Deborah is introduced, as are the other 11 judges in the book of. There is no indication who deborahs parents were, what kind of work lapidot did, or whether they had any children. The book of judges, sefer shoftim is the seventh book of the hebrew bible and the christian old testament. Jan 02, 2020 when deborah became judge, the israelites had been subjugated for 20 years by jabin, king of canaan. Deborahs courage and wisdom in calling up an army to. Apr 06, 2020 deborah, one of the most talked about women in the bible, tells barak they should take on the canaanite army. Sisera himself fled to the tent of a hebrew woman named jael.
And the people of israel again did what was evil in the sight of the lord after ehud died. Deborah lived somewhere about 1150 bce, about a century or so after the hebrews entered canaan. Prophet deborah is the only female judge in the torah. According to the book of judges, deborah was a prophetess of the god of the israelites, the fourth judge of premonarchic israel and the only female judge mentioned in the bible, and the wife of lapidoth. Deborah told barak that god commanded him to lead an attack against the forces of jabin king of canaan and his military commander sisera. One, deborah, initiates the battle, calling the troops to action and declaring the start of hostilities. As deborah prophesied, a woman settles the score with sisera. Because he had nine hundred chariots fitted with iron and had cruelly oppressed the israelites for twenty years, they cried to the lord for help. The military hierarchy recognizes her as supreme commander and in fact will only go to war on her personal command judg. Sisera, the commander of his army, was based in harosheth haggoyim. Deborah judges 45 bible commentary theology of work. Bible verses related to deborah from the king james version kjv by relevance sort by book order judges 4.
The story of deborah in the bible, judge, prophetess. In judges 5, we read judge deborahs story again, but this time as a poem. Deborah, one of the most talked about women in the bible, tells barak they should take on the canaanite army. So barak went down from mount tabor with his 10,000 men. While its not entirely clear why deborah is not listed in hebrews 11, we. Jan 25, 2008 the song of deborah, one of the oldest in the bible, says the stars strayed from their courses and the river washed siseras armies away in a massive flood. Deborah agrees to accompany barak, but she also prophesies that the honor for the victory would belong to a woman, not to barak judges 4. What we learn about faith and courage from judge deborah in. After being defeated by the forces of the israelite tribes of zebulun and naphtali under the command of barak and deborah, sisera was killed by jael, who hammered a tent peg into his temple.
Deborah was one of the rulers of the israelites prior to the monarchy period that began with saul circa 1047 bce. The israelites had been under the control of the canaanite king jabin and the commander of his army, sisera. By gods direction, she ordered barak to raise an army, and engage jabins forces. He is found on the biblical timeline around 1267 bc.
Judges 4 new american bible revised edition nabre chapter 4. Because of deborahs strong, confident, commanding words to barak and her presence with him, barak did take 10,000 israelite troops down from mount tabor as commanded. Deborah is an aweinspiring figure who overturns all misconceptions we might have about women, power and godordained leadership. Deborah assures barak theyve got god on their side.
A bible study on the prophetess deborah in the book of judges. This chapter in scripture, often referred to as the song of deborah, is believed to be written as early as the 12th century bc and is considered by many biblical scholars as one of the earliest examples of hebrew poetry. This story of deborah from the bible, book of judges, chapt 4 is an inspirational example of the prophetess and leader of israel that with god all things are possible as deborahs army of 10,000. Deborah is a judge before the battle, but the narrative does. She is a faithful women of god and an example for godly christian women the prophetess deborah a strong woman of god beginning and end. Deborah agreed to go because she knew that the lord shall sell sisera into the hand of a woman judges 4. But he worries they dont stand a chance against canaanite commander sisera and his.
Deborah is the only woman judge mentioned in the book of judges. Israel as a prophet, judge, military leader, songwriter, and minstrel judges 45. Learn about her courage and prophecy in this video, part of our judges series and curriculum. On an ordinary day while conducting her duties as judge, deborah delivered gods message to barak to take 10,000 men to battle against sisera, the commander of jabins army. Perhaps the new testament writer meant to list only those who literally conquered kingdoms. What we learn about faith and courage from judge deborah. The book of judges chronicles israels historical and spiritual life in canaan during. She became known as the female warrior who rescued her people. Jul 01, 2019 deborah stands out due to both her spiritual and civil leadership. This poetry celebrates the hebrews victory over the canaanites and siseras army. Being a prophetess must have helped deborah to solve these disputes spiritually rather than simply politically or judicially.
The song of deborah, one of the oldest in the bible, says the stars strayed from their courses and the river washed siseras armies away in a. The account of deborah and barak is found in judges 4 and 5 in the old testament. Her story is told in the book of judges, chapters 4 and 5. The prophetessjudge, the general and the hammer woman part 1, a bible story about deborah as told by sophia prinsloo on awardwinning children\s chapel site, featuring bible stories from a variety of authors, excellent christian resources for children, and over 140 links to other christian and familyfriendly sites for kids. Dec 14, 2017 this story of deborah from the bible, book of judges, chapt 4 is an inspirational example of the prophetess and leader of israel that with god all things are possible as deborah s army of 10,000. The times call for warriors, and two warrior women deborah and yael appear in the decisive defeat of the canaanites. Based on the information in the bible, only samuel and gideon equaled her. However, difficulties inherent in dating historical biblical events of this period, for which the main source is the bible itself, render chronological order uncertain. The story of deborah in the bible, judge, prophetess, mother.
So the lord sold them into the power of the canaanite king, jabin, who reigned in hazor. Tragedy and hope in the book of judges bibleproject. He himself escapes on foot, while his army is pursued as far as harosheth of the gentiles and destroyed. Deborah again the israelites did evil in the eyes of the lord, now that ehud was dead. Deborah followed barak into battle, as did the others judges 4. Barak the commander of the army under deborah the fourth. The people recognize her wisdom and come to her for counsel and conflict resolution judges 4. Deborah bible story, deborah bible character, deborah bible lesson. According to the book of judges, deborah was a prophetess of the god of. The canaanites had 900 chariots of iron and ruled over israel for 20 years judges 4. Most of the major figures in the book of judges are acknowledged as leaders after military victory. In the narrative of the hebrew bible, it covers the time between the conquest described in the book of joshua and the establishment of a kingdom in the books of samuel, during which biblical judges served as temporary leaders. Judges 4 niv deborah again the israelites did evil bible gateway. As a military leader, deborah is a rare biblical character politics.
Deborah is one of the most influential women of the bible. Firstly, to better understand deborah, we have to discover the world she lived in. Deborah stands out due to both her spiritual and civil leadership. These judges start off fairly well othniel, ehud, deborah but become increasingly worse gideon, jephthah, samson. The israelites came against the army of sisera, and god granted the victory. According to author joseph telushkin in his book jewish literacy, the only thing known about deborahs private life was the name of her husband, lapidot or lappidoth.
Deborah was a judge that mainly settled disputes holding court under the palm tree of deborah between ramah and bethel in the mountains of ephraim judges 4. So the lord sold them into the hands of jabin king of canaan, who reigned in hazor. Deborah told barak that because he needed a woman to help him then a woman would defeat sisera. Barak was a minor character in the book of judges of the holy bible. While deborah went with the army, she did not engage in battle. Women in judges and biblical israel, ackerman argues that deborah may be adopted from.
The commander of his army was sisera, who lived in haroshethhagoyim. These rulers were called mishpatjudges,an office that traced back to a time when moses appointed assistants to help him resolve disputes among the hebrews exodus 18. The israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the lord. In judges 5, we read judge deborahs story again, but this time in poetic form. Judges chapter 5 gives the same story in poetic form.
Deborah, the only female leader in the book of judges, rode into battle against. Deborah tells barak, an israelite general, that god commands him to take 10,000 soldiers from the tribes of naphtali and zebulun and attack jabins army. The commander of his army was sisera, who lived in haroshethagoiim. When deborah became judge, the israelites had been subjugated for 20 years by jabin, king of canaan. The powerful woman of deborah and the book of judges.
Deborah does give barak the word to go to war in 4. The prophetess deborah a strong woman of god beginning. Deborah, the prophetess and forth judge of israel, had a message from the lord for barak, her military general, to take ten thousand men from tribes of naphtali and zebulun. Yet the writer of judges refers only to deborah as the judge to whom the word of the lord came judges 4. Deborah, the only female judge in the bible, excelled in multiple areas. The commander of jabins army was named sisera, and he had 900 iron chariots formidable weapons against israels foot soldiers judges 4.
The general of his army was sisera, who lived in haroshethhagoiim. For the most part, the book of judges reflects a negative picture of gods people drifting away spiritually and then eventually experiencing gods judgment. Barak says hell only go to battle if deborah comes, and she does, but lets him know that it wont be him who kills sisera, the captain of jabins. The israelites were treated very cruelly by sisera and his army, and israels spirits were. Barak the commander of the army under deborah the fourth judge of israel, judges 45 he was the army commander of israel for 4th judge of israel deborah 1237bc1198bc. And the lord routed sisera and all his chariots and all his army with the. The only woman who judges, deborah used to sit under the palm treeand the sons of israel came up to her.
Othneil, ehud, shamgar, deborah, gideon, tola, jair, jephtha, ibzan, elon, abdon, and samson appear as judges of israel in that order in the book of judges. And the lord sold them into the hand of jabin king of canaan, who reigned in hazor. And the lord routed sisera and all his chariots and all his army with the edge of the sword before barak judges 4. And deborah, a prophetessa woman of extraordinary knowledge, wisdom, and piety, instructed in divine knowledge by the spirit and accustomed to interpret his will. I would also say that deborah did not lead to the degree that barak seems to have desired. The prophetessjudge, the general and the hammer woman. As a military leader, deborah is a rare biblical character. Though his role was limited he played an important part of delivering israel from the canaanites. Though the other judges are not called prophets, yet they all seem to have had direct communications from god, either of knowledge or power, or both compare judges 3. Deborah and barak judges 4 september 4 united church of god. This suggests that judges were seen as gods people, and their gender was unimportant.
Most notably, deborahs army was only 110 the size of siseras, yet because deborah had the lord on her side, she was the victor. Deborahs prophecy continued, and i god will deliver him into your hand judges 4. Apr 12, 2019 deborah, the only female judge in the bible, excelled in multiple areas. Deborah and barak judges 4 september 4 once the restraining influence of ehuds leadership was removed, the children of israel again did evil in the sight of the lord verse 1. She was the only woman who served as a judge during those extended years of turmoil. Jan 02, 2020 deborah and barak then gathered 10,000 troops and attack sisera and his army. This passage, often called the song of deborah, is believed to date as early as the 12th century bc and is possibly the earliest example of hebrew poetry. This poem celebrates her victory over the canaanites. This passage, often called the song of deborah, may dat. Judges 4, christian standard bible csb the bible app. But he worries they dont stand a chance against canaanite commander sisera and his modern technology. Her story is told in both prose judges 4 and poetry judges 5.
When the time came for battle, god again spoke through deborah, who prompted barak to marshal his forces. The story of deborah is in judges 4, and the song is in judges 5. At that time deborah, a prophetess, wife of lappidoth, was judging israel. The book of judges highlights six judges during this time and shows their increasing corruption. The judges of israel ruled the land for nearly 350 years and during this time period the israelites made god angry by worshipping foreign deities. According to author joseph telushkin in his book jewish literacy, the only thing known about deborah s private life was the name of her husband, lapidot or lappidoth. The prophetessjudge, the general and the hammer woman part 2. Bible dictionaries books of the bible verse of the day bible in a year bible topics.
When deborah told barak to begin the fight, the army rushed down into a valley to fight against siseras army and all of the strong chariots. Her governance is so good that the land had rest for forty years judg. Their practice was to seek guidance from god through prayer and meditation before making a. The people of her time had no difficulty in accepting her as a judge. Sep 08, 2019 on an ordinary day while conducting her duties as judge, deborah delivered gods message to barak to take 10,000 men to battle against sisera, the commander of jabins army.