Tola (1)

1. TOLA, or Thola, the tenth Judge of Israel. He succeeded Abimelech, and died after he had judged Israel for twenty-three Years; from the Year of the World 2771, to 2794; before Christ 1306, before the Vulgar Æra 1310. The Scripture says, Tola was the Son of Puah, Uncle to Abimelech by the Father’s side, and consequently Brother to Gideon; and yet Tola was of the Tribe of Issachar, and Gideon of that of Manasseh. To reconcile this, it is said, that Gideon and Puah might be uterine Brothers, born of the same Mother, who might successively have married two Husbands, one of the Tribe of Manasseh, from which Marriage Gideon proceeded, and another of the Tribe of Issachar, who was Father of Puah. See St. Austin, Quest. 47. in Judic. and the other Commentators upon Judg. x. 1. Tola was buried at Shamir, a City in the Mountain of Ephraim, where he dwelt, and had for Successor Jair of Gilead.

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