Judges 4:5

Judges 4:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Beth–el in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.
• New International Version (NIV)She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided.
• English Standard Version (ESV)She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And she would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the mountains of Ephraim. And the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

Context of Judges 4:5

3The people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help. King Jabin had 900 chariots made of iron and had cruelly oppressed Israel for 20 years. 4Deborah, wife of Lappidoth, was a prophet. She was the judge in Israel at that time. She used to sit under the Palm Tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the mountains of Ephraim. The people of Israel would come to her for legal decisions. 6Deborah summoned Barak, son of Abinoam, from Kedesh in Naphtali. She told him, “The Lord God of Israel has given you this order: ‘Gather troops on Mount Tabor. Take 10,000 men from Naphtali and Zebulun with you. 7I will lead Sisera (the commander of Jabin’s army), his chariots, and troops to you at the Kishon River. I will hand him over to you.’ ”

Judges 4:5 word by word

וְ֠הִיא יוֹשֶׁ֨בֶת תַּֽחַת־תֹּ֜מֶר דְּבוֹרָ֗ה בֵּ֧ין הָרָמָ֛ה וּבֵ֥ין בֵּֽית־אֵ֖ל בְּהַ֣ר אֶפְרָ֑יִם וַיַּעֲל֥וּ אֵלֶ֛יהָ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לַמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And she dweltיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• under the palm treeתֹּ֫מֶרtômer · palmH8560
• of Deborahדְּבוֹרָהdebôrâh debôrâh · DeborahH1683
• between Ramahרָמָהrâmâh · RamahH7414
• and Beth–elבֵּֽיתְ־אֵלbêyth-'êl · BethelH1008
• in mountהַרhar · mountain: hill countryH2022
• Ephraimאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
• and the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• came upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
• to her for judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: judgementH4941

Cross-references for Judges 4:5

• Genesis 35:8Rebekah’s nurse Deborah died and was buried under the oak tree outside Bethel. So Jacob called it the Tree of Crying.
• Joshua 16:2From Bethel the border goes to Luz and over to Ataroth at the border of the Archites.
• Joshua 18:22Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel,
• 1 Samuel 1:1There was a man named Elkanah from Ramathaim Zophim in the mountains of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, grandson of Elihu, great-grandson of Tohu, whose father was Zuph from the tribe of Ephraim.
• 1 Samuel 6:16After the five rulers of the Philistines saw this, they went back to Ekron that same day.
• 1 Samuel 25:1Samuel died, and all Israel gathered to mourn for him. They buried him at his home in Ramah. Then David went to the desert of Paran.
• Jeremiah 31:15This is what the Lord says: A sound is heard in Ramah, the sound of crying in bitter grief. Rachel is crying for her children. She refuses to be comforted, because they are dead.
• Exodus 18:13The next day Moses was settling disagreements among the people. The people stood around Moses from morning until evening.
• Deuteronomy 17:8There may be a case that is too hard for you to decide. It may involve murder, assault, or a dispute—any case which may be brought to court in your cities. Take this case to the place that the Lord your God will choose.
• 2 Samuel 15:2Absalom used to get up early and stand by the road leading to the city gate. When anyone had a case to be tried by King David, Absalom would ask, “Which city are you from?” After the person had told him which tribe in Israel he was from,

Commentaries on Judges 4:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5The palm tree of Deborah - It is common for the Hindoos to plant trees in the names of themselves and their friends; and some religious mendicants live for a considerable time under trees. - Ward.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5She dwelt - Rather, “she sat,” namely, to judge the people Judges 4:10, but not in the usual place, “the gate” Rth 4:1-2 ; Proverbs 22:22. It suited her character, and the wild unsafe times better, that she should sit under a palm-tree in the secure heights of Mount Ephraim, between Ramah and Bethel (Judges 20:33 note). This verse shows that the Judges exercised the civil as well as military functions of rulers 1 Samuel 7:15-17.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-9Verses 4-9 Deborah was a prophetess; one instructed in Divine knowledge by the inspiration of the Spirit of God. She judged Israel as God's mouth to them; correcting abuses, and redressing grievances. By God's direction, she ordered Barak to raise an army, and engage Jabin's forces. Barak insisted much upon her presence. Deborah promised to go with him. She would not send him where she would not go herself. Those who in God's name call others to their…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-7Deborah was a prophet (Hebrew ’ishah nebi’a, meaning a female prophet), who served as a judge (shoptah, a feminine verb; see study note on Judges 2:16–19). She is the main character in this story, although much of the action involves her assistant, Barak. Unlike most characters in the book of Judges, Deborah acted as both a judge and a military leader. As a prophet, she predicted Samuel's later work (1 Samuel 7:15–17). Deborah called for a holy war where…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. she dwelt under the palm tree--or, collectively, "palm-grove." It is common still in the East to administer justice in the open air, or under the canopy of an umbrageous tree.Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 4:5

• Beth-El
• Canaanites
• Court
• Deborah
• Palm Tree
• Women

In the dictionaries

• Ephraim
• Israel
• Ramah
• Palm tree
• Children of Israel
• Mount Ephraim
• Allonbachuth
• Asleep
• Baaltamar
• Harosheth of the Gentiles

Commentaries on Judges 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings