Judges 4:5

5 and she sat under a palm tree, that was called by her name, betwixt Ramah and Bethel, in the hill of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel went up to her at each doom. (and she sat under a palm tree, that was named after her, between Ramah and Bethel, in the hill country of Ephraim; and the Israelites went up to her for judgements.)

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 And the sons of Israel cried to the Lord; for Jabin had nine hundred iron chariots, full of weapons, sharp as scythes, and twenty years he oppressed Israel greatly. (And the Israelites cried to the Lord; for Jabin had nine hundred iron chariots, full of weapons, sharp as scythes, and for twenty years he greatly oppressed Israel.)

4 And Deborah was a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, the which Deborah deemed the people of Israel in that time;

5 and she sat under a palm tree, that was called by her name, betwixt Ramah and Bethel, in the hill of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel went up to her at each doom. (and she sat under a palm tree, that was named after her, between Ramah and Bethel, in the hill country of Ephraim; and the Israelites went up to her for judgements.)

6 And she sent, and called Barak, the son of Abinoam, of Kedesh of Naphtali, and she said to him, The Lord God of Israel commanded to thee, (and said,) Go thou, and lead an host into the hill of Tabor, and thou shalt take with thee ten thousand of fighters of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun. (And she sent, and called for Barak, the son of Abinoam, of Kedesh of Naphtali, and she said to him, The Lord God of Israel commanded to thee, and said, Go thou, and lead an army to Mount Tabor, and thou shalt take with thee ten thousand fighting men of the Naphtalites and of the Zebulunites.)

7 And I shall bring to thee, in the place of the strand of Kishon, Sisera, the prince of Jabin's host, and his chariots, and all the multitude; and I shall betake them in thine hand. (And I shall bring to thee, at the Kishon River, Sisera, the leader of Jabin's army, and his chariots, and all the multitude; and I shall deliver them into thy hands.)