Judg 4:5 | KingComments | STEP | Deborah’s living and working environment are described in detail. She lives under a palm tree bearing her name. Thus she is, as it were, identified with the tree. The palm tree is a tree that was very widespread in ancient Israel and was appreciated for its size, providing shade, and for its fruits, the dates (cf. ). The palm tree can grow very old and bears fruit right up to the end. It has a slender, straight trunk and lush crown (cf. ). This symbolizes growth, fertility, and victory. The righteous is compared with such a palm tree when it is said of him that he bears fruit in the house of the LORD until old age ( ). The thought of the LORD’s house is also expressed in the place where Deborah lives. She lives between Rama and Bethel. Rama means ‘exaltation’ or ‘height’ and Bethel means ‘house of God’. The combination of the palm tree and the names of the places tell us that Deborah is a righteous person, who bears fruit and lives at the height of God’s thoughts. She is also associated with the house of God on earth. This enables her to judge the situation in which Israel is. These conditions also apply to us to be used by God for the good of His people. Deborah is a woman of faith who doesn’t leave the place given to her by God as a woman. She does not travel through the land, but the Israelites come up to her. This shows that she exercises her task and gift in the area God has given her. With other prophetesses we see the same thing. Josiah sends messengers to the prophetess Hulda to hear through her God’s will ( ). The prophetess Anna is someone who “never left the temple” ( ). In Acts 21 we read about the four daughters of Philip who were prophetesses ( ). Yet God sends the prophet Agabus from Judaea to come there to bring a message to Paul and He does not use the daughters of Philip because that message must be communicated in a public meeting ( ). When we think about the gifts and the task of the woman, it is important to ask ourselves what God says about them in His Word. In today’s world, women are increasingly encouraged to assert themselves and take the same place as men. She is not his inferior, is she? She doesn’t have to let herself be shoved away, does she? The background to these questions is the contemptuous treatment that the man has often given the woman. This treatment must be condemned. Yet all the abuse that has led to such an attitude does not take away anything from what God says about the position in which He has placed both the man and the woman. This abuse is not eliminated by women’s emancipation efforts or the efforts of all kinds of feminist movements. This abuse only disappears when both the man and the woman start to abide by what the Bible tells each of them about their behavior. This not only gives good relationships, but it also becomes a source of blessing. Deborah keeps to it and every woman who does so is blessed. In so doing, she brings blessing to all the people of God.

‏ Judges 4:5

Deborah, the Judge

Deborah’s living and working environment are described in detail. She lives under a palm tree bearing her name. Thus she is, as it were, identified with the tree. The palm tree is a tree that was very widespread in ancient Israel and was appreciated for its size, providing shade, and for its fruits, the dates (cf. Joel 1:12). The palm tree can grow very old and bears fruit right up to the end. It has a slender, straight trunk and lush crown (cf. Song 7:7). This symbolizes growth, fertility, and victory. The righteous is compared with such a palm tree when it is said of him that he bears fruit in the house of the LORD until old age (Psa 92:12-14).

The thought of the LORD’s house is also expressed in the place where Deborah lives. She lives between Rama and Bethel. Rama means ‘exaltation’ or ‘height’ and Bethel means ‘house of God’. The combination of the palm tree and the names of the places tell us that Deborah is a righteous person, who bears fruit and lives at the height of God’s thoughts. She is also associated with the house of God on earth. This enables her to judge the situation in which Israel is. These conditions also apply to us to be used by God for the good of His people.

Deborah is a woman of faith who doesn’t leave the place given to her by God as a woman. She does not travel through the land, but the Israelites come up to her. This shows that she exercises her task and gift in the area God has given her.

With other prophetesses we see the same thing. Josiah sends messengers to the prophetess Hulda to hear through her God’s will (2Chr 34:21-28). The prophetess Anna is someone who “never left the temple” (Lk 2:37). In Acts 21 we read about the four daughters of Philip who were prophetesses (Acts 21:8-9). Yet God sends the prophet Agabus from Judaea to come there to bring a message to Paul and He does not use the daughters of Philip because that message must be communicated in a public meeting (Acts 21:10-12).

When we think about the gifts and the task of the woman, it is important to ask ourselves what God says about them in His Word. In today’s world, women are increasingly encouraged to assert themselves and take the same place as men. She is not his inferior, is she? She doesn’t have to let herself be shoved away, does she?

The background to these questions is the contemptuous treatment that the man has often given the woman. This treatment must be condemned. Yet all the abuse that has led to such an attitude does not take away anything from what God says about the position in which He has placed both the man and the woman. This abuse is not eliminated by women’s emancipation efforts or the efforts of all kinds of feminist movements. This abuse only disappears when both the man and the woman start to abide by what the Bible tells each of them about their behavior. This not only gives good relationships, but it also becomes a source of blessing. Deborah keeps to it and every woman who does so is blessed. In so doing, she brings blessing to all the people of God.