- there are 70 faces to 
Post by alon on Jan 21, 2016 18:54:37 GMT -8
Haftara to Par’shah B’shalach, Judges 4:4- 5:31
This will be a bit long, but to do it justice I couldn’t pare it down further. Therefore I will divide this into 2 pages- the introduction and chapter 4, then chapter 5 which is a song, rich in symbolism and meaning, but some of which hard to understand in its original writing.
The Book of Judges is a collection Jewish historical stories spanning about 400-450 years between the death of Joshua and time of Samuel the prophet:
Acts 13:20 (ESV) All this took about 450 years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.
Main theme of Judges is our faithfulness to God and the effect it has on our wellbeing or misery. The Judges were extraordinary agents of the divine who ruled Israel in God’s stead in regional capacity; i.e. Barak in the north, Samson in the south, and Jeptha in Gilead. Although this book tells of a series of apostasies, it should be noted there were periods of allegiance and prosperity between which are recorded in passing, as transitions to the next object lesson in fidelity:
Judges 5:31b (ESV) And the land had rest for forty years.
This story tells of a woman prophetess and a woman executioner who begin and end the battle. Jael’s killing of Sisera, a family friend, in her own tent was an unusual breach of Semitic hospitality. The distant tribes were also quick to send aid. Deborah the prophetess had to convince Barak to answer the call and win the victory. Yet in the Book of Hebrews Barak is named as a man of faith:
Hebrews 11:32-33 (ESV) And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
There is a principle here: had any one of these people broke the chain by not being obedient to their part in this, the absolute victory would have been lost. One person’s trust and obedience can make the difference. So whatever you are called on to do, be faithful.
It should be noted that all these people made only a partial contribution to the victory. The true deliverer of His people is, as always, Elohim Tseva’ot.
Judges 4:9 (ESV) And she said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh.
Most reading this would think Deborah speaks of herself. However at the end of the story we see Jael (Ya’el), a woman whose name is a composite of two terms for God (Yah and El) delivers the final, decisive blow. For had Sisera lived, this well could not have been the end as he could have raised another army and returned. However then as today, in the pagan cultures which surround Israel it is considered shameful to be killed by a woman. The loss of their general in such a way shamed the Canaanites and King Jabin so that they did not return. And so we will see the hand of God all the way through this story, which ends with His name praised in a courageous woman whose trust was in her namesake.
Judges 4:2 (ESV) And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim.
Canaan was a region divided into many city-states, each ruled by a king. So Jabin was not the king of all Canaan. He may have been a strong, influential king there, but his kingdom was Hazor- an important city in the upper Galil, in the land allotted to Nepthali.
Harosheth probably comes from the root “harish”- a plowed area. Probably refers to the cultivated lands of the Jezreel Valley near Taanach and Megiddo. Megiddo gives its name to the greatest battlefield in history, Armageddon. In Hebrew this is "Har-Megiddo", where “Har” is mountain or hill, and Megiddo is the ancient site of “Tel Megiddo.”
Revelation 16:16 (ESV) And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
Judges 4:6 (ESV) She sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, “Has not the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun.
Levies and reinforcements would come from Ephriam, Benjamin, and the northern tribes- basically from all over Israel. However the brunt of the fighting in this war of liberation would fall on Zebulon and those adjacent on Plain of Esdraelon.
Judges 4:7 (ESV) And I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin's army, to meet you by the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops, and I will give him into your hand’?”
Wadi Kishon, which would have only flowed heavily in the rains (rainy season mostly) was the most important tributary of the Jordan River. It is referred to in the song of chapter 5 as “Megiddo’s Waters.”
Judges 4:8 (ESV) Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.”
The general apparently needs the prophetess to inquire of the Lord, even though he has already been assured of victory by God through His prophetess.
Judges 4:11 (ESV) Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh.
Heber the Kenite was a tribal unit which had become separated from the Kenites which had been annexed to Judah.
Judges 1:16 (ESV) And the descendants of the Kenite, Moses' father-in-law, went up with the people of Judah from the city of palms into the wilderness of Judah, which lies in the Negeb near Arad, and they went and settled with the people.
Judges 4:15-16 (ESV) And the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army before Barak by the edge of the sword. And Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot. And Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left.
Elohim had went before the army of Barak, sending a storm which flooded the Kishon and made a swamp of the lowlands, thus rendering the chariots of the Canaanites worse than useless.
Judges 5:4-5 (ESV) “Lord, when you went out from Seir, when you marched from the region of Edom, the earth trembled and the heavens dropped, yes, the clouds dropped water. The mountains quaked before the Lord, even Sinai before the Lord, the God of Israel.
Unnerved by the fierce charge and unable to fight as they had planned, the Canaanites were thrown into disarray and panic. They were thus doomed before Barak’s army.
Judges 4:17 (ESV) But Sisera fled away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.
Sisera probably fled to Harosheth-goiim, to the protection of the kenites because there was peace between them and this direction of escape was less likely to occur to his pursuers.
Judges 4:19 (ESV) And he said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.” So she opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink and covered him.
He asked for water, but she gave him milk. Because of its soothing qualities and his exhaustion from his flight she deduced it would cause him to sleep as he hid and waited.
Judges 4:21-22 (ESV) But Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand. Then she went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple until it went down into the ground while he was lying fast asleep from weariness. So he died. And behold, as Barak was pursuing Sisera, Jael went out to meet him and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.” So he went in to her tent, and there lay Sisera dead, with the tent peg in his temple.
And we now see who it was Deborah prophesied to be the final hand against Sisera. Not just a woman, but one whose name “Ya’el” was praise to the true general in charge of the battle; which is emphasized in the last verse:
Judges 4:23 (ESV) So on that day God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan before the people of Israel.
This will be a bit long, but to do it justice I couldn’t pare it down further. Therefore I will divide this into 2 pages- the introduction and chapter 4, then chapter 5 which is a song, rich in symbolism and meaning, but some of which hard to understand in its original writing.
The Book of Judges is a collection Jewish historical stories spanning about 400-450 years between the death of Joshua and time of Samuel the prophet:
Acts 13:20 (ESV) All this took about 450 years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.
Main theme of Judges is our faithfulness to God and the effect it has on our wellbeing or misery. The Judges were extraordinary agents of the divine who ruled Israel in God’s stead in regional capacity; i.e. Barak in the north, Samson in the south, and Jeptha in Gilead. Although this book tells of a series of apostasies, it should be noted there were periods of allegiance and prosperity between which are recorded in passing, as transitions to the next object lesson in fidelity:
Judges 5:31b (ESV) And the land had rest for forty years.
This story tells of a woman prophetess and a woman executioner who begin and end the battle. Jael’s killing of Sisera, a family friend, in her own tent was an unusual breach of Semitic hospitality. The distant tribes were also quick to send aid. Deborah the prophetess had to convince Barak to answer the call and win the victory. Yet in the Book of Hebrews Barak is named as a man of faith:
Hebrews 11:32-33 (ESV) And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
There is a principle here: had any one of these people broke the chain by not being obedient to their part in this, the absolute victory would have been lost. One person’s trust and obedience can make the difference. So whatever you are called on to do, be faithful.
It should be noted that all these people made only a partial contribution to the victory. The true deliverer of His people is, as always, Elohim Tseva’ot.
Judges 4:9 (ESV) And she said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh.
Most reading this would think Deborah speaks of herself. However at the end of the story we see Jael (Ya’el), a woman whose name is a composite of two terms for God (Yah and El) delivers the final, decisive blow. For had Sisera lived, this well could not have been the end as he could have raised another army and returned. However then as today, in the pagan cultures which surround Israel it is considered shameful to be killed by a woman. The loss of their general in such a way shamed the Canaanites and King Jabin so that they did not return. And so we will see the hand of God all the way through this story, which ends with His name praised in a courageous woman whose trust was in her namesake.
Judges 4:2 (ESV) And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim.
Canaan was a region divided into many city-states, each ruled by a king. So Jabin was not the king of all Canaan. He may have been a strong, influential king there, but his kingdom was Hazor- an important city in the upper Galil, in the land allotted to Nepthali.
Harosheth probably comes from the root “harish”- a plowed area. Probably refers to the cultivated lands of the Jezreel Valley near Taanach and Megiddo. Megiddo gives its name to the greatest battlefield in history, Armageddon. In Hebrew this is "Har-Megiddo", where “Har” is mountain or hill, and Megiddo is the ancient site of “Tel Megiddo.”
Revelation 16:16 (ESV) And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
Judges 4:6 (ESV) She sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, “Has not the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun.
Levies and reinforcements would come from Ephriam, Benjamin, and the northern tribes- basically from all over Israel. However the brunt of the fighting in this war of liberation would fall on Zebulon and those adjacent on Plain of Esdraelon.
Judges 4:7 (ESV) And I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin's army, to meet you by the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops, and I will give him into your hand’?”
Wadi Kishon, which would have only flowed heavily in the rains (rainy season mostly) was the most important tributary of the Jordan River. It is referred to in the song of chapter 5 as “Megiddo’s Waters.”
Judges 4:8 (ESV) Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.”
The general apparently needs the prophetess to inquire of the Lord, even though he has already been assured of victory by God through His prophetess.
Judges 4:11 (ESV) Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh.
Heber the Kenite was a tribal unit which had become separated from the Kenites which had been annexed to Judah.
Judges 1:16 (ESV) And the descendants of the Kenite, Moses' father-in-law, went up with the people of Judah from the city of palms into the wilderness of Judah, which lies in the Negeb near Arad, and they went and settled with the people.
Judges 4:15-16 (ESV) And the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army before Barak by the edge of the sword. And Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot. And Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left.
Elohim had went before the army of Barak, sending a storm which flooded the Kishon and made a swamp of the lowlands, thus rendering the chariots of the Canaanites worse than useless.
Judges 5:4-5 (ESV) “Lord, when you went out from Seir, when you marched from the region of Edom, the earth trembled and the heavens dropped, yes, the clouds dropped water. The mountains quaked before the Lord, even Sinai before the Lord, the God of Israel.
Unnerved by the fierce charge and unable to fight as they had planned, the Canaanites were thrown into disarray and panic. They were thus doomed before Barak’s army.
Judges 4:17 (ESV) But Sisera fled away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.
Sisera probably fled to Harosheth-goiim, to the protection of the kenites because there was peace between them and this direction of escape was less likely to occur to his pursuers.
Judges 4:19 (ESV) And he said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.” So she opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink and covered him.
He asked for water, but she gave him milk. Because of its soothing qualities and his exhaustion from his flight she deduced it would cause him to sleep as he hid and waited.
Judges 4:21-22 (ESV) But Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand. Then she went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple until it went down into the ground while he was lying fast asleep from weariness. So he died. And behold, as Barak was pursuing Sisera, Jael went out to meet him and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.” So he went in to her tent, and there lay Sisera dead, with the tent peg in his temple.
And we now see who it was Deborah prophesied to be the final hand against Sisera. Not just a woman, but one whose name “Ya’el” was praise to the true general in charge of the battle; which is emphasized in the last verse:
Judges 4:23 (ESV) So on that day God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan before the people of Israel.
