DEBORAH

Judges 4-5

THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

The period of the Judges lasted for about 350 years from approximately 1385 to 1050 BC. It was a time of spiritual upheaval with Israel consistently falling away from the Lord and being punished by the Lord, only to repent and be rescued through a judge raised up by the Lord. Bible historians place Deborah just about in the middle of that time period, estimating that she judged Israel for a forty year period from about 1240 to 1200 BC (cf. Judges 5:31).

Judges 4 begins in the New King James Bible by saying that, "the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD." The original Hebrew implies an ongoing or continuous pursuit of evil. Times were indeed difficult spiritually! The Lord permitted the children of Israel to fall into the hands of "Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor" (Judges 4:2). The name "Jabin" appears to be a title for the king of this particular area rather than a personal name, for Joshua hundreds of years before had defeated a "Jabin king of Hazor" when first conquering the land (cf. Joshua 11:1-10). Jabin’s occupation of northern Israel with oppressive, for not only did he place a military presence there (cf. Judges 4:2-3), but he also stripped them of all weaponry (cf. Judges 5:8) and interfered with the everyday village life (cf. Judges 5:6-7).

It was in the midst of such problems that the children of Israel "cried out to the LORD" and the LORD raised up a judge to deliver them. This judge was no ordinary judge, nor was this judge the type of deliverer that most of the people expected, for this judge was a woman—Deborah, God’s chosen messenger of grace!

DEBORAH

Deborah is called a "prophetess." Only seven women in Scripture are identified by that title, which makes Deborah a very special person:

Miriam, the sister of Moses, in Exodus 15:20 (c. 1400 BC).

Deborah, here in Judges 4:4 (c. 1200 BC).

Isaiah’s wife is called a prophetess in Isaiah 8:3 (c. 750 BC).

Huldah, a woman living during the reign of Josiah not long before the Babylonian Captivity as recorded in 2 Kings 22:14 and 2 Chronicles 34:22 (c. 630 BC).

Noadiah, a false prophetess after the return from the Babylonian Captivity in Nehemiah 6:14 (c. 450 BC).

Anna, the woman who met Mary, Joseph, and Jesus in the temple at the time of Jesus’ presentation in Luke 2:36 (c. 4 BC).

Jezebel, a false prophetess in Thyatira mentioned in Revelation 2:20 (c. 90 AD).

A "prophetess" would have been a spokeswoman for God or, as in the case of two of the women mentioned above, an idol. We know very little about most of the women mentioned above, or how they fulfilled their calling. Deborah fulfilled her calling by being a judge in Israel. She resided in the area between Ramah and Bethel, and people would come there to have her settle their disputes (cf. Judges 4:5-6). Remember that Israel was a "theocracy"—a state ruled by God and His law. Consequently, political leaders in Israel were called upon by God to rule in accordance with Old Testament Mosaic Law. Moses had established a system of judicial posts to help mediate problems among the people already before the children of Israel reached Mount Sinai (cf. Exodus 18:13-27; Deuteronomy 17:8). As Moses established these positions, it would appear that he intended men to occupy them (cf. Exodus 18:21). When men fail to assume their responsibilities, however, God will and does raise up faithful women to fulfill His good will and pleasure! Faithful Deborah used her knowledge of God’s law to fulfill this important judicial position. She also became the catalyst for deliverance when the Lord’s Spirit moved her.

Deborah is further identified as the "wife of Lapidoth." We know nothing of Lapidoth as Deborah’s husband. Some Old Testament Bible scholars, however, suggest that a more literal translation could be rendered, "burning woman" or "a woman with a torch-like spirit." Jewish tradition even suggests that Barak, which means literally "lightning," was Deborah’s husband, but nothing in the text necessarily indicates such a relationship. The account of Deborah, however, in Judges certainly presents a woman with a "torch-like spirit!"

Deborah does describe herself as a "mother in Israel" (cf. Judges 5:7). Beyond this we know very little about her.

THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT

Read Judges 4:1-10:

• Consider the key people: Jabin, Sisera, Deborah, and Barak.
  
• Consider the key geographical locations: Hazor, Harosheth Hagoyim, Ramah and Bethel, Kadesh, Mount Tabor, River Kishon.
  
• Discuss Barak’s response to Deborah’s instructions and Deborah’s response to Barak. What can we learn from them?
  

Read Judges 4:11-22; 5:4-5,19-21:

• Discuss the battle and the reasons why Israel was victorious.
  
• Discuss how Deborah’s prophetic words were fulfilled. What can we learn from this situation about God’s workings on our behalf?
  

Read Judges 4:23-24:

• What was the result of God’s deliverance of Israel through Deborah?
  

Read Judges 5:1-11:

• For what did Deborah bless and praise the LORD?
  

Read Judges 5:12-23:

• Why does Deborah seem to praise some people and condemn others? What can we learn as God’s people today from Deborah’s words?
  

Read Judges 5:24-31:

• Discuss the contrast between the two women mentioned by Deborah in this portion of her song?
  
• The violence of this story runs counter to much thinking within our society. How ought we to react to societal criticism of such biblical narratives? What can we learn about how God deals with people from this account?
  

-- Pastor Paul D. Nolting