He was a judge from the tribe of Yissachar (Judges 10:1) who ruled
Israel for 23 years after the reigns of Gideon and his son Avimelech
(ending in 2726). The Midrash tells us nothing about him; apparently
no stories about his exploits have survived.
It is interesting to note that Jacob's son Yissachar had two sons
whose names were Tola and Puah (Gen.46:13; Num.26:23; 1 Chron. 7:1-2).
Thus it seems that Tola and Puah were common family names in the tribe
of Yissachar. Both of these names are related to dyeing; "Tola" (more
fully: Tolaas Shani) is an insect used to produce a crimson dye, and
"Puah" is madder, a plant that produces a crimson dye. Apparently the
tribe of Yissachar were renowned for their accomplishments in dyeing.
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