Judges 10 · Grade 5
Repentance and Compassion
Read and Think
Chapter 10 begins with two brief judges. Tola of Issachar saved Israel and judged twenty-three years; Jair of Gilead judged twenty-two years, and his thirty sons rode thirty donkeys and held thirty cities. These calm years set the stage for the deepest fall yet.
Israel served the Baals, the Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, Sidon, Moab, Ammon, and the Philistines, and abandoned Yahweh. God's anger burned, and for eighteen years the Philistines and the children of Ammon oppressed Israel, even crossing the Jordan to fight Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim.
When Israel cried out and confessed, Yahweh listed the times He had saved them and declared He would save them no more; let their chosen gods deliver them. This sharp answer tested whether their repentance was real. Israel accepted whatever God thought good, asked only for deliverance, put away the foreign gods, and served Yahweh. The chapter says His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. Meanwhile Ammon camped in Gilead, and Gilead's leaders asked who would lead the fight.
Show What You Know
Which tribe was Tola from?
Which gods did Israel serve?
What did God's sharp answer test?
What three things did Israel do after God's answer?
What question did Gilead's leaders ask?
Crossword
Across
- His thirty sons rode thirty donkeys
- A judge from Issachar
- Israel cried, We have done this
Down
- How God felt about Israel's misery
- Israel put away these gods
Think About It
Israel said, Do to us whatever seems good to you. What does it mean to trust God's will when you ask for help?
Why might confession without change be empty?
Memory Verse
“They put away the foreign gods from among them and served Yahweh; and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.”
Judges 10:16 (WEB)
Copy It
Prayer
Dear God, thank You for caring when I am sad. Help me . Amen.
Take It Home
For families: talk about these together.
- How does true repentance look different from just wanting trouble to stop?
- What could you put away this week to follow God better?
- What is one way you could live out this chapter this week?
Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.