1. Judges 10:1–5 (ESV)
  2. Structure and outline

The deviation of the pattern in the minor judges’ narrative from that of the major judges

Judges 10:1–5 (ESV)

1 After Abimelech there arose to save Israel Tola the son of Puah, son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, and he lived at Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim.

The narratives of the minor judges follow their own pattern. The pattern is as follows, as outlined by Klein:

  1. Tribal identification gives way to that of the clan, named after the head of a large family.

  2. The judge rises up or follows his predecessor (he is not chosen by Yahweh).

  3. Specific geographical location, different from that of the tribal disposition as described in Joshua 13:7–33, is given.

  4. A specific (not round) number of years as judge is stated.

  5. A specific identification of the place of burial is given.1