Heroic Women of the Hebrew Scriptures Week 2 - Deborah

I. Introduction to Judges

a. It’s a tough book to read with some horrific images.

b. God uses messy people to do amazing and, sometimes, very messy things.

c. Notice the repeated cycles in Chapter 2:11-23

i. Israel sins

ii. God allows a pagan group to torment them in some way.

iii. Israel repents.

iv. God sends a Judge – not like a legal Judge but a spiritual, military, and political leader.

v. Israel is saved.

vi. All is good for a bit.

vii. Repeat cycle.

d. Six main Judges:

i. Othniel (3:7-11)

ii. Ehud (3:12-30)

iii. Deborah (4-5)

iv. Gideon (6:11-8:35)

v. Jephthah (11-12)

vi. Sampson (13-16)

e. Civil war against Benjamin (Chpts17-21)

f. In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. JD 21:25 NASB20

II. Deborah the Judge Judges 4

a. Vss. 1-3

i. These events take place around the mid-1200s BC.

ii. Ehud has died, so now the Israelites revert to evil.

iii. What was that evil?

1. 5:8a in Deborah’s song – “Israel chose new gods, then there was war in the city gates.” CSB

iv. Vs. 2 – Israel “sold” to a Canaanite warlord.

1. Jabin of Hazor – Hazor was previously defeated in Joshua 11:1-11, and this Jabin probably took his name from the defeated king as an inherited title, like the title of Herod in the NT.

2. Sisera was the general.

3. 900 chariots represented an immense army.

a. Think of 900 tanks going up against 10,000 foot soldiers with just pistols.

v. Vs. 3 - Jabin’s strength and oppression.

b. Vss. 4-10 Deborah and Barak make plans

i. Vss. 4-5: Deborah (means “honeybee”) – prophetess and Judge.

1. The only Judge mentioned actually doing judicial work, hearing, and resolving disputes.

2. Called a prophetess and judge.

a. As a prophet, she spoke on behalf of God to the people.

b. As a Judge, she worked to bring shalomback to Israel and bring the people back to a right relationship with YHWH.

ii. Vss. 6-9 Deborah calls out Barak

1. Vs. 6-7 – She summoned Barak

a. She has the power to summon leaders to her court

b. Kedesh in upper Galilee

c. YHWH told Barak to muster an army on Mount Tabor (which has a flat plateau) to lure Jabin’s army out for a battle in which YHWH will defeat him.

d. It’s pretty clear he has not done this.

2. Vs. 8 – Barak will only go if Deborah goes.

a. This shows the power and influence Deborah had.

b. Barak was willing to disobey YHWH if Deborah would not go.

c. Why do you think Barak was so hesitant?

3. Vs. 9 - Deborah says she will go, but has a warning to Barak.

a. A woman will kill Jabin. What does this imply?

b. Literally, the text reads “But your honor will not be on the way you are going.”

c. Barak will receive honor for the battle, but the prime honor for a military commander is not just winning the battle, but personally killing the opposing king or general.

d. Barak will be deprived of this honor

4. Barak finally does what YHWH called him to do and summons armies from Zebulon and Naphtali.

c. Vss. 11-13 – Sisera takes the bait

d. Vss. 14-16 – The Israelite army has the high ground and attacks the chariots

i. YHWH miraculously throws Sisera’s army into confusion, and they are defeated.

ii. Sisera tries to escape.

iii. Barak totally defeats the army of Hazor.

e. Vss . 17-21 Sisera’s fate.

i. Vs. 17 – Sisera flees to a nomadic tribe that has a treaty with Jabin.

1. A woman, Jael, offers hospitality to Sisera, not her husband, Heber.

2. This is highly unusual.

ii. Vs. 18 – Jael gives Sisera hospitality.

iii. Vs. 19 – It is against the custom of the day for the guest to ask the host for anything (food and drink are to be offered, not asked for), but Sisera asks for a drink.

1. This shows the disrespect he has for Heber and Jael.

iv. Vs. 20 – Sisera shows further disrespect for Jael by telling her to lie for him and stand guard at the opening of her own tent.

v. Vs. 21 – while Sisera is sleeping, Jael takes a tent peg and hammer and drives the peg through his temple.

1. At first glance, this seems to be a severe break in the hospitality customs of the day.

2. However, the disrespect shown by Sisera and the possibility of his threatening her justify her actions.

f. Vss. 22-24 YHWH writes the story

i. Vs. 22 – Barak is shown the dead Sisera.

1. Indeed, a woman took the glory of killing the general from Barak!

ii. Vss. 23-24 – YHWH gets the glory, and Jabin is eventually destroyed.

III. Chapter 5 – Deborah’s song.

a. Victory songs were common after military victories.

i. Immediate tributes to the heroes of the battle.

ii. Part of the oral tradition preserving history.

b. Vs. 6 – Jael is mentioned.

c. Vs. 8 – This is why Jabin and Sisera tormented Israel.

d. Vss. 15-17 – Apparently, Reuben and Dan were supposed to participate as well, but did not come – portrayed as cowards.

e. Vs. 20 – Stars: The Heavens were where the gods dwelt, as well as angels and demons. The gods (demons) of Sisera fought with him against Israel.

f. Vs. 23 – a stinging rebuke from YHWH through the voice of the angel of YHWH to the northern tribes and clans that failed to expel the Canaanite gods from their lands.

g. Vss. 24-27: The glory belonged to YHWH, but Jael is portrayed as the hero in the story, through Deborah’s poem.