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

3So Bnei-Yisrael cried out to Adonai, for he had 900 iron chariots, and had harshly oppressed Bnei-Yisrael for 20 years. 4Now Deborah, a woman who was a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. She used to sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and Bnei-Yisrael came up to her for judgment. 6Now she sent and summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, “Hasn’t Adonai, God of Israel, commanded, ‘Go, march to Mount Tabor, and take with you 10,000 men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun? 7Then at the Kishon torrent, I will draw out to you Sisera, commander of Jabin’s army with his chariots and his multitude, and I will give him into your hand.’”

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 35:8Then Rebekah’s nurse Deborah died, and was buried below Beth-El, under the oak—so it was named Oak of Weeping.
• Joshua 16:2From Bethel it went out to Luz, then continued to the border of the Archites at Ataroth.
• Joshua 18:22Beth-arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel,
• 1 Samuel 1:1Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of the hill country of Ephraim—his name was Elkanah son of Jeroham son of Elihu son of Tohu son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
• 1 Samuel 6:16Now when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron that same day.
• 1 Samuel 25:1Then Samuel died, and all Israel gathered and lamented him, and buried him at his house in Ramah. David then arose and went down to the wilderness of Paran.
• Jeremiah 31:15Thus says Adonai: “Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears. For your work will be rewarded” —it is declaration of Adonai— “when they will return from the land of the enemy.
• Exodus 18:13The next day, Moses sat to judge the people, and they stood around Moses from morning till evening.
• Deuteronomy 17:8“Suppose a matter arises that is too hard for you to judge—over bloodshed, legal claims or assault—matters of controversy within your gates. Then you should go up to the place Adonai your God chooses,
• 2 Samuel 15:2Absalom used to rise up early and stand beside the road to the city gate. Whenever anyone had a suit to come to the king for justice, then Absalom would call to him and say, “What town are you from?” Should he answer, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,”

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