Highlights of Judges 5-7 - Theocratic Ministry School

Study information for Theocratic Ministry School

Bible reading: Judges 5-7 (8 min.)

(Judges 5:4)

Jehovah, when you went out from Se′ir, When you marched out of the territory of E′dom, The earth shook, and the heavens poured, The clouds poured down water.

*** it-1 p. 680 Edom ***
In the poetic blessing Moses pronounced over Israel before his death, he described Jehovah God as ‘coming from Sinai,’ as having “flashed forth from Seir [Edom],” and as having ‘beamed forth from the mountains of Paran.’ A similar description occurs in Barak and Deborah’s song and in the prophecy of Habakkuk. (De 33:2; Jg 5:4, 5; Hab 3:3, 4) This prophetic portrayal thus evidently sets forth the arena, or theater, in which Jehovah had manifested himself to his newly formed nation, illuminating them as by flashes of light shining over the mountain peaks.

(Judges 5:5)

Mountains melted before the face of Jehovah, Even Si′nai before the face of Jehovah, Israel’s God.

*** it-2 p. 444 Mount, Mountain ***
The effects of a severe storm appear to be described when the Bible speaks of mountains ‘melting’ or ‘flowing away.’ (Jg 5:5; Ps 97:5) Heavy rains produce streams and raging torrents that wash the soil away, as if melting it. Similarly, the expression of Jehovah’s anger against the nations was foretold to result in such slaughter that the blood of the slain would melt the mountains, that is, wash the soil away. (Isa 34:1-3)

(Judges 5:6)

In the days of Sham′gar the son of A′nath, In the days of Ja′el, the roads were deserted; Travelers kept to the back roads.

*** it-1 p. 104 Anath ***
1. The father of one of Israel’s judges, Shamgar.—Jg 3:31; 5:6.

(Judges 5:7)

The villagers in Israel were no more; They were no more until I, Deb′o•rah, rose up, Until I arose as a mother in Israel.

*** w03 11/15 p. 28 Through Faith, Barak Routed a Mighty Army ***
Regarding life in Israel, the Scriptures say: “[In those days] pathways had no traffic, and the travelers of roadways would travel by roundabout pathways. The dwellers in open country ceased.” (Judges 5:6, 7) People were terrified of marauding charioteers. “Public life in Israel was governed by fear,” says one scholar, “the whole community seemed paralyzed and helpless.” So as they had often done before, the demoralized Israelites cried to Jehovah for aid.

*** it-1 p. 600 Deborah ***
Deborah and Barak joined in singing a song on the day of victory. Part of the song is written in the first person, indicating that Deborah was its composer, in part, if not in its entirety. (Jg 5:7) It was a custom for the women to celebrate victories with song and dance. (Ex 15:20, 21; Jg 11:34; 1Sa 18:6, 7; Ps 68:11)

VIEW FULL INFORMATION IN THE PDF FILE

Download file in PDF only information for personal study