Pegged by a Woman

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study meeting June 1 to study Judges 4.  We've actually been able to do a chapter a week so far.  But I've missed doing the language study.  Now that I'm back at it, I found some stuff.

Read through the chapter a few times in different translations.  There are some linguistic and literary features that are completely lost in translation, but you may see clues by using different translations.  You may also find them referenced in a commentary, but more than likely you won't.  These features are not unknown, it's just few people are interested.  Make notes and jot down questions as you go through your reading (don't worry about finding those features).

After you've pushed through some of this on your own, go back through with a commentary or two.  The Matthew Henry might be worth the time, something detailed will be necessary if you want to get the "hidden" literary features.

After you've gone through your own study, and commentary study, go back through with the questions below:

• The Sons of Israel did evil before God after Ehud, or did the evil begin before he died?  Either way, why do you think this author skips any mention of Shamgar (chapter 3:31) here?
• God sells the people into the hand of Jabin, king of Canaan.  What do you think God received from Jabin for the people of Israel?
• Jabin is "king of Canaan", and this term is used for him several times in the chapter.  Look at a map to see where Hatzor is.  Why do you think the "king" of the land be there?
• Once again, "chariots of iron" are being used.  Consider  that iron is not commonly used or worked, and that only the Hittites and the Egyptians have the ability to work with it.  So where do you think the chariots came from?
• Jabin oppressed the people of Israel for 20 years after Ehud.  Ehud gave them freedom for 80 years.  We have no idea how long Shamgar provided relief, or even if he was a contemporary.  So, do you think this account is 100 years after Eglon was assassinated by Ehud?  How do you think this all connects?
•   Deborah is a prophetess and judge.  She is judging Israel during the time Jabin is oppressing the people, and he is the "king of Canaan".  So, how do you imagine these two things true at the same time?  Imagine the setting, what's happening among the Sons of Israel, and among the peoples of Canaan?  Why would an "insurrection" like that led by Deborah be allowed to happen when a king has 900 chariots of iron at his disposal?
• Deborah sends a message from God to Barak.  In it, God tells Barak to "march", "gather", "take with you", take position", "call out", or "draw toward" 10,000 troops of Naphtali and Zebulun.  That word is "mashak" in Hebrew.  Look it up here.  Look at the list of verses where it's used.  Compare the two uses in this chapter of Judges.  If you read those two verses together, considering how this word is used in both, what do you think the writer of Judges (or the Holy Spirit) has done here?
• God refers to the army of Jabin under Sisera as "many troops", "troops", "warriors", and "multitude" depending on the translation.  The Hebrew word is "hamon".  Look it up here, and keep that page open for later.  Look at the "Biblical Outline of Usage".  What do you see as the common "theme" in that outline?  Look at the "Root Word".
• God declares that He will give the army of Jabin into the hand of Barak.  The structure of this declaration has two halves, each with something that Barak does, and then with what God does.  What sort of "declaration" do you think this is?
• If this is some sort of agreement between God and Barak, where Barak calls out the troops and God delivers the enemy, why do you think Barak wants additional assurances (i.e. for Deborah to go out with him)?
• Deborah goes, but states that Sisera will not be Barak's prize or glory.  What do you think God is telling Barak, the Sons of Israel, and us with this statement?
• Where were the "Kenites" supposed to be?  (see chapter 1)  Where is Heber hanging out (look at a map)?  You've read through the chapter, so what do you think Heber is doing up there?
• Is Hobab the father-in-law of Moses?  Again, see chapter 1, and then look up Moses' father-in-law in a Bible dictionary or something.
• Who is "they" in verse 12 (NASB, NIV, KJV)?
• Sisera hears that Barak and troops are on Mount Tabor, so he takes his 900 iron chariots to the Kishon River.  What might be the problem with that tactic?
• Deborah tells Barak to get up and go.  So, had she not been there, how would Barak have known when to attack the charioteers of Sisera?
• Barak leads the charge down the mountain to the chariots.  God "routed", "threw into confusion", "threw into panic", or "discomfited" (my favorite) Sisera and his army.  The Hebrew word is "hamam".  Look it up here.  Look at the "Root Word(s)".  What does this word look and sound like?  See the connection to the way God describes the army of Jabin/Sisera?  So, what do you think the ones hearing this story thought when the reader gets to this spot?
• Sisera has to escape on foot.  Why do you think his chariot was no longer a good transportation option?
• Barak gets everyone of Sisera's army.  But Sisera escapes on foot.  So, people on foot run down chariots fleeing for their home city.  Can you visualize what's going on here?  How is it that chariots are suddenly the slow option as opposed to running?
• Sisera flees and Jael invites him in.  He flees to Heber because there is "peace" between Heber and Jabin.  What does this say about the relationship betweenHeber and the Sons of Israel?
• Jael invites Sisera in and hides him.  Then he gets needy.  He asks for water, but what does Jael give him?  In 43 uses in the Hebrew Scriptures, 41 times this word is translated as "milk".  What do you think is the significance that Jael gives Sisera milk instead of water?
• Sisera then gives her instructions about what to do when people pass by.  She doesn't follow his instructions very well.  The detail about Sisera "sleeping" occurs at the end of the verse in Hebrew (see NASB, ESV, NRSV, and KJV).  Why not put that up front instead of the grisly detail of how she kills him?
• Jael goes out and calls Barak to show him her handiwork.  What do you think went through Barak's mind when that happened?
• The "tables were turned" on Jabin, but it took some time before he was "cut off".  Why do you think it took a bit of time?

That should keep us busy for a bit on Thursday.  Be sure to look a the characters, Deborah, Barak, Jael, Jabin, Sisera, and Heber to gain some insight on how this applies to you.  Who are you most like, and why?

Not Quite Done

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting May 4 to begin the study of Judges 1.  This chapter starts the process of setting the rest of the book.  It depicts the failure to possess the land and dispossess the Canaanites.

Read through the chapter several times in different translations.  Jot down questions and observations as you do.  Try and imagine the events happening, hearing the words, and seeing the faces.  Try and find a map of Canaan, and see if you can see where things happened, what was around them, how far apart they were, and so on.  Get a feel for areas of mountains and plains.

Once you have your own notes, look through commentary.  Revise your notes and questions accordingly.  See how much you agree or disagree with the conclusions of the commentators.

After you've gone through the passage yourself, go back through with the questions below:

• The timing seems to be after the death of Joshua.  Yet, the chapter mentions Caleb later.  Why do you think the writer has this repeated material, but has the timing after Joshua?
• Read Joshua 10.  The account seems to repeat much of this chapter.  Why do you think the writer of Judges would repeat this at the beginning?
• Judah goes up first, by Yahweh's choice and he takes Simeon.  See if you can find Simeon's allotment on a map of Canaan.  If you can, why does this make so much sense for them to "team up"?
• As the cities are defeated, reading through the chapter, does Judah help Simeon?
• Adoni-Bezek of the city of Bezek is in the wrong place.  Bezek is too far north out of Judah's territory.  Considering where they take him and where he dies, and considering what you read in Joshua 10, who could this Bezek person be instead?
• What do you think of cutting off the "thumbs" of the hands and feet of your opponents?
• What surprises you about the thumbless king's response to having his thumbs removed?
• Read Joshua 14:6-15, and 15:13-19.  Who defeats the "Sons of Anak"?  If this has already happened, why mention it again here?
• What do you think of Caleb?  How many people do you know who are as strong at 80 as they were at 40?
• The descendants of Moses' father-in-law are Midianites.  This clan, called Kenites, goes up with Judah, and then dwells in the south.  Who are these Kenites, and why should we care?
• Judah continues to have success, until the plains.  But looking at a map, where is Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron?
• Verse 19 is the first mention of "iron chariots" in Judges.  Look at Joshua 17:14-18.  Such contraptions are not new.  They are essentially like tanks.  It seems that the Sons of Israel don't have iron.  What do you think this means for them as they try to take this land?
• The remainder of the chapter seems to be about how the other tribes didn't drive out the Canaanites.  Why do you think this is so important?  Why, if God promises success, do you think the people didn't succeed?

We may not get through the whole chapter, but we may.  Keep each other in prayer this week.  See you all Thursday!