Question 1

What was happening with Israel at the start of this passage?

Accepted Answer

At the start, Israel has fallen back into sin after the death of Ehud, their earlier deliverer. With their godly leader gone, they slide into evil again. Because of this, God hands them over to Jabin, a Canaanite king who rules from Hazor. His commander Sisera, with nine hundred iron chariots, harshly oppresses Israel for twenty years. Life under this rule is so hard that the people finally cry out to the LORD for help, showing they know they need Him again.

Question 2

Who is Deborah in this passage and what is her role?

Accepted Answer

Deborah is introduced as a prophetess and the wife of Lapidoth. She is judging Israel at that time, which means people come to her to settle disputes and seek God’s guidance. She sits under a palm tree between Ramah and Bethel, and Israelites travel there to hear her decisions. God speaks through her to call Barak to lead an army and to give God’s promise about the coming battle. Her leadership shows God guiding His people through her wisdom and faith.

Question 3

Why did Barak insist that Deborah go with him to the battle?

Accepted Answer

When Deborah tells Barak God’s command to gather ten thousand men and go to Mount Tabor, Barak answers that he will only go if she goes with him. This shows a mix of faith and fear. He trusts the word of God that comes through her and wants the sign of God’s presence that her being there gives. At the same time, it hints that his courage is weaker than it should be. Deborah agrees to go but tells him that the honor of the victory will not belong to him.

Question 4

What does it mean that the LORD would sell Sisera into the hand of a woman?

Accepted Answer

Deborah tells Barak that the journey he takes will not be for his honor, because the LORD will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. This means that God has decided the final defeat of Sisera will come through a woman, not through Barak’s strength or glory. In the larger story, this points ahead to Jael, who will kill Sisera. God uses this to show that He is the true deliverer and that He can use those people others might not expect, including women, to carry out His plans.

Question 5

Why are the nine hundred chariots of iron mentioned in this story?

Accepted Answer

The nine hundred chariots of iron show how strong and frightening Sisera’s army is. In that time, iron chariots were powerful weapons and gave a big advantage in battle, especially on open ground. This explains why Israel felt so oppressed and helpless under Jabin and Sisera for twenty years. It also makes God’s promise and the outcome more striking. Even with such weapons against them, God is able to throw Sisera’s army into confusion and give victory to a much weaker force that trusts His word.

Question 6

How does God bring victory for Israel in the battle by the river Kishon?

Accepted Answer

Deborah tells Barak to get up because “this is the day” the LORD has delivered Sisera into his hand and that the LORD has gone out before him. Barak then comes down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men. God Himself troubles Sisera, his chariots, and all his army so that they are defeated by the sword before Barak. Sisera is forced to leave his chariot and run away on foot. Barak and his men chase the remaining army back to Harosheth, and every soldier in Sisera’s host falls.

Question 7

What does this passage teach about God’s character and His dealings with His people?

Accepted Answer

This passage shows that God takes sin seriously and will let His people feel the hard results of turning away from Him. Israel’s evil leads to twenty years under a harsh foreign ruler. At the same time, God is very patient and ready to save when they cry out. He raises up Deborah and Barak and even arranges where the battle will happen, promising to draw Sisera’s army to the river and deliver them into Israel’s hand. God both disciplines and rescues, and He keeps guiding His people through His word.

Question 8

How can the example of Deborah and Barak speak to believers today?

Accepted Answer

Deborah and Barak show how God uses ordinary people who trust His word, even when they feel afraid. Deborah listens to God, speaks clearly, and is willing to go with Barak into a risky situation. Barak hesitates but still obeys when he has God’s promise and Deborah’s support. Today, believers can see that God often calls them to step out in obedience even when they feel weak. God’s power, not human strength or status, is what truly wins the battle and brings help in hard times.

Judges 4:1

And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, when Ehud was dead.

Deborah and Barak

Cross References

Judges 4:1

And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, when Ehud was dead.

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Deborah and Barak

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