THOLA (Heb. *Tōlā' “worm”). — Name of two figures of the Old Testament.
1. Firstborn of Issachar (Gen. 46:13; I Par. 7:1) and father of Ozi, Raphaia, Ieriel, Iemai, Iebsen, and Samuel. The family of the Tholaites (Num. 26:23) included 22,600 “very mighty” warriors in the time of David, according to I Par. 7:2.
2. One of the minor judges, who exercised his office after Abimelech for twenty-three years, dwelling in Samir in the territory of Ephraim. He was the son of Phua, the uncle of Abimelech, and descended from the patriarch Issachar (Iudc. 10:1 ff.).