After the destroyer of Israel had done his worst, after the chaos he caused, after the infamous treachery against Gideon’s family, the Lord raises up Tola for a saving mission. This is so very merciful of the Lord. He does not allow Judges 9 to be the last word for Israel. Israel deserved to have “Abimelech” be the last word. By rights, Judges 9 should have been the end of the book. Israel has been in flagrant rebellion against God, running headlong after the Baals, prostituting themselves to the Baals, trying to be like the nations around them. They have forgotten their God. Israel deserves to be wiped out. Israel truly needs saving.
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.