Barak refused to undertake this task by himself, knowing well that only the help of G‑d and the inspiration of the prophetess Deborah could succeed in the hopeless odds against the iron chariots and cavalry of Sisera. O my soul, tread them down with strength! She then led Barak into the tent, and there lay the cruel general, dead. She went along and they defeated Sisera’s army. AmenShalom, Debra 2 So the Lord turned them over to King Jabin of Hazor, a Canaanite king. This was the time when the Jewish people had not yet become united under one king, which came later, in the times of King Saul and King David. Not only known for her wisdom, but Deborah was also known for her courage. The Canaanites had 900 chariots of iron and ruled over Israel for 20 years (Judges 4:2–3). Deborah wanted to obey the Word of the Lord fully rather than live in fear of the enemy around her and as such was not actually seeking any leadership role but asked Barak to lead. Seeing this, the brave Jael decided to make Sisera pay for all the cruelties he had committed against the Jewish people. Thus Jael gained fame for killing Sisera, which diminished Barak's fame for his victory over King Jabin's army, as Deborah had predicted. Reply, Question Most of the major figures in the Book of Judges are acknowledged as leaders after military victory; Deborah is a judge before the battle, but the narrative does not include the story of how she became judge, why she is called a prophetess, or the way in which God commanded her to begin the battle against Jabin, the Canaanite king of Hazor, and his ge… When Sisera realized his defeat, he quickly descended from his chariot and fled on foot. Deborah agreed to accompany him, but she warned him that although he would gain victory, the glory would not be his, but a woman's. I will sing Praise unto the G‑d of Israel. Hazor's general, Sisera, responded to news of the Israelite uprising by bringing his iron chariots to Mount Tabor. The judge Gideon built on Deborah’s military foundation and led Zebulon, Naphtali, and other tribes against the Midianites and Amalekites (6:33-35). how did deborah become a judge November 11, 2020 by admin in Uncategorized. Reply, What I love about this is the continued promised theme of Milk and Honey.Deborah meaning bee (one who produces honey) and Jael who gives milk. These rulers were called mishpat—"judges,"—an office that traced back to a time when Moses appointed assistants to help him resolve disputes among the Hebrews (Exodus 18). In the Bible, Deborah was the only female judge ever mentioned. 1. All was not well, however. Sisera lived in a town called Harosheth Haggoyim. Reply, 2654 - 2694 ( Jewish year ) We are in 5779. Deborah lived in the mountainous region of Ephraim, between the towns of Bethel and Ramah. The period in which Deborah lived is known as the period of the Judges, and she was in fact the judge in her time. Heber had been on good terms with Jabin, the king of Hazor, the ruler of the Canaanites, and Sisera was only too happy to accept the invitation of Jael, Heber's wife, to bide him in the house until the Jewish army would have passed. If Deborah judged for 20 years, did she judge both male and females? Judge Deborah Batts, the nation's first openly gay federal judge, died on Sunday. To ensure that he would sleep, she covered him as if to hide him, but the warmth and perhaps lower oxygen under a skin covering would help the warm milk do it job. Could it be that this custom developed long after her day? Facts about Deborah 1: the female judge. The Jews suffered terribly under the cruel rule of Sisera, and in great despair cried unto G‑d. Seeking a place to hide, he chanced upon the tent of Heber the Kenite, who was a descendant of Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses. —Judges 4:4, 5. Yet the writer of Judges refers only to Deborah as the judge to whom the word of the Lord came (Judges 4:4, 6). Therefore, many of the judges also were considered prophets who spoke "a word from the Lord.". Judges 4 Easy-to-Read Version (ERV) Deborah, the Judge. Deborah seems to have held her court under the palm tree of Deborah for a number of years, this may have been for more than thirty years. His cruel general Sisera oppressed the Jews for twenty years. The Israelites had been disobeying God, so God allowed Jabin, a king of Canaan, to oppress them. Reply, do not over look this little detail... Answer: The account of Deborah and Barak is found in Judges 4 and 5 in the Old Testament. Their practice was to seek guidance from God through prayer and meditation before making a ruling. She has authored a number of books on faith and religion. "In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was proper in his own eyes." There, where everyone could hear her, she warned the Jewish people and urged them to leave their evil ways and return to G‑d. She told Barak, commander of an army of Israel, that the Lord wanted him to fight an enemy named Sisera. She held court under the Palm Tree of Deborah in the hill country of Ephraim, deciding the people's disputes. Deborah was one of the rulers of the Israelites prior to the monarchy period that began with Saul (circa 1047 BCE). Deborah, a prophetess and a "judge" had more of the role of a godly counselor and deliverer than the courtroom judges of modern times. She told him to take 10,000 troops up to Mount Tabor to confront Jabin's general, Sisera, who led an army made up of 900 iron chariots. The people of Israel underwent a cycle of oppression and deliverance, (Judges, 5:23). Deborah was both a prophetess and ruler of the people of ancient Israel, the only woman among the twelve judges. Deborah was the only woman Judge or Ruler of Israel. She was the wife of Lapidoth and held court under the palm tree of Deborah. Barak refused to fight unless Deborah accompanied him. God spoke to Deborah under her palm tree between Bethel and Ramah. T The Israelites had been disobeying God, so God allowed Jabin, a king of Canaan, to oppress them. Deborah became Judge at a time when Israel was experiencing a spiritual and moral decline, partly due to the loss of their national leaders, Moses and Joshua. Leader from 2654 until her death in 2694 (1067 BCE), For the haftarah of Beshalach, From the Teachings of the Rebbe. Deborah is a respected woman in Israel and she is a prophetess. Deborah’s courage and wisdom in calling up an army to break Hazor’s control gave the Israelites 40 years of peace. Traditionally the major judges are Othniel, Ehud, Deborah, Gideon, Jephthah, and Samson. 3 Sisera, who had 900 iron chariots, ruthlessly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years. . The people had been reduced to living in fortified areas for protection to guard against attack. Deborah’s courage and wisdom in calling up an army to break Hazor’s control gave the Israelites 40 years of peace. It was during this time of King Jabin’s oppressive rule that we first read of Deborah. a woman.’ Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh” (Judges 4:9). Her assignment was surely challenging, but Deborah did not allow it to daunt her. Jael came out to meet him and greeted him with these words: "Come, and I will show thee the man whom thou seekest." During the battle, Sisera escaped and hid in the tent … She was one of the seven women prophetesses whose prophecies are recorded in the Bible. Deborah Becomes Israel’s Judge. Her life is a wonderful illustration of the power that womanhood has to influence society for good. Judge Deborah was one of the rulers of the Hebrews (and the only female leader) in the Old Testament. Deborah's Prophecy About Sisera Comes True, David and Goliath Bible Story Study Guide, Meet Miriam: Moses' Sister and Prophetess During the Exodus, Abigail and David - Abigail Was King David's Wisest Wife, Biography of Moses, Leader of the Abrahamic Religions, Queen Esther's Story and Jewish Purim Holiday. Abimelech is not numbered as a judge but as a son of a Judge and as a usurper who ruled unjustly. Judges 4:1-24 and 5:1-31. One day she sends for Barak, and what surely must be a testimony to her status in the nation, he comes. And this week we will talk about a woman named Deborah who became judge over her people Israel. She was wise and helped the people solve their problems. Deborah, a Judge, used to hold court while sitting beneath a palm tree. Jael gave him food and drink and, exhausted from the battle, Sisera soon fell into a heavy slumber. in response to Malkie Janowski for Chabad.org: Kabbalah, Chassidism and Jewish Mysticism, On the Haftarah: The Greatness of Jewish Women. Enter your email address to get our weekly email with fresh, exciting and thoughtful content that will enrich your inbox and your life. Deborah plays a crucial role in this battle. the female judge. Why does the Bible not talk about it? She was to send for a man named Barak in Naphtali and tell him to take ten thousand soldiers to Mount Tabor. It was fortunate that Deborah had such a tremendous influence. She rebukes those tribes of Israel who were slow in joining her, preferring to listen to the pipings of the shepherds. She was the wife of Lapidoth and held court under the palm tree of Deborah. She was truly remarkable: a judge, a military strategist, a poet, and a prophet. A prophetess named Deborah judged or made rulings for the people of Israel under a palm tree … Deborah witnessed the arrival of the Philistines and the collapse of the LB age in times of peace. Barak refused to fight unless Deborah accompanied him. As I have stated before, she was a warrior too. The Israelites were treated very cruelly by Sisera and his army, and Israel’s spirits were very low. Thus, our Sages say, was the effect of this holy woman on everyone around her: spreading the light of Torah. Then she describes the terrible battle, and the wonderful miracles that helped Israel to victory: The brook Kishon swept them away, That ancient brook, the brook of Kishon. She was 72. Deborah was the only woman Judge or Ruler of Israel. He also had iron chariots that were the "tanks" of those days. Of all the people the nation could consult for judgment in Israel, Deborah appears to be the one they preferred. There was a dire need for her services. bless the Lord!” (Judges 5:2) Deborah not only praises God for the men who did lead; in verses 16–17, she also names and reproaches the ones who did not. 5) is explained in several ways. It was something that God called her to do. The Israelites were treated very cruelly by Sisera and his army, and Israel’s spirits were very low. . . Judges chapter 5 gives the same story in poetic form. During Deborah’s time the twelve tribes of Israel lived more or less independently, each one in his part of the country. This exchange between Barak and Deborah depicts the prevailing attitude in Israel during the period of the judges: “…everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6; 21:25). In chapter 4, you can check the story about her successful counterattack. During Deborah’s 40 years of peace which ended in 1144 BC in northern Israel, the Philistines were establishing themselves in southern Israel, but did not start oppressing Judah until 1118 BC. Did Deborah become a judge in the same way, by leading a group in battle? How could she do otherwise? Deborah is assumed to be the author of Judges chapter five which contains a poem of unusual Hebrew beauty celebrating the victory God gave them that special day. Also that "cursing" amounts to a prophetic.. (in the future) type of curse, which was heard several times by different people, Noah for one on Ham, even G-d used that phrase. Several theories have been put forth to try to solve this detail, but none have been satisfactory thus far. With this army he was to attack the Canaanite oppressors. Her story is told in the Book of Judges, Chapters 4 and 5. The theory is that rains produced mud that bogged down Sisera's chariots. Judges 17:6; 21:25 . . "In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was proper in his own eyes." At her feet he sank, he fell, he lay; At her feet he sank, he fell; Deborah's aim was accomplished. They quickly gained the upper hand. She judged under a palm tree—a setting, rabbinic tradition maintains, that validated her fairness, openness, and refusal to show partiality. Barak said: "If you will go with me, I will go; if not I will not go" (Judges 4:8). The oppressors were defeated and the Jews were free again to live their own life in happiness. Deborah was the leader. This past week, something very unusual happened on the lake. Sisera possessed a well-trained army of cavalry. She was wise and G‑d fearing, and the people flocked to her for advice and help. Dov in Hebrew which has the same root as bee and honeyDevora and dvash In the end Deborah praises the brave Jael for having with her own hands killed the worst of Israel's enemies. —Judges 4:4, 5. Instead of fully trusting God, Barak refused to go unless Deborah accompanied him to inspire the troops. Reply, Wow, that is so beautiful and so true. . It was something that God called her to do. Hear, 0 ye kings; give ear, 0 ye princes. Jael was a very clever woman and the 2nd hero of this story. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-haggoyim. A prophetess named Deborah judged or made rulings for the people of Israel under a palm tree … Wasn't the Habiru, kind of adventurers, soldiers of fortune, who came from far east, the ones that defeat Canaan's tyranny? Gideon 5th Judge of Israel ruled Israel between 1191BC-1151BC for about 40 years. Terrified by the sudden turn of events, the mighty warriors of Sisera fled in all directions. Jabin ruled in a city named Hazor. Deborah, a Judge, used to hold court while sitting beneath a palm tree. Deborah, a Judge, used to hold court while sitting beneath a palm tree. 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