時期的一部分——他不能如願改革和拯救以色列。也有人認為這些年是從睚珥死後開始的——這看來更為可能，因為受亞捫人侵害最重的部分以色列地是基列，正是睚珥本國；我們不能設想在他活著之時該地受苦如此之大——至少那部分必已得著改革和保護。2. 痛苦極大。他們擾害他們、欺壓他們。被亞捫人這樣一個卑劣的民族所欺壓，實在是極大的折磨。他們從約但河那邊離他們最近的支派開始——此處稱為「亞摩利人之地」（士十8），因為以色列人已經敗壞到如此悲慘的地步，使自己如此像外邦人，以致他們已經實實在在成了亞摩利人（結十六3）；或是因為他們因自己的罪失去了對這地的所有權，所以這地可以公正地被視為再次成為「亞摩利人之地」——他們是從亞摩利人手中奪取的。但他們漸漸推進，過了約但河，侵擾猶大、便雅憫和以法蓮（士十9）——這是以色列最著名的三個支派，卻在離棄神之時如此受辱，無力抵抗侵略者。如今威脅的話應驗了：他們要在仇敵面前被殺，「在仇敵面前站立不住」（利二十六17,37）。「他們的道路和他們所作的，為自己招致了這一切」；他們已經悲慘地敗壞，所以來到極度窘迫的地步。
英文原文
Israel Oppressed by the Ammonites (1161 BC)
⁶ And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him.
⁷ And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon.
⁸ And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.
⁹ Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed.
While those two judges, Tola and Jair, presided in the affairs of Israel, things went well, but afterwards,
I. Israel returned to their idolatry, that sin which did most easily beset them (Jdg 10:6): They did evil again in the sight of the Lord, from whom they were unaccountably bent to backslide, as a foolish people and unwise. 1. They worshipped many gods; not only their old demons Baalim and Ashtaroth, which the Canaanites had worshipped, but, as if they would proclaim their folly to all their neighbours, they served the gods of Syria, Zidon, Moab, Ammon, and the Philistines. It looks as if the chief trade of Israel had been to import deities from all countries. It is hard to say whether it was more impious or impolitic to do this. By introducing these foreign deities, they rendered themselves mean and despicable, for no nation that had any sense of honour changed their gods. Much of the wealth of Israel, we may suppose, was carried out, in offerings to the temples of the deities in the several countries whence they came, on which, as their mother-churches, their temples in Israel were expected to own their dependence; the priests and devotees of those sorry deities would follow their gods, no doubt, in crowds into the land of Israel, and, if they could not live in their own country, would take root there, and so strangers would devour their strength. If they did it in compliment to the neighbouring nations, and to ingratiate themselves with them, justly were they disappointed; for those nations which by their wicked arts they sought to make their friends by the righteous judgments of God became their enemies and oppressors. In quo quis peccat, in eo punitur—Wherein a person offends, therein he shall be punished. 2. They did not so much as admit the God of Israel to be one of those many deities they worshipped, but quite cast him off: They forsook the Lord, and served not him at all. Those that think to serve both God and Mammon will soon come entirely to forsake God, and to serve Mammon only. If God have not all the heart, he will soon have none of it.
II. God renewed his judgments upon them, bringing them under the power of oppressing enemies. Had they fallen into the hands of the Lord immediately, they might have found that his mercies were great; but God let them fall into the hands of man, whose tender mercies are cruel. He sold them into the hands of the Philistines that lay south-west of Canaan, and of the Ammonites that lay north-east, both at the same time; so that between those two millstones they were miserably crushed, as the original word is (Jdg 10:8) for oppressed. God had appointed that, if any of the cities of Israel should revolt to idolatry, the rest should make war upon them and cut them off, De 13:12-18, etc. They had been jealous enough in this matter, almost to an extreme, in the case of the altar set up by the two tribes and a half (Jos 22:1-34); but now they had grown so very bad that when one city was infected with idolatry the next took the infection and instead of punishing it, imitated and out-did it; and therefore, since those that should have been revengers to execute wrath on those that did this evil were themselves guilty, or bore the sword in vain, God brought the neighbouring nations upon them, to chastise them for their apostasy. The oppression of Israel by the Ammonites, the posterity of Lot, was, 1. Very long. It continued eighteen years. Some make those years to be part of the judgeship of Jair, who could not prevail to reform and deliver Israel as he would. Others make them to commence at the death of Jair, which seems the more probable because that part of Israel which was most infested by the Ammonites was Gilead, Jair's own country, which we cannot suppose to have suffered so much while he was living, but that part at least would be reformed and protected. 2. Very grievous. They vexed them and oppressed them. It was a great vexation to be oppressed by such a despicable people as the children of Ammon were. They began with those tribes that lay next them on the other side Jordan, here called the land of the Amorites (Jdg 10:8) because the Israelites had so wretchedly degenerated, and had made themselves so like the heathen, that they had become, in a manner, perfect Amorites (Eze 16:3), or because by their sin they forfeited their title to this land, so that it might justly be looked upon as the land of the Amorites again, from whom they took it. But by degrees they pushed forward, came over Jordan, and invaded Judah, and Benjamin, and Ephraim (Jdg 10:9), three of the most famous tribes of Israel, yet thus insulted when they had forsaken God, and unable to make head against the invader. Now the threatening was fulfilled that they should be slain before their enemies, and should have no power to stand before them, Le 26:17,37. Their ways and their doings procure this to themselves; they have sadly degenerated, and so they come to be sorely distressed.
10-18
The Repentance and Reformation of Israel (1161 BC)
以色列的悔改與改革（主前 1161 年）
¹⁰ 以色列人哀求耶和華，說：「我們得罪了你；因為我們離棄了我們的神，又事奉了諸巴力。」* ¹¹ 耶和華對以色列人說：「我豈沒有救你們脫離埃及人、亞摩利人、亞捫人和非利士人嗎？* ¹² 西頓人、亞瑪力人、瑪雲人也欺壓你們；你們哀求我，我也拯救你們脫離他們的手。* ¹³ 你們竟離棄我，事奉別神；所以我不再救你們了。* ¹⁴ 你們去哀求你們所選擇的神吧！你們遭難的時候，讓他們來救你們。」* ¹⁵ 以色列人對耶和華說：「我們犯罪了；你看怎樣好，就怎樣待我們吧；只求你今日拯救我們。」* ¹⁶ 以色列人就從他們中間除掉外邦的神，事奉耶和華；耶和華因以色列人受的苦難而心裡擔憂。* ¹⁷ 當時亞捫人聚集，安營在基列；以色列人也聚集，安營在米斯巴。* ¹⁸ 基列的民和首領彼此說：「誰能先去與亞捫人交戰呢？他必作基列一切居民的首領。」*
此處我們看到：一、以色列在患難中向神所作的謙卑認罪（士十10）。如今他們如受刑的囚犯一般承認有罪，又如受杖責的孩子一般應許改革。他們不僅訴說患難，更承認是自己的罪將他們帶入這患難之中；所以神是公義的，他們沒有理由怨天尤人。他們承認自己的疏忽之罪——因為罪正是由此開始——「我們離棄了我們的神」；又承認自己所犯的罪——「我們事奉了諸巴力」，在此事上他們行了愚昧、詭詐，又極其邪惡。
二、神因此向以色列人所發的一段使人謙卑的信息——是藉天使（如士二1）還是藉先知（如士六8）傳遞，並不清楚。神留意他們的呼求，沒有充耳不聞、對他們不予理會，這是恩慈；當他們開始悔改之時，便賜下這樣一條恰能加深他們悔改的信息，使他們能具備資格、預備好領受拯救，這也是恩慈。在這信息中：1. 他責備他們極大的忘恩，提醒他們他為他們所行的大事——救他們脫離這些那些仇敵：先是埃及人，他們從其地被救出來；亞摩利人，他們將之征服並進入其地；定居之後，當亞捫人聯合摩押人欺壓他們之時（士三13），當非利士人在珊迦的日子擾害他們之時，以及此後別的仇敵煩擾他們之時，神因他們的祈求為他們行了許多大拯救（士十11,12）。至於他們被西頓人和瑪雲人欺壓的事，我們在別處沒有讀到。神既在公義中管教他們，又在憐憫中拯救他們，所以理當期望他們或因敬畏或因愛慕而忠於他和他的事奉。所以這話理當刺透他們的心（士十13）：「你們竟離棄我這曾救你們出離患難的神，又事奉那些將你們帶入患難的別神。」他們如此「以自己的妄行離棄了自己的福分」。2. 他向他們指出：他如今將他們交給他們所事奉的神，任憑他們滅亡，是何等公義。為要喚醒他們徹底悔改歸正，他讓他們看見：(1) 他們事奉諸巴力的愚妄。他們花了極大代價去討好那些在他們最需要幫助之時卻不能幫助他們的神明：「去吧，去哀求你們所選擇的神（士十14），看看他們如今能為你們做什麼。你們敬他們為神——如今試試看他們是否真有神聖的權能或神聖的良善可以為你們效力。你們尊他們為你們的王和主，向他們致敬——如今試試看他們肯不肯保護你們。你們帶著頌讚的祭物到他們的壇前，當作你們的恩主，以為你們的五穀、新酒和油都是他們所賜；但真正的朋友是患難中的朋友；他們的恩寵如今於你們有何益處呢？」當注意：真正的悔改必須對我們所偶像化、在心中與神爭位之物的全然無用有充分的確信——確知它們不能幫助我們、對我們毫無益處。我們必須確知：我們所貪戀的感官之樂不能作我們的滿足，我們所覬覦的世上財富不能作我們的分；我們除非在神裡面，否則任何地方都不能得著幸福或安息。(2) 他們離棄神的可憐和危險。「看你們把自己帶到何等的地步；如今除了我說『我不再救你們了』之外，你們不能再期望別的；那時你們將如何呢？」（士十13）。他這樣告訴他們，不僅是他可能行的，更是他必要行的——倘若他們僅僅停留在對所行之惡的認罪上，而不除掉偶像、在今後改過自新的話。
三、以色列因此向神的公義所作的謙卑順服，並對神的憐憫所作的謙卑懇求（士十15）。「以色列人聚在一起」——大概是在會幕門前的一次嚴肅集會——領受了神所傳信息的印象，並沒有因此被驅入絕望——雖然那信息十分嚴厲——卻決意伏在神的腳前；他們即使滅亡，也要在那裡滅亡。他們不僅重複認罪說「我們犯罪了」，更是：1. 將自己交在神的公義之下：「你看怎樣好，就怎樣待我們吧。」他們藉此承認自己當受神最嚴厲的不悅標記，又確知無論神如何待他們，他都不會虧待他們；他們在他大而可畏的手下自卑，「又接受自己罪孽的刑罰」——這正是摩西所定神向他們回轉施恩的條件（利二十六41）。當注意：真正的悔改者敢於、也情願將自己交託給神，任憑他照自己所看為合適的來管教，因為知道自己的罪在應得上極其惡劣，而神在他所要求的事上並不嚴苛苛求。2. 他們懇求神的憐憫：「只求你今日拯救我們」脫離這仇敵。他們承認自己所當受的，卻求神不要按他們所當受的待他們。當注意：我們必須存著對神憐憫的盼望來順服神的公義。
四、由此開始的一次蒙福改革。他們結出與悔改相稱的果子（士十16）：他們「除掉外邦的神」（原文作「外人的神」——就是那些與以色列國度無分、與應許諸約無關的外邦人所敬拜的奇怪神明），「事奉耶和華」。是急難驅使他們歸向他。他們知道去求他們素來事奉的神是徒然的，所以便回到他們素來輕慢的神那裡。這才是真正的悔改——不僅是為罪憂愁，更是從罪中轉回。
五、神以憐憫向他們回轉，此處說得十分柔細（士十16）：「耶和華因以色列人受的苦難而心裡擔憂。」並不是神真有憂傷（他在自己裡面有無窮的喜樂和福分，不能被受造之物的罪惡或苦難所侵擾）；也不是神有改變：「他心志專一，誰能使他轉離呢？」但他的良善就是他的榮耀。他藉此宣揚他的名，並使其高過一切名之上；他既樂意與自己立約的百姓建立如父的關係，也就樂意以父親對兒女的慈憐來表明他對他們的良善；因為他既是「眾光之父」，也是「發慈悲的父」。正如兒女的不順服和苦難使慈父憂傷，使他从天然的感情中切實感受到；照樣神百姓的惹怒也是神的憂傷（詩九十五10），他「被他們淫亂的心所傷痛」（結六9）；他們的患難也是他的憂傷——這是當他樂意為自己百姓的拯救而出來之時所樂意說的話，他改變自己行事的方式和方法，正如慈愛的父母開始對他們曾經不悅的兒女轉為寬容之時所行的一樣。我們的神的憐憫就是如此柔細；他決不喜悅罪人死亡。
六、如今事態正朝著他們脫離亞捫人欺壓的方向發展（士十17,18）。神曾說過「我不再救你們了」；但如今他們不再是從前的樣子了——他們是別人了，是新人了；如今他要拯救他們。那威脅的宣告原是為定罪和使他們謙卑而發出的；如今既已達到所要的效果，便因要拯救他們而被撤回。1. 亞捫人因心硬而自取滅亡。他們聚集在一處，為要一舉被滅（啟十六16）。2. 以色列人受激勵而起來自救。他們也聚集（士十17）。在他們受欺壓十八年間，正如從前受苦役之時一樣，他們因不肯聯合而被仇敵壓制——每個家族、城邑或支派都各自為政，獨立行事，因此都因缺乏共同利益的意識來聯絡而成了欺壓者的輕易掠物；但凡他們聚在一起之時，便行得好——他們如今正是如此。當神的以色列人如同一人起來推進公共利益、抵擋共同仇敵之時，有什麼困難能阻擋他們呢？基列的民和首領既已聚集，便首先商議一位可統率全軍抵擋亞捫人的元帥。以色列從前的拯救者大多有特別的蒙召就任，如以笏、巴拉、基甸；但下一位卻要以更普通的方式蒙召——藉著議會的選立——他們尋出一位合適的人來統率軍隊，找到了一位出奇地適合此任的人，神又以自己的靈臨到他來認可他們的選擇（士十一29）；所以這個例子為後世提供了指引和鼓勵——在那不再有特別蒙召可期待的時代。凡神所裝備的人，就當毫無偏私地被選舉擔任公職和權柄；神也就必恩典地承認如此被選立的人。
英文原文
The Repentance and Reformation of Israel (1161 BC)
¹⁰ And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim.
¹¹ And the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines?
¹² The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand.
¹³ Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more.
¹⁴ Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.
¹⁵ And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day.
¹⁶ And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.
¹⁷ Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh.
¹⁸ And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another, What man is he that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.
Here is, I. A humble confession which Israel make to God in their distress, Jdg 10:10. Now they own themselves guilty, like a malefactor upon the rack, and promise reformation, like a child under the rod. They not only complain of the distress, but acknowledge it is their own sin that has brought them into the distress; therefore God is righteous, and they have no reason to repine. They confess their omissions, for in them their sin began—"We have forsaken our God," and their commissions—"We have served Baalim, and herein have done foolishly, treacherously, and very wickedly."
II. A humbling message which God thereupon sends to Israel, whether by an angel (as Jdg 2:1) or by a prophet (as Jdg 6:8) is not certain. It was kind that God took notice of their cry, and did not turn a deaf ear to it and send them no answer at all; it was kind likewise that when they began to repent he sent them such a message as was proper to increase their repentance, that they might be qualified and prepared for deliverance. Now in this message, 1. He upbraids them with their great ingratitude, reminds them of the great things he had done for them, delivering them from such and such enemies, the Egyptians first, out of whose land they were rescued, the Amorites whom they conquered and into whose land they entered, and since their settlement there, when the Ammonites had joined with the Moabites to oppress them (Jdg 3:13), when the Philistines were vexatious in the days of Shamgar, and afterwards other enemies had given them trouble, upon their petition God had wrought many a great salvation for them, Jdg 10:11,12. Of their being oppressed by the Zidonians and the Maonites we read not elsewhere. God had in justice corrected them, and in mercy delivered them, and therefore might reasonably expect that either through fear or through love they would adhere to him and his service. Well therefore might the word cut them to the heart (Jdg 10:13), "Yet you have forsaken me that have brought you out of your troubles and served other gods that brought you into your troubles." Thus did they forsake their own mercies for their own delusions. 2. He shows them how justly he might now abandon them to ruin, by abandoning them to the gods that they had served. To awaken them to a thorough repentance and reformation, he lets them see, (1.) Their folly in serving Baalim. They had been at a vast expense to obtain the favour of such gods as could not help them when they had most need of their help: "Go, and cry unto the gods which you have chosen (Jdg 10:14), try what they can do for you now. You have worshipped them as gods—try if they have now either a divine power or a divine goodness to be employed for you. You paid your homage to them as your kings and lords—try if they will now protect you. You brought your sacrifices of praise to their altars as your benefactors, imagining that they gave you your corn, and wine, and oil, but a friend indeed will be a friend in need; what stead will their favour stand you in now?" Note, It is necessary, in true repentance, that there be a full conviction of the utter insufficiency of all those things to help us and do us any kindness which we have idolized and set upon the throne in our hearts in competition with God. We must be convinced that the pleasures of sense on which we have doted cannot be our satisfaction, nor the wealth of the world which we have coveted be our portion, that we cannot be happy or easy any where but in God. (2.) Their misery and danger in forsaking God. "See what a pass you have brought yourselves to; now you can expect no other than that I should say, I will deliver you no more, and what will become of you then?" Jdg 10:13. This he tells them, not only as what he might do, but as what he would do if they rested in a confession of what they had done amiss, and did not put away their idols and amend for the future.
III. A humble submission which Israel hereupon made to God's justice, with a humble application to his mercy, Jdg 10:15. The children of Israel met together, probably in a solemn assembly at the door of the tabernacle, received the impressions of the message God had sent them, were not driven by it to despair, though it was very threatening, but resolve to lie at God's feet, and, if they perish, they will perish there. They not only repeat their confession, We have sinned, but, 1. They surrender themselves to God's justice: Do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Hereby they own that they deserved the severest tokens of God's displeasure and were sure he could do them no wrong, whatever he laid upon them; they humbled themselves under his mighty and heavy hand, and accepted of the punishment of their iniquity, which Moses had made the condition of God's return in mercy to them, Le 26:41. Note, True penitents dare and will refer themselves to God to correct them as he thinks fit, knowing that their sin is highly malignant in its deserts, and that God is not rigorous or extreme in his demands. 2. They supplicate for God's mercy: Deliver us only, we pray thee, this day, from this enemy. They acknowledge what they deserved, yet pray to God not to deal with them according to their deserts. Note, We must submit to God's justice with a hope in his mercy.
IV. A blessed reformation set on foot hereupon. They brought forth fruits meet for repentance (Jdg 10:16): They put away the gods of strangers (as the word is), strange gods, and worshipped by those nations that were strangers to the commonwealth of Israel and to the covenants of promise, and they served the Lord. Need drove them to him. They knew it was to no purpose to go to the gods whom they had served, and therefore returned to the God whom they had slighted. This is true repentance not only for sin, but from sin.
V. God's gracious return in mercy to them, which is expressed here very tenderly (Jdg 10:16): His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. Not that there is any grief in God (he has infinite joy and happiness in himself, which cannot be broken in upon by either the sins or the miseries of his creatures), nor that there is any change in God: he is in one mind, and who can turn him? But his goodness is his glory. By it he proclaims his name, and magnifies it above all names; and, as he is pleased to put himself into the relation of a father to his people that are in covenant with him, so he is pleased to represent his goodness to them by the compassions of a father towards his children; for, as he is the Father of lights, so he is the Father of mercies. As the disobedience and misery of a child are a grief to a tender father, and make him feel very sensibly from his natural affection, so the provocations of God's people are a grief to him (Ps 95:10), he is broken with their whorish heart (Eze 6:9); their troubles also are a grief to him; so he is pleased to speak when he is pleased to appear for the deliverance of his people, changing his way and method of proceeding, as tender parents when they begin to relent towards their children with whom they have been displeased. Such are the tender mercies of our God, and so far is he from having any pleasure in the death of sinners.
VI. Things are now working towards their deliverance from the Ammonites' oppression, Jdg 10:17,18. God had said, "I will deliver you no more;" but now they are not what they were, they are other men, they are new men, and now he will deliver them. That threatening was denounced to convince and humble them, and, now that it had taken its desired effect, it is revoked in order to their deliverance. 1. The Ammonites are hardened to their own ruin. They gathered together in one body, that they might be destroyed at one blow, Re 16:16. 2. The Israelites are animated to their own rescue. They assembled likewise, Jdg 10:17. During their eighteen years' oppression, as in their former servitudes, they were run down by their enemies, because they would not incorporate; each family, city, or tribe, would stand by itself, and act independently, and so they all became an easy prey to the oppressors, for want of a due sense of a common interest to cement them: but, whenever they got together, they did well; so they did here. When God's Israel become as one man to advance a common good and oppose a common enemy what difficulty can stand before them? The people and princes of Gilead, having met, consult first about a general that should command in chief against the Ammonites. Hitherto most of the deliverers of Israel had an extraordinary call to the office, as Ehud, Barak, Gideon; but the next is to be called in a more common way, by a convention of the states, who enquired out a fit man to command their army, found out one admirably well qualified for the purpose, and God owned their choice by putting his Spirit upon him (Jdg 11:29); so that this instance is of use for direction and encouragement in after-ages, when extraordinary calls are no longer to be expected. Let such be impartially chosen to public trust and power as God has qualified, and then God will graciously own those who are thus chosen.
在本章中我們看到：
一、以色列在陀拉和睚珥兩位士師治理下所享受的太平日子，士十1-5。
二、隨之而來的動盪歲月。
1. 以色列使自身陷入患難的罪，士十6。
2. 他們所身處的患難本身，士十7-9。
三、他們為罪所作的悔改和謙卑，他們的禱告和改革，以及他們隨之在神面前所尋得的憐憫，士十10-16。
四、為將他們從欺壓者手中拯救出來所作的預備，士十17,18。