Keraia
Judges 4

Judges 4:5

Deborah and Barak · Judges 4:1–16
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Translations

Modern
And she would sit under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, where the Israelites would go up to her for judgment.
Traditional
And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Beth–el in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.
Literal
And she would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and between Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim. And the sons of Israel came up to her for judgment.
Latin
Et sedebat sub palma, quæ nomine illius vocabatur, inter Rama et Bethel in monte Ephraim: ascendebantque ad eam filii Israël in omne judicium.

Original

Hebrew
English
And she would sit under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, where the Israelites would go up to her for judgment.

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

Events

People

Deborah: Prophetess and judge who led Israel to victory over Canaanites Ephraim: Second son of Joseph, and a tribe of Israel Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes

Places

Bethel: Important city in Israel, associated with Abraham and Jacob Ramah: A town in Benjamin, near Gibeah and Jerusalem

Glossary

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

Topics

Beth-El: A City North of Jerusalem by Deborah Canaanites: Defeated by the Israelites Court: Civil: Under a Palm Tree Courts of Justice: Superior Court: Presided Over by the Governor or the High Priest Deborah: The Prophetess, a Judge of Israel Female Ministers God: Preserver: Under Deborah Palm Tree: Deborah Led Israel from Under A Tents were Pitched: Under Trees The Palm-Tree: Tents often Pitched Under the Shade of Trees: The Jews: Often Pitched Their Tents Under Women: As Prophets: Deborah