Judges

HULDAH – 10 Points for Bible Study on November 7, 2015

  1. Huldah – her name means weasel. (2, pg 135)
  2. Huldah was trusted by the King and her word generated a significant religious reform. (2, pg 135)
  3. Huldah, a prophetess, was the wife of Shallum, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the 2nd District, probably located in a newly developed area between the 1st and 2nd walls in the northeast part. (1, 2 Kings 22:14)
  4. Huldah was one of four Old Testament prophetesses – Miriam, Aaron’s sister and Deborah, wife of Lappidoth. (1, Ex 15:20; Jdg 4:4; 2 Kings 22:14)
  5. Huldah had been sought out by King Josiah’s messengers including Hilkiah, the high priest to inquire of the Lord what was written in the Book of the Law. (1, 2 Kings 22:14) The Book of Law was discovered in the temple during the reign of Josiah and was probably made of papyrus. (2, pg 136)
  6. Huldah told them what the Lord, the God of Israel said and told them to tell the man who sent them. (1, 2 Kings 22:15-16)
  7. Huldah emphasized the words of judgment Josiah had already read in the Book of Law. (2, pg 136; 1. 2 Kings 22:16)
  8. Huldah reported that the Lord would give a reprieve to Josiah because of his sorrow for the sins of his people and when Josiah died he would be buried in peace and not see the disaster God would bring on Jerusalem. (1, 2 Kings 22:19-20; 2, pg 136)
  9. Once again, God has shown his faithfulness, his divine judgment and his divine willingness to forgive. (2, pg 136)
  10. King Josiah along with all the people from the least to the greatest renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord to obey all that was written in the Book of Law. (1, 2 Chron 34:29-31)

Sources:

1.The NIV Study Bible, Zondervan, 1995. (All scriptures, Footnotes}

2. Women of the Bible, 52 Bible Studies for Individuals and Groups, Jean E. Syswerda, Zondervan 1999

Advertisement

Jael, 10 Points for Bible Study -7/11/15

For our lesson of Jael, found in Judges 4-5, and in our workbook, Women of the Bible, 52 Bible Studies for Individuals and Groups, by Jean E. Syswerda. The lesson is on pages 67-70.

1.  Jael – the name means: “a wild or mountain goat.” (3, pg. 67)

2.  Her character: Decisive and courageous, she seized the opportunity to kill an enemy of God’s people. (3, pg. 67)

3. Her joy: To be lauded by Deborah and Barak for her part in a decisive victory.  (4,pg 116)

4.  Her husband: Heber, a Kenite: The husband of Jael, the woman who killed Sisera. (Judges 4:11, 17, 21; 5:24)  Considerations of meter make it probable that “the wife of Heber, the Kenite” was inserted into Judges 5:24 under the influence of Judges 4.  (1, pg. 552)

5.  Now Heber, the Kenite had left the other Kenites, the descendants of Hobab, Moses’ brother-in-law and pitched his tent by the great tree in Zaanannim near Kedesh. (2, Judges 4:11, pg. 453)

6.  Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. (2, Judges 4:4, pg.452)

7.  Sisera was the commander of Jabin’s, a King of Canaan, army.  All of Siseras’ nine-hundred chariots and men were killed by Barak’s army.  Sisera abandoned his chariot and fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because there were friendly relations between Jabin king of Hazor, and the clan of Heber, the Kenite. (2, Judges 4:1, pg. 452 and Judges 4:15-17, pg. 454).

8.  Sisera was met outside the tent by Jael. “Come, my lord, come right in.  Don’t be afraid.”  So he entered her tent, and she put a covering over him. (2, Judges 4:18).

9.  But Jael, Heber’s wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted.  She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died. (2, Judges 4: 21 and footnote)

10.  Barak came by in pursuit of Sisera, and Jael went out to meet him.  “Come,” she said, “I will show you the man you’re looking for.”  So he went in with her, and there lay Sisera with the tent peg through his temple—dead.  (2, Judges 4:22 Bible, Pg. 454, and footnote)

Resources:

  1. The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, Volume Two E-J, In Four Volumes, Abingdon Press, New York 1962.
  2. The NIV Study Bible, Zondervan 2008 Edition (All scriptures)
  3. Women of the Bible, 52 Bible Studies for Individuals and Groups,Jean E Syswerda, Zondervan, 1999.
  4. Women of the Bible,  One Year Devotional Study of Women in Scripture,Ann Spangler and Jean E. Syswerda, Zondervan, 2007.

The Song of Deborah – The Battle -Judges 5:19-23

“Kings came, they fought; the king of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, but they carried off no silver, no plunder.

From the heavens the stars fought, from their courses they bough against Sisera.

The river Kishon swept them away, the age-old river, the river Kishon. March on, my soul; be strong! Then thunder of horses’ hoofs-galloping, galloping go his mighty steeds.

‘Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of the Lord. ‘Curse its people bitterly, because they did not come to help the Lord, to help the Lord against the mighty.”

 

1. The Interpreter’s Bible, Volume II, Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, New York, text note Judges 5:3-31, (5) the battle (vv.19-23)

 

Deborah – 10 Key Points for Bible Study 06/28/2014

From our lesson of Deborah (Judges 4-5), here are some important points. The points do not directly answer the questions on pages 63-66 of the text, but may help you in our discussion at the Saturday Bible Study 06/28/2014.

1. The Judges were God’s chosen to lead the Israelites during the period from the death of Joshua to the establishment of the monarchy starting with King Saul.(2, page 323)

2. Judges not only held court of mediation(Judges 4:5), but they were also God’s moral conscience and military leadership in a land inhabited by multiple nations (Judges 3:12-15; 4:1-3, 6-7).

3. Deborah was a prophetess and Judge  (Judges 4:4) known for her faithfulness in following God (Judges 4:4) and her charismatic leadership of Israel (1, page  712).

4. Deborah held court to settle disputes in the hill country of Ephraim (Judges 4:5).

5. The Israelites did evil in God’s sight and were punished through captivity by Jabin, a king of Canaan. The commander of the Canaanite army was Sisera with nine hundred chariots. After twenty years of captivity and oppression the Israelites cried to the Lord for liberation (Judges 4:1-3).

6. Following God’s instructions, Deborah sent for Barak to carry out a plan she had for the defeat of Sisera’s troops at the Kishon River (Judges 4:6-7).

7. Barak refused to go to war without Deborah, and she consented (Judges 4:8-10).

8. Despite Heber the Kenite’s warning to Sisera (Judges 4:11-13), the Lord provided a victory for Deborah and Barak (Judges 4:14-16) by flooding the Kishon River and eliminating the effectiveness of the chariots (Judges 5:20-21).

9. Sisera, in fleeing on foot  (Judges 4:17) upon the total annihilation of his army (Judges 4:16), took refuge in the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite. Jael offered Sisera sanctuary through drink and a hiding place (4:18-20)., but as soon as he fell asleep she drove a tent-peg through him temple  killing him (4:21-22).

10. Deborah and Barak sang praises to the Lord for Him giving them the victory (Judges 5).

 1. The Interpreter’s Bible, Volume II, Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, New York.

2. The NIV Study Bible, Zondervan, 1995.

3. Jean E Syswerda, Women of the Bible, Zondervan, 1999.

 

Women of the Bible, Deborah – June 28, 2014

Deborah is our sixth study in our series from Women of the Bible, 52 Bible Studies for Individuals and Groups by Jean E Syswerda. The study of Deborah is found on page 63. The Bible Study small group will be held on June 28, 2014, 4:00-6:00 p.m.

If you have not received your books for the study, please see Glenda. Remember that all materials are free as they are gifts to you from students participating in Homewords Small Group Bible Study Ministry.

For information contact Glenda at 727-542-4683 .