The Book of Judges – Deborah – Christianity

Othniel, Caleb’s nephew, defeated the foreign king who was imposing heavy tribute. Ehud wiped out the Moabites who conquered the area around Jericho. Shamgar was not an Israelite, but he put a limit on the growing Philistine threat. All should be well. But no! “The children of Israel again did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight (Jdg 4:1).” The fourth deliverance episode begins.

This time trouble comes from within. Joshua defeated Jabin (a royal title similar to pharaoh in Egypt), as well as the Canaanite kingdoms under his dominance. Hazor, a great city, from which he ruled was burnt to the ground (Josh 11:1–11). Unfortunately, the children of Israel never completed the conquest. The royal family escaped, and over the next couple of generations the Canaanite coalition reformed. A new Hazor and a new Jabin emerge. A summary of Judges chapter 4 follows:

The map to the left illustrates the setting. Canaanite walled cities overlook the strategic Jezreel valley. Heber, a descendant of Hobab (Moses’s brother-in-law) separated from his tribe to pitch his tent at Kedesh, north of Hazor, and align with the enemy.

Sisera commands a formidable military force headquartered at Harosheth-haggoiim (translation: cultivated field of the gentiles). We suspect that he is Philistine. Jabin and Sisera are aligned. Sisera receives a valuable land grant. In return he pledges to fight emerging enemies. Sisera’s nine hundred iron chariots seem invincible.

Napthali, Issachar, and Zebulun are squeezed from both Jezreel to the south and Hazor to the north. They are cut off from the major trade routes. If the people want to sell their produce, they’re forced to travel through tenuous backroads They have no weapons to speak of. Israel is in danger of disappearing completely.

Finally after twenty years of oppression, Israel cried out to Yahweh. Again, God quickly responds. This time though, in a different and unexpected way. He raises Deborah, a prophetess. She sits under a palm tree between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim. This is significant for a couple reasons. First: It’s the same area where her namesake, the maidservant of Rachel, was buried. Second: The Ark of the Covenant was not there. Where are the Levites, the supposed spiritual leaders? They are nowhere.

The plot begins. Deborah summons Barak, a reluctant warrior from Kedesh-Naphtali. When he arrives, Deborah is firm:

Hasn’t Yahweh, the God of Israel, commanded, “Go and lead the way to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? I will draw to you, to the river Kishon, Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into your hand.”

Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go (Jdg 4:6–8).”

So they go. A large force gathers at Mt. Tabor with their limited weapons. Sisera responds by gathering his army and all his chariots. Then the unexpected! Before Sisera’s troops can get ready, a torrential rain throws everything into disarray. The Kishon, normally no more than a brook, becomes a raging river. The inlets coming off Mt. Megiddo also flood. Sisera’s chariots become useless and his horses bolt. God is the ultimate deliverer. Baal, the mighty Canaanite storm god proves to be impotent.

Barak pursues the enemy army as they retreat west to their home base. Sisera cowardly leaves his chariot, abandons his troops, and flees north on foot. It looks like he will escape when he reaches friendly territory and is lured into the tent of Jael, Heber’s wife. She treats Sisera like royalty, giving him milk in a fancy bowl and warms him with an expensive blanket. Feeling safe, he dozes off. But then, Jael inflicts a death blow. A tent peg right through the temple lobe. There he lies, dead. When Barak eventually arrives, all he can do is stare. Sisera lies dead. Jael sided with Israel. Rahab at Jericho generations past comes to remembrance.

Jael violated many social norms. She acted in defiance of her husband. She didn’t conform to standards of hospitality. She broke whatever treaty Heber had with Jabin. To Israel Jael was a heroine. Without Sisera’s army Jabin is nothing. Israel’s strength increases and eventually he is eliminated.

Song of Celebration

A victory like this demands a triumphal hymn. The events are every bit as dramatic as when the Song of Moses memorialized pharaoh’s army drowning in the Red Sea. Scholars consider this song to be among the oldest parts of the Bible. It is organized into a number of poetic stanzas, full of riddles, emotion, hyperbole, and theological profundity.

	Stanza 1: In times of old, leaders led, and people followed. Yahweh arose on Mt. Sinai. He traveled through the region of Edom, shaking the mountains as he went. He rode on the clouds dropping torrents of water as he led Israel into the Promised Land. Praise be to Yahweh! Israel chose new gods. People are forced to travel out-of-the-way backroads. Do they have weapons? Leadership ceased. Deborah, Mother of Israel arose to judge the people. She summons Barak and calls for action.
	Stanza 2: Deborah praises the governors who serve the people. But for the rich living far away from the oppression, war is coming. Yahweh calls: Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, utter a song! Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam (Jdg 5:12). A remnant of nobles and people respond to the call. Yahweh supports Deborah as she confronts the elites. Some from Ephraim were there in bad faith, so too Benjamin. Governors from Manasseh’s clan of Machir are present. Military leaders from Zebulun also. Judah and Simeon are never mentioned; perhaps they lost contact with their northern relatives. Barak and those in support rush into battle. Reuben debates and then decides to remain with their sheep. Asher sat still. Gilead spanning Gad and Manasseh couldn’t care less. Dan s too busy with Phoenician trade. Zebulun and Naphtali show great courage, even risking death.
	Stanza 3: The Canaanite kings amass their chariots. Plunder awaits. But then, torrential rains come down. Heavenly forces join the fight. The Kishon brook transforms into a raging river. It sweeps the enemy away. Horses rear; Sisera flees on foot. Curse Meroz and the Israeli towns that aligned with the enemy.
	Stanza 4: Blessed be Jael, who chose Israel over her husband and his clan. She lured the enemy commander into her tent, speaking kind words. She gave him milk and covered him with a warm blanket. As he slept, she pounded a tent peg into his temple. He lies dead at her feet. Blessed be Jael.
	Stanza 5: Sisera’s mom looks out through her window.¹ She is comforted by her servants. Where is he?, she wonders. Where is the loot and the gifts for me? Where are the captured women to serve at the pleasure of the men? All is lost.

May all of Yahweh’s enemies perish.

Conclusion

There is a savage delight in the way Sisera dies. The song was deeply satisfying to the people of the time. This can trouble modern readers. However, both the narrative and song invite us to imagine what it was like to live under the oppression of Sisera and Jabin.

A generation of peace follows. This episode is sometimes called the highwater mark of the book of Judges. Yahweh supernaturally fought for and delivered Israel.

Application

For the third time in the book of Judges, the people were bent on evil. Some clans went so far as to reject their heritage and defiantly align with the Canaanites. The faraway tribes chose to stay back and do nothing. This episode demonstrates the faithfulness of God despite the unfaithfulness of his people.

This causes me to wonder. What is the state of Christianity today? Compared to the ancient Israelites we are rich and comfortable. But comfort can easily lead to indifference or even denial. Then, when trouble comes, we turn away and even blame God. I find the following verses useful to ponder:

If we endure, we will also reign with him.
If we deny him, he also will deny us.
If we are faithless, he remains faithful.
For he can’t deny himself (2 Tim 2:13).”

Thanks for listening.

References

The MET, “Lady at the Window Ivory Carving.”
Barry G. Webb, The Book of Judges: New International Commentary on the Old Testament (2012), 178–219.
Daniel I. Block, The New American Commentary: Judges, Ruth, B & H Publishing (1999), 175–246.
John H. Walton, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Background Commentary& Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, Zondervan (2009), 133–150.

Dan Harvey, author of Wrestling with Faith and Experiencing the Apocalypse, secondlooknow.com

The Book of Judges – Deborah

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