Tola (biblical figure)

Tola (Hebrew: תּוֹלָע, Modern Tola, Tiberian Tôlāʻ; "Worm; grub", but also used for scarlet)) was one of the Judges of Israel whose career is summarised in Judges 10:1-2. The son of Puah and the grandson of Dodo from the tribe of Issachar, he had the same name as one of the sons of Issachar who migrated to Egypt with Jacob his grandfather in Genesis 46:13 and he judged Israel for twenty-three years after Abimelech died. He lived at Shamir in Mount Ephraim, where he was also buried.

Of all the biblical judges, the least is written about Tola. None of his deeds are recorded. The entire account from Judges 10:1-2 (KJV) follows:

¹And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim.

²And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.

Tola's name (meaning "worm") may be contrasted with Puah (meaning "splendid"); Puah was also the name of one of the Egyptian midwives who saved the little Israelite boys. A tola worm lives in a tree and is crushed to make a red dye (hence the word use for scarlet). This is the word used in Leviticus 14 for the scarlet thread used in the ritual for cleansing healed lepers and in Psalm 22, 'I am a worm (tola) and not a man.'

See also

• Biblical judges
• Book of Judges
• List of minor Biblical figures

External links

• Articles:
  • Book of Judges article (Jewish Encyclopedia)