Judges 4:1 ¶ And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead. 2 And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles. 3 And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.
I found it interesting that Jabin is called king of Canaan and
reigned out of Hazor. Notice this previous passage.
Joshua 10:2 That they
feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities,
and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty.
These passages suggest a traditional unity, a political unity if
only loosely, in Canaan.
Note also that Jabin, like Pharaoh and Abimelech, may be a title
rather than a name although multiple kings as we know from English history and
Papal history can have the same name.
Joshua 11:1 And it came to
pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those things, that he sent to Jobab
king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph…10 And Joshua at that time turned back, and took
Hazor, and smote the king thereof with the sword: for Hazor beforetime was the
head of all those kingdoms. 11 And they
smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly
destroying them: there was not any left to breathe: and he burnt Hazor with
fire…13 But as for the cities that stood
still in their strength, Israel burned none of them, save Hazor only; that did
Joshua burn.
Nine hundred chariots of iron is important and is
linked to what I’ve said previously about chariots. This is a formidable fighting
force if their opponent had no chariots although infantry would have to kill
the horses to render them useless. Horses have been essential to warfare until
very recently. Hitler invaded Russia in 1941 with over 600,000 horses, needing
many replacements, in spite of the movies we see about the German army being
totally mechanized. They pulled supply vehicles. Horses were used in World War
One for supplies and for combat and 8 million horses, donkeys, and mules died
in that war. More horses were used in World War Two even than in World War One.
Israel suffers under this king for twenty years.
Judges 4:4 ¶ And Deborah, a
prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. 5 And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah
between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up
to her for judgment. 6 And she sent and
called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath
not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount
Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of
the children of Zebulun? 7 And I will
draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army, with
his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand. 8 And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with
me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.
9 And she said, I will surely go with
thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine
honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah
arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.
Here's the beginning of a story that drives Fundamentalists crazy.
Imagine a woman being a Judge of Israel?!! Here’s another passage that has a
woman preaching to men.
2Kings 22:11 ¶ And it came
to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent
his clothes. 12 And the king commanded
Hilkiah the priest, and
Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and
Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king’s, saying, 13 Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for
the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found:
for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our
fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto
all that which is written concerning us. 14
So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah,
went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son
of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;)
and they communed with her. 15 And she
said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you
to me, 16 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I
will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the
words of the book which the king of Judah hath read: 17 Because they have forsaken me, and have
burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all
the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this
place, and shall not be quenched. 18 But
to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the LORD, thus shall ye say
to him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, As touching the words which thou
hast heard; 19 Because thine heart was
tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what
I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they
should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept
before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD. 20 Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy
fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into
thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil
which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.
Then there is the issue of Philip the evangelist’s daughters.
Acts 21:8 ¶ And the next
day we that were of Paul’s company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we
entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven;
and abode with him. 9 And the same man
had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.
Yes, indeed, these things are perplexing. You wonder how difficult
it might have been to be a woman leader, doing God’s work, in a patriarchal
society. But, there is no record in the Bible of anyone objecting to Deborah’s
leadership. The only objection to other women like Athaliah and Jezebel being
in positions of leadership and influence was that they were evil.
This female leader’s role is unique. Consider the biological fact that
men are stronger and men are more likely to follow a man. And so, Deborah
commissions a male general, Barak, to lead the army against Jabin’s forces. Her
chosen general will not go unless she goes with him. Therefore, she says, God
will deliver the captain of Jabin’s army into the hands of a woman. As Dr.
Ruckman once said about Dr. Gail Riplinger, “if a man won’t do what God wants
him to do God will raise up a woman.”
Jeremiah 31:22 How long
wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the LORD hath created a
new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man.
Judges 4:10 ¶ And Barak
called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at
his feet: and Deborah went up with him. 11
Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the
father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his
tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh. 12 And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of
Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor. 13
And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred
chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth
of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon. 14
And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the
LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before
thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.
15 And the LORD discomfited Sisera, and
all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword
before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away
on his feet. 16 But Barak pursued after
the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the
host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man
left.
Verse 11 brings to mind a conundrum for people who read the Bible
like a high school textbook.
Numbers 10:29a ¶ And Moses
said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses’ father in law…
Commentators are constantly discussing the question of whether
Hobab is the father-in-law of Moses or the brother-in-law of Moses. Arguments
are made regarding the translation of words, errors in transmission or
translating, etc. etc. But, let me put forward another ancient idea that
preceded our modern understanding. As I pointed out previous from De Coulanges’
studies, the eldest son inherited family religion and responsibilities from the
father. We could also say that the son, due to his position in the family,
represented the father and, in fact, was regarded in authority and importance
the same as the father if even in fact he did not have the actual legal power
of the father or if at that time could dispose of his family’s goods as the
father could, that is, until the father’s death at which time the son took the
father’s place. It might seem a trifle careless but the Holy Spirit could place
Hobab in Judges 4:11 as the father-in-law of Moses, perhaps, as he assumed that
role upon the death of Jethro.
If you think that is a stretch ask yourself why in ancient times
would not scribes “correct” the text in Judges to line it up with Numbers if
they did not already have an understanding that nothing was contradictory about
this.
There is also another obvious conclusion. Hobab the son could have
been named after his father with Jethro being a title, priest, Hobab being
another name for the father, a name shared by the son. Muslims believe that the
Hobab in Judges 4:11 is another name for Jethro which then makes the problem
stay in Numbers 10:29. I disagree.
My conclusion has a direct relation to Christ’s parable of the
husbandmen in Matthew 21 regarding the authority of a son and the relationship
of God the Father with Israel as His firstborn as per …
Exodus 4:22 And thou shalt
say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
…and with Christ as the Son of God…
John 10:30 I and my Father
are one.
John 14:7 If ye had known
me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and
have seen him…9 Jesus saith unto him,
Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he
that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the
Father?
I bring this up to point out the importance of understanding the
ancient notion of a son’s position within the family as representing the father
himself and, upon receiving his inheritance in fact, taking the father’s place.
So now there is a huge battle and it is God who has the victory.
Sisera has to dismount from his chariot, probably because his horses are dead,
otherwise he would make a quick escape on his chariot which would have been
faster than the infantry of the Israelites. General Barak wiped out the army of
King Jabin and his general, Sisera.
Judges 4:17 ¶ Howbeit
Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite:
for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of
Heber the Kenite. 18 And Jael went out
to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not.
And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a
mantle. 19 And he said unto her, Give
me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a
bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him. 20 Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of
the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say,
Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No. 21 Then Jael Heber’s wife took a nail of the
tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the
nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep
and weary. So he died. 22 And, behold,
as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come,
and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her tent,
behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples. 23 So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of
Canaan before the children of Israel. 24
And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against
Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.
See how in Judges 4:11 it is noted that Heber, a descendant of
Moses’ father-in-law removed himself from Israel’ enemies. His wife, Jael, is
now doing the work that God has laid out for her, which the judge, Deborah, had
foretold to Barak. She intercepts Sisera who asks for water but she gives him
milk.
I think we all know that warm milk,
especially when we are tired already, will help us fall asleep. Sisera felt
safe in a Kenite’s tent with a hospitable woman. He was out like a light. Jael
then drove a tent nail, we might call a tent peg, through his skull and nailed
him to the ground. This was Jabin’s, king of Canaan, downfall.
Judges, chapter 5
Judges 5:1 ¶ Then sang
Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying, 2 Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of
Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves. 3 Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even
I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of
Israel. 4 LORD, when thou wentest out of
Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the
heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water. 5 The mountains melted from before the LORD, even
that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel.
Do you see the figurative symbols in Deborah’s song, not unlike
how David and other writers of the Bible talked, in her statement the earth
trembled, and the heavens dropped, and the mountains melted. Do
you really think that was meant to have a literal meaning? Or is it not obvious
when the Holy Spirit speaks to us in metaphor and figurative language?
Notice the implication here of a great storm. Those references to
the earth trembling, the heavens dropping, and mountains melting fit well into
the idea of a deluge.
Judges 5:6 ¶ In the days of
Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied,
and the travellers walked through byways. 7
The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel,
until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel. 8 They chose new gods; then was war in
the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?
9 My heart is toward the
governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless
ye the LORD. 10 Speak, ye that ride on
white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way. 11 They that are delivered from the noise
of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the
righteous acts of the LORD, even the righteous acts toward the
inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the LORD go
down to the gates.
Notice the desolation and oppression referred to by Deborah.
People had to stay off the main roads and villages were depopulated. But then
Deborah became a judge. Not only were the Israelites, the conquerors, now weak
but a reason was given in their idolatry. A revival of a sort took place,
though, first among the minor judges of Israel that prepared the people for
Deborah’s leadership.
Even with two such heroic figures as the judge Shamgar and Jael,
the slayer of Sisera, the Israelites were in dire straits until Deborah came
along.
Judges 3:31 And after him
was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men
with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.
Judges 5:12 ¶ Awake, awake,
Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity
captive, thou son of Abinoam. 13 Then he
made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the
LORD made me have dominion over the mighty. 14
Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after
thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of
Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer. 15 And the princes of Issachar were with
Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley.
For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart. 16 Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to
hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were
great searchings of heart.
17 Gilead abode beyond
Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and
abode in his breaches. 18 Zebulun and
Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death
in the high places of the field. 19 The
kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the
waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money. 20 They fought from heaven; the stars in their
courses fought against Sisera. 21 The
river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my
soul, thou hast trodden down strength. 22
Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the
pransings of their mighty ones. 23 Curse
ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof;
because they came not to the help of
the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.
Here Deborah asserts the authority she was given by God Himself.
She uses figurative speech that the stars of heaven fought against
Sisera. Jewish tradition reports and the text I noted in the last passage implies
that there were great storms over Sisera’s army suggested by verse 21 that indicates
flooding of the Kishon, a river in Israel.
We have seen how God used astronomic events and weather events to
do battle against His enemies.
Joshua 10:11 And it came to
pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron,
that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and
they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the
children of Israel slew with the sword. 12
Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the
Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel,
Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. 13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed,
until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written
in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and
hasted not to go down about a whole day.
We also know that the stars of heaven can represent spiritual
forces behind the scenes we cannot see.
Job 38:4 ¶ Where wast thou
when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if
thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? 6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof
fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; 7 When the morning stars sang together, and all
the sons of God shouted for joy?
Revelation 12:4 And his
tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the
earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered,
for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
Judges 4:10 says that Barak called two tribes, Zebulun and
Naphtali to the battle. Deborah’s song indicates the reluctance of the others
to help. Dan and Asher apparently did not. It is not clear how the others
participated or did not.
Some ancient writers say that the reference to the river of Kishon
sweeping them away was a euphemism for the torrent of armies clashing. However,
it is important to note that Kishon and its muddy banks did drown Turkish
troops in a battle on April 16th, 1799 as they retreated from
Napoleon’s forces at the Battle of Mount Tabor. They drowned in their thousands
trying to escape in panic.
Meroz, not mentioned elsewhere, is cursed for not coming to the
battle. The exact site of that town is not known. In verse 19 the waters of
Megiddo are mentioned. Some sources say this is a reference to the wady, a
channel that is dry except in the rainy season, draining the basin behind
Megiddo.
Judges 5:24 ¶ Blessed above
women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above
women in the tent. 25 He asked water, and
she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish. 26 She put her hand to the nail, and her right
hand to the workmen’s hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote
off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples. 27 At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down:
at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead. 28 The mother of Sisera looked out at a window,
and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why
tarry the wheels of his chariots? 29 Her
wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself, 30 Have they not sped? have they not
divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of
divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of
needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take
the spoil? 31 So let all thine enemies
perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he
goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.
See here how Deborah blesses or speaks well of Jael and how she
killed Sisera providing us with the detail that she cut off his head. Notice in
verse 30 the mention of clothing of divers colors.
Jacob
made Joseph a coat of many colors.
Note that this is kind of clothing was considered very valuable.
It is the type of coat
worn by King David’s daughter.
2Samuel
13:18 And she had a garment of divers colours upon her: for with such robes were the king’s
daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his servant brought her out,
and bolted the door after her.
I have read
reports that there have been Egyptian tomb paintings showing traders from the
area of Canaan wearing such clothing, probably made more valuable by the costly
work of dyeing the fabric.
Deborah concludes her song with a curse on those that oppose God
and a blessing on those that love Him.
Forty years is typically said by commentators to be a time of
testing. I discussed back in the passage beginning in Genesis 8:6 how forty
days was a period of testing and fasting it is evident here that forty years
can also represent a time of testing and proving. Just do a word study of forty
days and forty years throughout the Old Testament from the wilderness wanderings
on.
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