Shoftim 10: Dodo Bird

YINR 929: Tanach Yomi · Jul 5, 2026 · 2m

Judges is a unique book. Each chapter or few chapters takes place in a different era with different leaders. Some of the Judges have long backstories, but some have no stories at all. Chapter 10 falls into the latter category.

Tola the son of Puah the son of Dodo comes after Abimelech with only his location listed.

וַיָּקָם אַחֲרֵי אֲבִימֶלֶךְ לְהוֹשִׁיעַ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל תּוֹלָע בֶּן־פּוּאָה בֶּן־דּוֹדוֹ אִישׁ יִשָּׂשכָר וְהוּא יֹשֵׁב בְּשָׁמִיר בְּהַר אֶפְרָיִם

(Judges 10:1)

The only interesting thing about Tola is that his lineage seems to span two generations with the addition of “ben Dodo”…