Keraia
Judges 4

Judges 4:4

Deborah and Barak · Judges 4:1–16
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Translations

Modern
Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time.
Traditional
And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
Literal
And Deborah, a woman, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she was judging Israel at that time.
Latin
Erat autem Debbora prophetis uxor Lapidoth, quæ judicabat populum in illo tempore.

Original

Hebrew
English
Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time.

Notes

Judges 4:4–7

Deborah was a prophet (Hebrew ’ishah nebi’a, meaning a female prophet), who served as a judge (shoptah, a feminine verb; see study note on Judges 2:16–19). She is the main character in this story, although much of the action involves her assistant, Barak. Unlike most characters in the book of Judges, Deborah acted as both a judge and a military leader. As a prophet, she predicted Samuel's later work (1 Samuel 7:15–17). Deborah called for a holy war where the Lord would fight for his people (Judges 4:6–7; see study notes on Deuteronomy 1:30; 2 Chronicles 20:20–21).

Judges 4:1–5:31

The story of Deborah and Barak, found in both prose (Judges 4) and poetry (Judges 5), describes a major military operation against a significant Canaanite enemy after the initial conquest. Another king named Jabin, who also ruled in Hazor, was defeated earlier by Joshua along with a large northern alliance, and Hazor was burned (see Joshua 11:1–15). Although Joshua 11 and Judges 4–5 are often compared, they have too many differences to be considered accounts of the same battle. Instead, Jabin is likely a dynastic name; it appears in the Mari texts for an even earlier king of Hazor, around 1800 BC.

Theme notes and profiles

Deborah The Gift of Prophecy

Events

People

Deborah: Prophetess and judge who led Israel to victory over Canaanites Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes Lappidoth: Husband of Deborah the prophetess and judge

Glossary

Armageddon Asher (Tribe) Barak Courts and Trials Deborah Education Family Life and Relations Harosheth-Haggoyim Hazor Ironsmith Jabin Judges, Book of Kishon Lappidoth Mount Tabor Ordain, Ordination Sisera Song of Deborah Tribe of Naphtali Valley of Jezreel Woman

Topics

Canaanites: Defeated by the Israelites Courts of Justice: Superior Court: Presided Over by the Governor or the High Priest Deborah: The Prophetess, a Judge of Israel Extraordinary Judges: Names of Deborah Female Ministers Feminism Gender Roles Judge: Women As, Deborah Lapidoth: The Husband of Deborah Prophetess Prophetesses: Deborah Prophets: Deborah Sexism Sexual Equality Women Working Women: As Prophets: Deborah Women: Deborah Women's Rights