Judges 4:5

5 et sedebat sub palma quae nomine illius vocabatur inter Rama et Bethel in monte Ephraim ascendebantque ad eam filii Israhel in omne iudicium

Judges 4:5 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 4:5

And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah
Her dwelling house was under a palm tree, or rather she sat under one, in the open air, when the people came to her with their cases, and it was called from hence after her name; though some, as Abarbinel observes, think it was so called, because Deborah, the nurse of Rebekah, was buried here, and which was near Bethel, one of the places next mentioned, see ( Genesis 35:8 ) ,

between Ramah and Bethel in Mount Ephraim;
which places were in the tribe of Benjamin in the borders of Ephraim, see ( Joshua 16:2 ) ( Joshua 18:22 Joshua 18:25 ) . The Jews conclude, from the situation of her, that she was a very opulent woman; the Targum is,

``she was dwelling in a city in Ataroth, Deborah was supported of her own; she had palm trees in Jericho, orchards in Ramah, olives producing oil in the valley, a place of watering in Bethel, and white dust in the kings mountain:''

and the children of Israel came up to her;
from all parts of the land to the mount of Ephraim:

for judgment:
to have her advice and counsel in matters of difficulty, and to have causes between contending parties heard and decided by her, so that she might be truly reckoned among the judges.

Judges 4:5 In-Context

3 clamaveruntque filii Israhel ad Dominum nongentos enim habebat falcatos currus et per viginti annos vehementer oppresserat eos

4 erat autem Debbora prophetis uxor Lapidoth quae iudicabat populum in illo tempore

5 et sedebat sub palma quae nomine illius vocabatur inter Rama et Bethel in monte Ephraim ascendebantque ad eam filii Israhel in omne iudicium

6 quae misit et vocavit Barac filium Abinoem de Cedes Nepthalim dixitque ad eum praecepit tibi Dominus Deus Israhel vade et duc exercitum in montem Thabor tollesque tecum decem milia pugnatorum de filiis Nepthalim et de filiis Zabulon

7 ego autem ducam ad te in loco torrentis Cison Sisaram principem exercitus Iabin et currus eius atque omnem multitudinem et tradam eos in manu tua