To save Israel. For Abimelech did not save them, but merely ruled over them by force.

Ben Dodo. That was his name. Radak writes that some explain it to mean “the son of his uncle,” that is, Abimelech’s cousin, the son of his father’s brother — see there. And how, then, was he a man of Issachar?!

They would be called Havvoth-Jair. That is, Jair son of Manasseh went and captured their settlements [the villages of Gilead] and called them Havvoth-Jair. Following the model of that earlier Jair’s valor, this later Jair likewise gave his cities—collectively—the appellation “Havvoth-Jair.”

There is a distinction between the verb “to call” when it is followed by the word “et” and when it is followed by a lamed: when “call” is followed by “et,” it denotes the assigning of an intrinsic, proper name; when it is followed by a lamed, it denotes an additional designation attached to an already existing name.

In the case of the first Jair, their essential name was “Havvoth-Jair,” and therefore it says, “and he called them (et).” But in the case of this Jair, it was only a secondary designation, and therefore it says, “they were called for them,” for this was not their essential name.

And they again did evil. For until now, during the lifetime of the judges, they served Hashem; as it says, “And it came to pass, when the judge died…” (above, chapter 2).

And they did not serve Him. Not even in partnership.

And they oppressed and crushed… in that year. That is to say: (a) they were punished immediately; (b) already in the very first year the hardship of the oppression began, and it continued for eighteen years.

And have we forsaken. That is to say, they thought that although they had served the Baalim, they had not abandoned Hashem, for they regarded Baal as an intermediary between themselves and Hashem. Thus they said: Even if we have sinned, have we truly forsaken our God and served the Baalim?! — in astonishment. Did we not consider Baal merely as a mediator between us and Hashem?

Questions (11): Had He not yet delivered them from the children of Ammon and the Philistines?

And Hashem said. He made this known to them through a prophet, so that they would not say that they had not sinned. He said to them: “Was it not from Egypt and from the Amorite”—that is, just as I delivered you in earlier times from Egypt and from the Amorite—so too from the children of Ammon and from the Philistines who are now oppressing you, I am able to deliver you. (And therefore it says “from the children of Ammon” without a connecting vav, for it means: just as from Egypt, so from the children of Ammon.)

And the Sidonians. That is to say, lest you claim that you thought I performed wonders only in ancient times and not in later generations — behold, the Sidonians, Amalek, and Maon oppressed you in more recent generations; and you cried out to Me, and I delivered you from their hand.

And as for what you said, “Have we truly forsaken Hashem?” — the answer is that you have indeed forsaken Me and have served other gods, not as you claim. Therefore I will no longer continue to save you.

Go and cry out to the gods. Since you have chosen them, it is fitting that they should save you in your time of distress — not I.

Questions (15–17): What is meant by “Do to us whatever is good in Your eyes,” since He did not wish to save them? The phrase “and His soul grew short” has troubled the commentators. It is also difficult that it says the children of Ammon encamped in Gilead, which seems to contradict what was stated earlier that they crossed the Jordan. Furthermore, in chapter 11, verse 29, it says that Jephthah crossed the Jordan, implying that the children of Ammon had returned to their land and he fought them in their own cities.

And they said, “We have sinned.” They confessed their sin, yet they said: Why should You punish us through the hand of man? Do to us Yourself whatever is good in Your eyes — as it says, “Let us fall now into the hand of Hashem, but let me not fall into the hand of man.” Therefore they said, “Only deliver us from the hand of man.”

And His soul grew short over the suffering of Israel. Through their repentance, His spirit and will could no longer endure the suffering of Israel — that it should continue or be prolonged — and that the enemy should again cross the Jordan to extend and increase their affliction.

And in the Guide of the Perplexed (Part I, chapter 48) it is explained: “That is to say, the will of God could no longer endure or behold the suffering and distress of Israel.”

And they cried out. This too was from Hashem: that the children of Ammon, who had already crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah and Benjamin (as stated above, verse 9), turned back and encamped in Gilead, where they had oppressed them for eighteen years. In this way their suffering was shortened, so that it would not spread to all the tribes.

And the children of Israel assembled. But the children of Israel had already assembled when he crossed the Jordan; and Gilead, which had been under subjugation, also sought a leader for itself.