Questions tagged [deborah]

Deborah was a judge and prophet in Israel. Her story is told in the book of Judges.

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Does the Hebrew in Judges 4:4 explicitly identify Deborah as a woman?

I have no skill at reading Hebrew, so I was using some tool to try and parse the sentence in Judges 4:4. I noticed that the definition given for the second word (אִשָּׁה) is "woman"; but what I'm ...
Soldarnal's user avatar
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11 votes
3 answers
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Was Deborah considered a sub-optimal leader?

I've sometimes heard that Deborah was allowed to be a leader of Israel only because no man stepped up to the responsibility. However, when she is introduced there is no indication of that: ...
Jon 'links in bio' Ericson's user avatar
9 votes
2 answers
785 views

How should the first line of Judges 5:2 be translated?

So at some point, I'm hoping to be able to answer this question. In the meantime, though, I keep running into more questions, this one concering the first line of the Song of Deborah (Judges 5:2). It ...
Soldarnal's user avatar
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8 votes
5 answers
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Why did Dan remain on ships?

In Judges 5: 17, Deborah sang that Dan remained on ships. Did the Israelites have ships in the time of the judges? Is 'ships' the correct translation? Is there an explanation for this curious mention?
gideon marx's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
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Who or where is Meroz in Judges 5:23?

We read: “Curse Meroz!” said the angel of the Lord. “Bitterly curse its inhabitants, Because they came not to the aid of the Lord, To the aid of the Lord among the warriors.”—Judges 5:...
Jon 'links in bio' Ericson's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
371 views

Did Barak already know what he was supposed to do in Judges 4:6-7?

Since we're on a Deborah kick lately: The ESV renders Deborah's statement to Barak in Judges 4:6-7 as a question: Has not the LORD, the God of Israel, commanded you, "Go, gather your men at ...
Soldarnal's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
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Who says that אשת לפידות means that Deborah was a red-head?

I seem to remember that some exegete/commentator writes that when Judges 4:4 says that Deborah was אשת לפידות - "The wife of Lapidoth/torches" it means that her hair was colored like a flame,...
Reb Chaim HaQoton's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
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Was Deborah prophesying or judging - Judges 4:4,5

According to the Bible Deborah’s title and hence office/vocation was prophetess “Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time.” ‭‭Judges‬ ‭4:4‬ ‭ESV‬ It is true ...
Nihil Sine Deo's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
308 views

Is Deborah wife of Barak?

In Judges 4:4 (NASB) Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. In Judges 4:6 (NASB) Now she sent word and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-...
Tiago Martins Peres's user avatar