Deborah, Yael, and Sisera’s Mother: A 3-Act Story

Questions to dive deeper into the story of Deborah, plus music and art

Deborah "on one foot":

Deborah was a judge of the Israelites in the time after Joshua and before Samuel. During her time, King Yavin of the Canaanites was oppressing the Israelites with the help of his general, Sisera. This story is the Haftarah for Parashat Beshalach because both have a redemption from oppression and a song after the story. It’s the longest Haftarah of the year with 51 verses — Haftarat HaAzinu (which is also done on Shabbat Chol HaMoed Pesach) also has 51 verses, but the verses are shorter.

Context: This is a painting that is related to the story. How exactly will be revealed later. For now:

1. What do you see?

2. What do you think?

3. What do you wonder?

Act 1

שופטים ד׳:א׳-ט״ז

Judges 4:1-16

Context: This is from the Biblical Book of Judges, which takes place after Joshua dies. The previous leader of the Israelites, Ehud, was now dead. The Canaanites had iron weapons, including chariots, while the Israelites still had bronze weapons. Deborah, or “Devorah” in Hebrew, is the modern Hebrew word for “bee”.

1. At what points could this part of the story have turned out differently?

2. How might Deborah have become a leader of the people?

3. Lappidot was Deborah’s husband. How might he have felt about her “job”?

4. What might Deborah's emotional reaction have been to Barak's refusal to lead without her?

Act 2

שופטים ד׳:י״ז-כ״ד

(יז) וְסִֽיסְרָא֙ נָ֣ס בְּרַגְלָ֔יו אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל יָעֵ֔ל אֵ֖שֶׁת חֶ֣בֶר הַקֵּינִ֑י כִּ֣י שָׁל֗וֹם בֵּ֚ין יָבִ֣ין מֶלֶךְ־חָצ֔וֹר וּבֵ֕ין בֵּ֖ית חֶ֥בֶר הַקֵּינִֽי׃(יח) וַתֵּצֵ֣א יָעֵל֮ לִקְרַ֣את סִֽיסְרָא֒ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו סוּרָ֧ה אֲדֹנִ֛י סוּרָ֥ה אֵלַ֖י אַל־תִּירָ֑א וַיָּ֤סַר אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙ הָאֹ֔הֱלָה וַתְּכַסֵּ֖הוּ בַּשְּׂמִיכָֽה׃(יט) וַיֹּ֧אמֶר אֵלֶ֛יהָ הַשְׁקִינִי־נָ֥א מְעַט־מַ֖יִם כִּ֣י צָמֵ֑אתִי וַתִּפְתַּ֞ח אֶת־נֹ֧אוד הֶחָלָ֛ב וַתַּשְׁקֵ֖הוּ וַתְּכַסֵּֽהוּ׃(כ) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלֶ֔יהָ עֲמֹ֖ד פֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֑הֶל וְהָיָה֩ אִם־אִ֨ישׁ יָבֹ֜א וּשְׁאֵלֵ֗ךְ וְאָמַ֛ר הֲיֵֽשׁ־פֹּ֥ה אִ֖ישׁ וְאָמַ֥רְתְּ אָֽיִן׃(כא) וַתִּקַּ֣ח יָעֵ֣ל אֵֽשֶׁת־חֶ֠בֶר אֶת־יְתַ֨ד הָאֹ֜הֶל וַתָּ֧שֶׂם אֶת־הַמַּקֶּ֣בֶת בְּיָדָ֗הּ וַתָּב֤וֹא אֵלָיו֙ בַּלָּ֔אט וַתִּתְקַ֤ע אֶת־הַיָּתֵד֙ בְּרַקָּת֔וֹ וַתִּצְנַ֖ח בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְהֽוּא־נִרְדָּ֥ם וַיָּ֖עַף וַיָּמֹֽת׃(כב) וְהִנֵּ֣ה בָרָק֮ רֹדֵ֣ף אֶת־סִֽיסְרָא֒ וַתֵּצֵ֤א יָעֵל֙ לִקְרָאת֔וֹ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ לֵ֣ךְ וְאַרְאֶ֔ךָּ אֶת־הָאִ֖ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֣ה מְבַקֵּ֑שׁ וַיָּבֹ֣א אֵלֶ֔יהָ וְהִנֵּ֤ה סִֽיסְרָא֙ נֹפֵ֣ל מֵ֔ת וְהַיָּתֵ֖ד בְּרַקָּתֽוֹ׃(כג) וַיַּכְנַ֤ע אֱלֹהִים֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא אֵ֖ת יָבִ֣ין מֶֽלֶךְ־כְּנָ֑עַן לִפְנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃(כד) וַתֵּ֜לֶךְ יַ֤ד בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ הָל֣וֹךְ וְקָשָׁ֔ה עַ֖ל יָבִ֣ין מֶלֶךְ־כְּנָ֑עַן עַ֚ד אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִכְרִ֔יתוּ אֵ֖ת יָבִ֥ין מֶלֶךְ־כְּנָֽעַן׃ {פ}

Judges 4:17-24

(17) Sisera, meanwhile, had fled on foot to the tent of Yael, wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was friendship between King Yavin of Hazor and the family of Heber the Kenite.(18) Yael came out to greet Sisera and said to him, “Come in, my lord, come in here, do not be afraid.” So he entered her tent, and she covered him with a blanket.(19) He said to her, “Please let me have some water; I am thirsty.” She opened a skin of milk and gave him some to drink; and she covered him again.(20) He said to her, “Stand at the entrance of the tent. If anybody comes and asks you if there is anybody here, say ‘No.’”(21) Then Yael wife of Heber took a tent pin and grasped the mallet. When he was fast asleep from exhaustion, she approached him stealthily and drove the pin through his temple till it went down to the ground. Thus he died.(22) Now Barak appeared in pursuit of Sisera. Yael went out to greet him and said, “Come, I will show you the man you are looking for.” He went inside with her, and there Sisera was lying dead, with the pin in his temple.(23) On that day God subdued King Yavin of Canaan before the Israelites.(24) The hand of the Israelites bore harder and harder on King Yavin of Canaan, until they destroyed King Yavin of Canaan.

Context: This is the next part of the story. It has lessons about the importance of Jews making allies with other groups who can help us (like when Israel was attacked by Iran twice in 2024).

1. At what points could this part of the story have turned out differently?

2. Why might Yael have chosen to kill Sisera, particularly since she wasn’t an Israelite?

3. What might Yael have been feeling before and after she killed Sisera?

4. Heber, Yael's husband, seems to have been away at the time. How might he have reacted to Yael telling him what she did? Does it depend on what her reasoning was?

Act 3

שופטים ה׳

(א) וַתָּ֣שַׁר דְּבוֹרָ֔ה וּבָרָ֖ק בֶּן־אֲבִינֹ֑עַם בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ב) בִּפְרֹ֤עַ פְּרָעוֹת֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּהִתְנַדֵּ֖ב עָ֑ם בָּֽרְכ֖וּ יהוה׃ (ג) שִׁמְע֣וּ מְלָכִ֔ים הַאֲזִ֖ינוּ רֹֽזְנִ֑ים אָנֹכִ֗י לַֽיהוה אָנֹכִ֣י אָשִׁ֔ירָה אֲזַמֵּ֕ר לַֽיהוה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ד) יהוה בְּצֵאתְךָ֤ מִשֵּׂעִיר֙ בְּצַעְדְּךָ֙ מִשְּׂדֵ֣ה אֱד֔וֹם אֶ֣רֶץ רָעָ֔שָׁה גַּם־שָׁמַ֖יִם נָטָ֑פוּ גַּם־עָבִ֖ים נָ֥טְפוּ מָֽיִם׃ (ה) הָרִ֥ים נָזְל֖וּ מִפְּנֵ֣י יהוה זֶ֣ה סִינַ֔י מִפְּנֵ֕י יהוה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ו) בִּימֵ֞י שַׁמְגַּ֤ר בֶּן־עֲנָת֙ בִּימֵ֣י יָעֵ֔ל חָֽדְל֖וּ אֳרָח֑וֹת וְהֹלְכֵ֣י נְתִיב֔וֹת יֵלְכ֕וּ אֳרָח֖וֹת עֲקַלְקַלּֽוֹת׃ (ז) חָדְל֧וּ פְרָז֛וֹן בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל חָדֵ֑לּוּ עַ֤ד שַׁקַּ֙מְתִּי֙ דְּבוֹרָ֔ה שַׁקַּ֥מְתִּי אֵ֖ם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ח) יִבְחַר֙ אֱלֹהִ֣ים חֲדָשִׁ֔ים אָ֖ז לָחֶ֣ם שְׁעָרִ֑ים מָגֵ֤ן אִם־יֵֽרָאֶה֙ וָרֹ֔מַח בְּאַרְבָּעִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ט) לִבִּי֙ לְחוֹקְקֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַמִּֽתְנַדְּבִ֖ים בָּעָ֑ם בָּרְכ֖וּ יהוה׃ (י) רֹכְבֵי֩ אֲתֹנ֨וֹת צְחֹר֜וֹת יֹשְׁבֵ֧י עַל־מִדִּ֛ין וְהֹלְכֵ֥י עַל־דֶּ֖רֶךְ שִֽׂיחוּ׃ (יא) מִקּ֣וֹל מְחַֽצְצִ֗ים בֵּ֚ין מַשְׁאַבִּ֔ים שָׁ֤ם יְתַנּוּ֙ צִדְק֣וֹת יהוה צִדְקֹ֥ת פִּרְזוֹנ֖וֹ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אָ֛ז יָֽרְד֥וּ לַשְּׁעָרִ֖ים עַם־יהוה׃ (יב) עוּרִ֤י עוּרִי֙ דְּבוֹרָ֔ה ע֥וּרִי ע֖וּרִי דַּבְּרִי־שִׁ֑יר ק֥וּם בָּרָ֛ק וּֽשְׁבֵ֥ה שֶׁבְיְךָ֖ בֶּן־אֲבִינֹֽעַם׃ (יג) אָ֚ז יְרַ֣ד שָׂרִ֔יד לְאַדִּירִ֖ים עָ֑ם יהוה יְרַד־לִ֖י בַּגִּבּוֹרִֽים׃ (יד) מִנִּ֣י אֶפְרַ֗יִם שׇׁרְשָׁם֙ בַּעֲמָלֵ֔ק אַחֲרֶ֥יךָ בִנְיָמִ֖ין בַּעֲמָמֶ֑יךָ מִנִּ֣י מָכִ֗יר יָֽרְדוּ֙ מְחֹ֣קְקִ֔ים וּמִ֨זְּבוּלֻ֔ן מֹשְׁכִ֖ים בְּשֵׁ֥בֶט סֹפֵֽר׃ (טו) וְשָׂרַ֤י בְּיִשָּׂשכָר֙ עִם־דְּבֹרָ֔ה וְיִשָּׂשכָר֙ כֵּ֣ן בָּרָ֔ק בָּעֵ֖מֶק שֻׁלַּ֣ח בְּרַגְלָ֑יו בִּפְלַגּ֣וֹת רְאוּבֵ֔ן גְּדֹלִ֖ים חִקְקֵי־לֵֽב׃ (טז) לָ֣מָּה יָשַׁ֗בְתָּ בֵּ֚ין הַֽמִּשְׁפְּתַ֔יִם לִשְׁמֹ֖עַ שְׁרִק֣וֹת עֲדָרִ֑ים לִפְלַגּ֣וֹת רְאוּבֵ֔ן גְּדוֹלִ֖ים חִקְרֵי־לֵֽב׃ (יז) גִּלְעָ֗ד בְּעֵ֤בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן֙ שָׁכֵ֔ן וְדָ֕ן לָ֥מָּה יָג֖וּר אֳנִיּ֑וֹת אָשֵׁ֗ר יָשַׁב֙ לְח֣וֹף יַמִּ֔ים וְעַ֥ל מִפְרָצָ֖יו יִשְׁכּֽוֹן׃ (יח) זְבֻל֗וּן עַ֣ם חֵרֵ֥ף נַפְשׁ֛וֹ לָמ֖וּת וְנַפְתָּלִ֑י עַ֖ל מְרוֹמֵ֥י שָׂדֶֽה׃ (יט) בָּ֤אוּ מְלָכִים֙ נִלְחָ֔מוּ אָ֤ז נִלְחֲמוּ֙ מַלְכֵ֣י כְנַ֔עַן בְּתַעְנַ֖ךְ עַל־מֵ֣י מְגִדּ֑וֹ בֶּ֥צַע כֶּ֖סֶף לֹ֥א לָקָֽחוּ׃ (כ) מִן־שָׁמַ֖יִם נִלְחָ֑מוּ הַכּֽוֹכָבִים֙ מִמְּסִלּוֹתָ֔ם נִלְחֲמ֖וּ עִם־סִֽיסְרָֽא׃ (כא) נַ֤חַל קִישׁוֹן֙ גְּרָפָ֔ם נַ֥חַל קְדוּמִ֖ים נַ֣חַל קִישׁ֑וֹן תִּדְרְכִ֥י נַפְשִׁ֖י עֹֽז׃ (כב) אָ֥ז הָלְמ֖וּ עִקְּבֵי־ס֑וּס מִֽדַּהֲר֖וֹת דַּהֲר֥וֹת אַבִּירָֽיו׃ (כג) א֣וֹרוּ מֵר֗וֹז אָמַר֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יהוה אֹ֥רוּ אָר֖וֹר יֹשְׁבֶ֑יהָ כִּ֤י לֹֽא־בָ֙אוּ֙ לְעֶזְרַ֣ת יהוה לְעֶזְרַ֥ת יהוה בַּגִּבּוֹרִֽים׃ (כד) תְּבֹרַךְ֙ מִנָּשִׁ֔ים יָעֵ֕ל אֵ֖שֶׁת חֶ֣בֶר הַקֵּינִ֑י מִנָּשִׁ֥ים בָּאֹ֖הֶל תְּבֹרָֽךְ׃ (כה) מַ֥יִם שָׁאַ֖ל חָלָ֣ב נָתָ֑נָה בְּסֵ֥פֶל אַדִּירִ֖ים הִקְרִ֥יבָה חֶמְאָֽה׃ (כו) יָדָהּ֙ לַיָּתֵ֣ד תִּשְׁלַ֔חְנָה וִימִינָ֖הּ לְהַלְמ֣וּת עֲמֵלִ֑ים וְהָלְמָ֤ה סִֽיסְרָא֙ מָחֲקָ֣ה רֹאשׁ֔וֹ וּמָחֲצָ֥ה וְחָלְפָ֖ה רַקָּתֽוֹ׃ (כז) בֵּ֣ין רַגְלֶ֔יהָ כָּרַ֥ע נָפַ֖ל שָׁכָ֑ב בֵּ֤ין רַגְלֶ֙יהָ֙ כָּרַ֣ע נָפָ֔ל בַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר כָּרַ֔ע שָׁ֖ם נָפַ֥ל שָׁדֽוּד׃ (כח) בְּעַד֩ הַחַלּ֨וֹן נִשְׁקְפָ֧ה וַתְּיַבֵּ֛ב אֵ֥ם סִֽיסְרָ֖א בְּעַ֣ד הָאֶשְׁנָ֑ב מַדּ֗וּעַ בֹּשֵׁ֤שׁ רִכְבּוֹ֙ לָב֔וֹא מַדּ֣וּעַ אֶֽחֱר֔וּ פַּעֲמֵ֖י מַרְכְּבוֹתָֽיו׃ (כט) חַכְמ֥וֹת שָׂרוֹתֶ֖יהָ תַּעֲנֶ֑ינָּה אַף־הִ֕יא תָּשִׁ֥יב אֲמָרֶ֖יהָ לָֽהּ׃ (ל) הֲלֹ֨א יִמְצְא֜וּ יְחַלְּק֣וּ שָׁלָ֗ל רַ֤חַם רַחֲמָתַ֙יִם֙ לְרֹ֣אשׁ גֶּ֔בֶר שְׁלַ֤ל צְבָעִים֙ לְסִ֣יסְרָ֔א שְׁלַ֥ל צְבָעִ֖ים רִקְמָ֑ה צֶ֥בַע רִקְמָתַ֖יִם לְצַוְּארֵ֥י שָׁלָֽל׃ (לא) כֵּ֠ן יֹאבְד֤וּ כׇל־אוֹיְבֶ֙יךָ֙ יהוה וְאֹ֣הֲבָ֔יו כְּצֵ֥את הַשֶּׁ֖מֶשׁ בִּגְבֻרָת֑וֹ וַתִּשְׁקֹ֥ט הָאָ֖רֶץ אַרְבָּעִ֥ים שָׁנָֽה׃ {פ}

Judges 5

(1) On that day Deborah and Barak son of Avino'am sang:(2) When locks go untrimmed in Israel,
When people dedicate themselves—
Bless the LORD!(3) Hear, O kings! Give ear, O potentates!
I will sing, will sing to the LORD,
Will hymn the LORD, the God of Israel.(4) O LORD, when You came forth from Seir,
Advanced from the country of Edom,
The earth trembled;
The heavens dripped,
Yea, the clouds dripped water,(5) The mountains quaked—
Before the LORD, God of Sinai,
Before the LORD, God of Israel.(6) In the days of Shamgar son of Anat,
In the days of Yael, caravans ceased,
And wayfarers went
By roundabout paths.(7) Deliverance ceased,
Ceased in Israel,
Till you arose, O Deborah,
Arose, O mother, in Israel!(8) When they chose new gods,
Was there a fighter then in the gates?
No shield or spear was seen
Among forty thousand in Israel!(9) My heart is with Israel’s leaders,
With the dedicated of the people—
Bless the LORD!(10) You riders on tawny she-donkeys,
You who sit on saddle rugs,
And you wayfarers, declare it!(11) Louder than the sound of archers,
There among the watering places
Let them chant the gracious acts of the LORD,
God's gracious deliverance of Israel.
Then did the people of the LORD
March down to the gates!(12) Awake, awake, O Deborah!
Awake, awake, strike up the chant!
Arise, O Barak;
Take your captives, O son of Avino'am!(13) Then was the remnant made victor over the mighty,
The LORD’s people won my victory over the warriors.(14) From Ephraim came they whose roots are in Amalek;
After you, your kin Benjamin;
From Machir came down leaders,
From Zebulun such as hold the marshal’s staff.(15) And Issachar’s chiefs were with Deborah;
As Barak, so was Issachar—
Rushing after him into the valley.

Among the clans of Reuben
Were great decisions of heart.(16) Why then did you stay among the sheepfolds
And listen as they pipe for the flocks?
Among the clans of Reuben
Were great searchings of heart!(17) Gilead tarried beyond the Jordan;
And Dan—why did he linger by the ships?
Asher remained at the seacoast
And tarried at his landings.(18) Zebulun is a people that mocked at death,
Naphtali—on the open heights.(19) Then the kings came, they fought:
The kings of Canaan fought
At Taanach, by Megiddo’s waters—
They got no spoil of silver.(20) The stars fought from heaven,
From their courses they fought against Sisera.(21) The torrent Kishon swept them away,
The raging torrent [Kidumim], the torrent Kishon.

March on, my soul, with courage!(22) Then the horses’ hoofs pounded
As headlong galloped the steeds.(23) “Curse Meroz!” said the angel of the LORD.
“Bitterly curse its inhabitants,
Because they came not to the aid of the LORD,
To the aid of the LORD among the warriors.”(24) Blessed by women be Yael,
Wife of Heber the Kenite, blessed by women in tents.(25) He asked for water, she offered milk;
In a princely bowl she brought him curds.(26) Her [left] hand reached for the tent pin,
Her right for the workmen’s hammer.
She struck Sisera, crushed his head,
Smashed and pierced his temple.(27) At her feet he sank, lay outstretched,
At her feet he sank, lay still;
Where he sank, there he lay—destroyed.(28) Through the window peered Sisera’s mother,
Behind the lattice she whined:
“Why is his chariot so long in coming?
Why so late the clatter of his wheels?”(29) The wisest of her ladies give answer;
She, too, replies to herself:(30) “They must be dividing the spoil they have found:
A damsel or two for each man,
Spoil of dyed cloths for Sisera,
Spoil of embroidered cloths,
A couple of embroidered cloths
Round every neck as spoil.”(31) So may all Your enemies perish, O LORD!
But may God's friends be as the sun rising in might!

And the land was tranquil forty years.

Context: This is a retelling of the same story in Acts 1 and 2, except now in poetic form. It is considered one of the oldest pieces of the Hebrew Bible, dating back to the eleventh century BCE, shortly after the events mentioned in them. This version of the story adds that there was a rainstorm, attributed to G-d, which neutralizes the advantage of the iron chariots. The text “Biblical Antiquities” by “Pseudo-Philo” from the first century CE gives the name “Themach” to Sisera’s mother (https://www.thetorah.com/article/deborah-yael-and-siseras-mother-themech) (see here for the actual text in translation: https://archive.org/details/biblicalantiquit00pseurich/page/169/mode/1up)

1. At what points could this part of the story have turned out differently?

2. Why is Sisera's mother concerned about his delay?

3. How long might it be before she realizes that her son is not coming home to her again?

4. Why might Sisera's mother's wails be the model for the sound of the shofar? What can we learn from this connection? (Rosh Hashanah 33b:10) (see here for more on this topic: How to Get Meaning from the Shofar | Sefaria)

This is "Mother of Sisera", by Albert Joseph Moore, done in 1866. Fanny Eaton is the model. (To learn more about the painting, see here: https://victorianweb.org/painting/moore/paintings/19.html) (To learn more about Fanny Eaton as well as the mother of Sisera, see here: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/257793?lang=bi)

Musical Versions

Context: This is Debbie Friedman’s “Devorah’s Song”. It takes a phrase from the beginning of Judges 5, the song version of the story. The song may have been written for the Bat-Mitzvah of a girl named Deborah. It was released on her 2005 album “Songs of the Spirit” (https://www.discogs.com/release/13394743-Debbie-Friedman-Songs-Of-The-Spirit-The-Debbie-Friedman-Anthology).

Context: This is the “Immortal Lord of Earth and Skies” chorus from George Handel’s oratorio “Deborah”, premiered in 1733.

Context: This is a retelling, slightly midrashic, of the story, from BimBam in 2014. And no, there were no dreidel horses, throwing Jewish stars, or bayonet menorahs.

Context: This is Idina Menzel singing her Haftarah (start at 1:57).

Historical Veracity of This Story

From History of the Bible, by Ian Wilson, p. 80-85

- The fact that Deborah was the leader of the Israelites yet kept “court” under a palm tree helps to explain why there isn’t much in the way of Israelite buildings that have survived from this time.
- There was a 12th century BCE Canaanite ivory knife-handle found at Megiddo (northern Israel) that depicted the Canaanite warrior armored and driving a chariot, while holding a massive spear and carrying quivers of arrows. He is accompanied by similarly-armed foot soldiers. Lashed to the chariot are two naked but turbaned “Shoshu” who are circumcised. This appears to support the idea of King Yavin and General Sisera of the Canaanites oppressing and enslaving the Israelites.
- The “Wadi Kishon” still exists today as the River Kishon in the Jezreel Valley. One source of the River Kishon begins on the lower slopes of Mount Tabor, a few miles south-west of the Sea of Galilee.
- The “Song of Deborah” is one of the oldest parts of the Hebrew Bible, with the archaic language dating it to at least as far back as the 12th century BCE. Even otherwise conservative textual scholars agree with this dating.
- The Egyptian Temple of Karnak at Luxor has a listing of Canaanite place names that were on the Egyptian campaign routes into Canaan. This listing corroborates some of the place-names in the story of Deborah.
- At the Temple of Karnak, the 13th-century BCE pharaoh Ramesses II had an itinerary that described the meeting spot of the Jezreel Valley and Mount Tabor as “Qerumin-Qishon of Ibn-Shimshon-Hadasht”.
- Because in the Bible “d” and “r” are often interchanged (the Hebrew letters are very similar), the American scholar Charles R. Krahmalkov has noticed that “Qerumim” could be the same as “Qedumim”.
- In Judges 5:21, “Qedumim” is given as an alternate name for “Qishon”, just as the Egyptians tie them together.
- “The River Qishon” probably got its name from the ancient town of Qishon, now Tel Qaysun, a mile south of Mount Tabor.
- “Hadasht” is probably the same as “Charoshet-Goyim”, Sisera’s base-camp (Judges 4:13 and 16). Today, this is Ayn al-Hadath, 5 miles north-east of Tel Qaysun.
- Krahmalkov identifies “ibn” with “Yavin”, a common name for kings of this region. Joshua defeated a much earlier “Yavin, king of Hazor” (Joshua 11:1), and Israeli archeologist Amnon Ben-Tor found at Hazor an even earlier cuneiform tablet from the 18th century BCE inscribed “to Ibni”, i.e. “to Yavin”.
- Judges 4:17 and 4:23 make it clear that King Yavin was based in Hazor, and that Deborah and Barak destroyed King Yavin. Given that Joshua had captured Hazor, it must have been recaptured by the Canaanites in between. Hazor was found by the British archeologist John Garstang in the 1920s, and excavated by the Israeli archeologist Yigal Yadin in the 1950s. Work continued in the 1990s under Amnon Ben-Tor.
- In the Middle and Late Bronze Ages, Hazor was a major Canaanite city with temples and a magnificent palace. It underwent a series of destructions culminating in a major one around 1275 BCE where the cult statues were deliberately smashed. Egyptians never did this (because they thought this would curse them), and rival Canaanites would never do this. It seems that this was more in line with the timing for Deborah and Barak (Judges 4:23) rather than Joshua.
- In the ancient “Song of Deborah” (Judges 5), only certain tribes are credited with answering Deborah’s call to arms, while other tribes were criticized as not. Self-critical accounts are unlikely to be included unless they are reflecting true events. Two tribes that did not join the fight were Reuben and Gilead/Gad. We know from Numbers 32:1 that these tribes were shepherds, so according to the American scholar Lawrence Stager they probably had a symbiotic relationship with Canaanite town-dwellers. Dan and Asher are described as living by the Mediterranean Sea, so they were probably involved in the active Canaanite trading activities. These four tribes would have good reason to not attack other Canaanites.
- The tribes of Ephraim, Benjamin, Machir/Manasseh, Zebulun, Issachar, and Naftali were more in the central hill country from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea. They were more involved in fighting against the Canaanites.
- Yael’s pouring of milk for Sisera from a goatskin in her tent are good examples of why there may not be much hard archeological evidence of the Israelites of that time period (besides absence of pig bones after a certain point).
- In Biblical and extra-Biblical sources, high-born Canaanite women are described as looking out windows; the motif is similarly common in Canaanite art.

With appreciation to Reading the Women of the Bible by Tikva Frymer-Kensky and Listen to Her Voice by Miki Raver.

Appendix A: The Full Story (and Haftarat B’shalach)

שופטים ד׳-ה׳

(א) וַיֹּסִ֙פוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יהוה וְאֵה֖וּד מֵֽת׃(ב) וַיִּמְכְּרֵ֣ם יהוה בְּיַד֙ יָבִ֣ין מֶלֶךְ־כְּנַ֔עַן אֲשֶׁ֥ר מָלַ֖ךְ בְּחָצ֑וֹר וְשַׂר־צְבָאוֹ֙ סִֽיסְרָ֔א וְה֥וּא יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בַּחֲרֹ֥שֶׁת הַגּוֹיִֽם׃(ג) וַיִּצְעֲק֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶל־יהוה כִּ֠י תְּשַׁ֨ע מֵא֤וֹת רֶֽכֶב־בַּרְזֶל֙ ל֔וֹ וְ֠ה֠וּא לָחַ֞ץ אֶת־בְּנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל בְּחׇזְקָ֖ה עֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָֽה׃ {פ}(ד) וּדְבוֹרָה֙ אִשָּׁ֣ה נְבִיאָ֔ה אֵ֖שֶׁת לַפִּיד֑וֹת הִ֛יא שֹׁפְטָ֥ה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בָּעֵ֥ת הַהִֽיא׃(ה) וְ֠הִ֠יא יוֹשֶׁ֨בֶת תַּחַת־תֹּ֜מֶר דְּבוֹרָ֗ה בֵּ֧ין הָרָמָ֛ה וּבֵ֥ין בֵּֽית־אֵ֖ל בְּהַ֣ר אֶפְרָ֑יִם וַיַּעֲל֥וּ אֵלֶ֛יהָ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לַמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃(ו) וַתִּשְׁלַ֗ח וַתִּקְרָא֙ לְבָרָ֣ק בֶּן־אֲבִינֹ֔עַם מִקֶּ֖דֶשׁ נַפְתָּלִ֑י וַתֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלָ֜יו הֲלֹ֥א צִוָּ֣ה ׀ יהוה אֱלֹהֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לֵ֤ךְ וּמָֽשַׁכְתָּ֙ בְּהַ֣ר תָּב֔וֹר וְלָקַחְתָּ֣ עִמְּךָ֗ עֲשֶׂ֤רֶת אֲלָפִים֙ אִ֔ישׁ מִבְּנֵ֥י נַפְתָּלִ֖י וּמִבְּנֵ֥י זְבֻלֽוּן׃(ז) וּמָשַׁכְתִּ֨י אֵלֶ֜יךָ אֶל־נַ֣חַל קִישׁ֗וֹן אֶת־סִֽיסְרָא֙ שַׂר־צְבָ֣א יָבִ֔ין וְאֶת־רִכְבּ֖וֹ וְאֶת־הֲמוֹנ֑וֹ וּנְתַתִּ֖יהוּ בְּיָדֶֽךָ׃(ח) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙ בָּרָ֔ק אִם־תֵּלְכִ֥י עִמִּ֖י וְהָלָ֑כְתִּי וְאִם־לֹ֥א תֵֽלְכִ֛י עִמִּ֖י לֹ֥א אֵלֵֽךְ׃(ט) וַתֹּ֜אמֶר הָלֹ֧ךְ אֵלֵ֣ךְ עִמָּ֗ךְ אֶ֚פֶס כִּי֩ לֹ֨א תִֽהְיֶ֜ה תִּֽפְאַרְתְּךָ֗ עַל־הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַתָּ֣ה הוֹלֵ֔ךְ כִּ֣י בְֽיַד־אִשָּׁ֔ה יִמְכֹּ֥ר יהוה אֶת־סִֽיסְרָ֑א וַתָּ֧קׇם דְּבוֹרָ֛ה וַתֵּ֥לֶךְ עִם־בָּרָ֖ק קֶֽדְשָׁה׃(י) וַיַּזְעֵ֨ק בָּרָ֜ק אֶת־זְבוּלֻ֤ן וְאֶת־נַפְתָּלִי֙ קֶ֔דְשָׁה וַיַּ֣עַל בְּרַגְלָ֔יו עֲשֶׂ֥רֶת אַלְפֵ֖י אִ֑ישׁ וַתַּ֥עַל עִמּ֖וֹ דְּבוֹרָֽה׃(יא) וְחֶ֤בֶר הַקֵּינִי֙ נִפְרָ֣ד מִקַּ֔יִן מִבְּנֵ֥י חֹבָ֖ב חֹתֵ֣ן מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיֵּ֣ט אׇֽהֳל֔וֹ עַד־אֵיל֥וֹן (בצענים)[בְּצַעֲנַנִּ֖ים] אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֶת־קֶֽדֶשׁ׃(יב) וַיַּגִּ֖דוּ לְסִֽיסְרָ֑א כִּ֥י עָלָ֛ה בָּרָ֥ק בֶּן־אֲבִינֹ֖עַם הַר־תָּבֽוֹר׃(יג) וַיַּזְעֵ֨ק סִֽיסְרָ֜א אֶת־כׇּל־רִכְבּ֗וֹ תְּשַׁ֤ע מֵאוֹת֙ רֶ֣כֶב בַּרְזֶ֔ל וְאֶת־כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתּ֑וֹ מֵחֲרֹ֥שֶׁת הַגּוֹיִ֖ם אֶל־נַ֥חַל קִישֽׁוֹן׃(יד) וַתֹּ֩אמֶר֩ דְּבֹרָ֨ה אֶל־בָּרָ֜ק ק֗וּם כִּ֣י זֶ֤ה הַיּוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁר֩ נָתַ֨ן יהוה אֶת־סִֽיסְרָא֙ בְּיָדֶ֔ךָ הֲלֹ֥א יהוה יָצָ֣א לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וַיֵּ֤רֶד בָּרָק֙ מֵהַ֣ר תָּב֔וֹר וַעֲשֶׂ֧רֶת אֲלָפִ֛ים אִ֖ישׁ אַחֲרָֽיו׃(טו) וַיָּ֣הׇם יהוה אֶת־סִֽיסְרָ֨א וְאֶת־כׇּל־הָרֶ֧כֶב וְאֶת־כׇּל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֛ה לְפִי־חֶ֖רֶב לִפְנֵ֣י בָרָ֑ק וַיֵּ֧רֶד סִֽיסְרָ֛א מֵעַ֥ל הַמֶּרְכָּבָ֖ה וַיָּ֥נׇס בְּרַגְלָֽיו׃(טז) וּבָרָ֗ק רָדַ֞ף אַחֲרֵ֤י הָרֶ֙כֶב֙ וְאַחֲרֵ֣י הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה עַ֖ד חֲרֹ֣שֶׁת הַגּוֹיִ֑ם וַיִּפֹּ֞ל כׇּל־מַחֲנֵ֤ה סִֽיסְרָא֙ לְפִי־חֶ֔רֶב לֹ֥א נִשְׁאַ֖ר עַד־אֶחָֽד׃(יז) וְסִֽיסְרָא֙ נָ֣ס בְּרַגְלָ֔יו אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל יָעֵ֔ל אֵ֖שֶׁת חֶ֣בֶר הַקֵּינִ֑י כִּ֣י שָׁל֗וֹם בֵּ֚ין יָבִ֣ין מֶלֶךְ־חָצ֔וֹר וּבֵ֕ין בֵּ֖ית חֶ֥בֶר הַקֵּינִֽי׃(יח) וַתֵּצֵ֣א יָעֵל֮ לִקְרַ֣את סִֽיסְרָא֒ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו סוּרָ֧ה אֲדֹנִ֛י סוּרָ֥ה אֵלַ֖י אַל־תִּירָ֑א וַיָּ֤סַר אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙ הָאֹ֔הֱלָה וַתְּכַסֵּ֖הוּ בַּשְּׂמִיכָֽה׃(יט) וַיֹּ֧אמֶר אֵלֶ֛יהָ הַשְׁקִינִי־נָ֥א מְעַט־מַ֖יִם כִּ֣י צָמֵ֑אתִי וַתִּפְתַּ֞ח אֶת־נֹ֧אוד הֶחָלָ֛ב וַתַּשְׁקֵ֖הוּ וַתְּכַסֵּֽהוּ׃(כ) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלֶ֔יהָ עֲמֹ֖ד פֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֑הֶל וְהָיָה֩ אִם־אִ֨ישׁ יָבֹ֜א וּשְׁאֵלֵ֗ךְ וְאָמַ֛ר הֲיֵֽשׁ־פֹּ֥ה אִ֖ישׁ וְאָמַ֥רְתְּ אָֽיִן׃(כא) וַתִּקַּ֣ח יָעֵ֣ל אֵֽשֶׁת־חֶ֠בֶר אֶת־יְתַ֨ד הָאֹ֜הֶל וַתָּ֧שֶׂם אֶת־הַמַּקֶּ֣בֶת בְּיָדָ֗הּ וַתָּב֤וֹא אֵלָיו֙ בַּלָּ֔אט וַתִּתְקַ֤ע אֶת־הַיָּתֵד֙ בְּרַקָּת֔וֹ וַתִּצְנַ֖ח בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְהֽוּא־נִרְדָּ֥ם וַיָּ֖עַף וַיָּמֹֽת׃(כב) וְהִנֵּ֣ה בָרָק֮ רֹדֵ֣ף אֶת־סִֽיסְרָא֒ וַתֵּצֵ֤א יָעֵל֙ לִקְרָאת֔וֹ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ לֵ֣ךְ וְאַרְאֶ֔ךָּ אֶת־הָאִ֖ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֣ה מְבַקֵּ֑שׁ וַיָּבֹ֣א אֵלֶ֔יהָ וְהִנֵּ֤ה סִֽיסְרָא֙ נֹפֵ֣ל מֵ֔ת וְהַיָּתֵ֖ד בְּרַקָּתֽוֹ׃(כג) וַיַּכְנַ֤ע אֱלֹהִים֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא אֵ֖ת יָבִ֣ין מֶֽלֶךְ־כְּנָ֑עַן לִפְנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃(כד) וַתֵּ֜לֶךְ יַ֤ד בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ הָל֣וֹךְ וְקָשָׁ֔ה עַ֖ל יָבִ֣ין מֶלֶךְ־כְּנָ֑עַן עַ֚ד אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִכְרִ֔יתוּ אֵ֖ת יָבִ֥ין מֶלֶךְ־כְּנָֽעַן׃ {פ}(א) וַתָּ֣שַׁר דְּבוֹרָ֔ה וּבָרָ֖ק בֶּן־אֲבִינֹ֑עַם בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ב) בִּפְרֹ֤עַ פְּרָעוֹת֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּהִתְנַדֵּ֖ב עָ֑ם בָּֽרְכ֖וּ יהוה׃ (ג) שִׁמְע֣וּ מְלָכִ֔ים הַאֲזִ֖ינוּ רֹֽזְנִ֑ים אָנֹכִ֗י לַֽיהוה אָנֹכִ֣י אָשִׁ֔ירָה אֲזַמֵּ֕ר לַֽיהוה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ד) יהוה בְּצֵאתְךָ֤ מִשֵּׂעִיר֙ בְּצַעְדְּךָ֙ מִשְּׂדֵ֣ה אֱד֔וֹם אֶ֣רֶץ רָעָ֔שָׁה גַּם־שָׁמַ֖יִם נָטָ֑פוּ גַּם־עָבִ֖ים נָ֥טְפוּ מָֽיִם׃ (ה) הָרִ֥ים נָזְל֖וּ מִפְּנֵ֣י יהוה זֶ֣ה סִינַ֔י מִפְּנֵ֕י יהוה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ו) בִּימֵ֞י שַׁמְגַּ֤ר בֶּן־עֲנָת֙ בִּימֵ֣י יָעֵ֔ל חָֽדְל֖וּ אֳרָח֑וֹת וְהֹלְכֵ֣י נְתִיב֔וֹת יֵלְכ֕וּ אֳרָח֖וֹת עֲקַלְקַלּֽוֹת׃ (ז) חָדְל֧וּ פְרָז֛וֹן בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל חָדֵ֑לּוּ עַ֤ד שַׁקַּ֙מְתִּי֙ דְּבוֹרָ֔ה שַׁקַּ֥מְתִּי אֵ֖ם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ח) יִבְחַר֙ אֱלֹהִ֣ים חֲדָשִׁ֔ים אָ֖ז לָחֶ֣ם שְׁעָרִ֑ים מָגֵ֤ן אִם־יֵֽרָאֶה֙ וָרֹ֔מַח בְּאַרְבָּעִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ט) לִבִּי֙ לְחוֹקְקֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַמִּֽתְנַדְּבִ֖ים בָּעָ֑ם בָּרְכ֖וּ יהוה׃ (י) רֹכְבֵי֩ אֲתֹנ֨וֹת צְחֹר֜וֹת יֹשְׁבֵ֧י עַל־מִדִּ֛ין וְהֹלְכֵ֥י עַל־דֶּ֖רֶךְ שִֽׂיחוּ׃ (יא) מִקּ֣וֹל מְחַֽצְצִ֗ים בֵּ֚ין מַשְׁאַבִּ֔ים שָׁ֤ם יְתַנּוּ֙ צִדְק֣וֹת יהוה צִדְקֹ֥ת פִּרְזוֹנ֖וֹ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אָ֛ז יָֽרְד֥וּ לַשְּׁעָרִ֖ים עַם־יהוה׃ (יב) עוּרִ֤י עוּרִי֙ דְּבוֹרָ֔ה ע֥וּרִי ע֖וּרִי דַּבְּרִי־שִׁ֑יר ק֥וּם בָּרָ֛ק וּֽשְׁבֵ֥ה שֶׁבְיְךָ֖ בֶּן־אֲבִינֹֽעַם׃ (יג) אָ֚ז יְרַ֣ד שָׂרִ֔יד לְאַדִּירִ֖ים עָ֑ם יהוה יְרַד־לִ֖י בַּגִּבּוֹרִֽים׃ (יד) מִנִּ֣י אֶפְרַ֗יִם שׇׁרְשָׁם֙ בַּעֲמָלֵ֔ק אַחֲרֶ֥יךָ בִנְיָמִ֖ין בַּעֲמָמֶ֑יךָ מִנִּ֣י מָכִ֗יר יָֽרְדוּ֙ מְחֹ֣קְקִ֔ים וּמִ֨זְּבוּלֻ֔ן מֹשְׁכִ֖ים בְּשֵׁ֥בֶט סֹפֵֽר׃ (טו) וְשָׂרַ֤י בְּיִשָּׂשכָר֙ עִם־דְּבֹרָ֔ה וְיִשָּׂשכָר֙ כֵּ֣ן בָּרָ֔ק בָּעֵ֖מֶק שֻׁלַּ֣ח בְּרַגְלָ֑יו בִּפְלַגּ֣וֹת רְאוּבֵ֔ן גְּדֹלִ֖ים חִקְקֵי־לֵֽב׃ (טז) לָ֣מָּה יָשַׁ֗בְתָּ בֵּ֚ין הַֽמִּשְׁפְּתַ֔יִם לִשְׁמֹ֖עַ שְׁרִק֣וֹת עֲדָרִ֑ים לִפְלַגּ֣וֹת רְאוּבֵ֔ן גְּדוֹלִ֖ים חִקְרֵי־לֵֽב׃ (יז) גִּלְעָ֗ד בְּעֵ֤בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן֙ שָׁכֵ֔ן וְדָ֕ן לָ֥מָּה יָג֖וּר אֳנִיּ֑וֹת אָשֵׁ֗ר יָשַׁב֙ לְח֣וֹף יַמִּ֔ים וְעַ֥ל מִפְרָצָ֖יו יִשְׁכּֽוֹן׃ (יח) זְבֻל֗וּן עַ֣ם חֵרֵ֥ף נַפְשׁ֛וֹ לָמ֖וּת וְנַפְתָּלִ֑י עַ֖ל מְרוֹמֵ֥י שָׂדֶֽה׃ (יט) בָּ֤אוּ מְלָכִים֙ נִלְחָ֔מוּ אָ֤ז נִלְחֲמוּ֙ מַלְכֵ֣י כְנַ֔עַן בְּתַעְנַ֖ךְ עַל־מֵ֣י מְגִדּ֑וֹ בֶּ֥צַע כֶּ֖סֶף לֹ֥א לָקָֽחוּ׃ (כ) מִן־שָׁמַ֖יִם נִלְחָ֑מוּ הַכּֽוֹכָבִים֙ מִמְּסִלּוֹתָ֔ם נִלְחֲמ֖וּ עִם־סִֽיסְרָֽא׃ (כא) נַ֤חַל קִישׁוֹן֙ גְּרָפָ֔ם נַ֥חַל קְדוּמִ֖ים נַ֣חַל קִישׁ֑וֹן תִּדְרְכִ֥י נַפְשִׁ֖י עֹֽז׃ (כב) אָ֥ז הָלְמ֖וּ עִקְּבֵי־ס֑וּס מִֽדַּהֲר֖וֹת דַּהֲר֥וֹת אַבִּירָֽיו׃ (כג) א֣וֹרוּ מֵר֗וֹז אָמַר֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יהוה אֹ֥רוּ אָר֖וֹר יֹשְׁבֶ֑יהָ כִּ֤י לֹֽא־בָ֙אוּ֙ לְעֶזְרַ֣ת יהוה לְעֶזְרַ֥ת יהוה בַּגִּבּוֹרִֽים׃ (כד) תְּבֹרַךְ֙ מִנָּשִׁ֔ים יָעֵ֕ל אֵ֖שֶׁת חֶ֣בֶר הַקֵּינִ֑י מִנָּשִׁ֥ים בָּאֹ֖הֶל תְּבֹרָֽךְ׃ (כה) מַ֥יִם שָׁאַ֖ל חָלָ֣ב נָתָ֑נָה בְּסֵ֥פֶל אַדִּירִ֖ים הִקְרִ֥יבָה חֶמְאָֽה׃ (כו) יָדָהּ֙ לַיָּתֵ֣ד תִּשְׁלַ֔חְנָה וִימִינָ֖הּ לְהַלְמ֣וּת עֲמֵלִ֑ים וְהָלְמָ֤ה סִֽיסְרָא֙ מָחֲקָ֣ה רֹאשׁ֔וֹ וּמָחֲצָ֥ה וְחָלְפָ֖ה רַקָּתֽוֹ׃ (כז) בֵּ֣ין רַגְלֶ֔יהָ כָּרַ֥ע נָפַ֖ל שָׁכָ֑ב בֵּ֤ין רַגְלֶ֙יהָ֙ כָּרַ֣ע נָפָ֔ל בַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר כָּרַ֔ע שָׁ֖ם נָפַ֥ל שָׁדֽוּד׃ (כח) בְּעַד֩ הַחַלּ֨וֹן נִשְׁקְפָ֧ה וַתְּיַבֵּ֛ב אֵ֥ם סִֽיסְרָ֖א בְּעַ֣ד הָאֶשְׁנָ֑ב מַדּ֗וּעַ בֹּשֵׁ֤שׁ רִכְבּוֹ֙ לָב֔וֹא מַדּ֣וּעַ אֶֽחֱר֔וּ פַּעֲמֵ֖י מַרְכְּבוֹתָֽיו׃ (כט) חַכְמ֥וֹת שָׂרוֹתֶ֖יהָ תַּעֲנֶ֑ינָּה אַף־הִ֕יא תָּשִׁ֥יב אֲמָרֶ֖יהָ לָֽהּ׃ (ל) הֲלֹ֨א יִמְצְא֜וּ יְחַלְּק֣וּ שָׁלָ֗ל רַ֤חַם רַחֲמָתַ֙יִם֙ לְרֹ֣אשׁ גֶּ֔בֶר שְׁלַ֤ל צְבָעִים֙ לְסִ֣יסְרָ֔א שְׁלַ֥ל צְבָעִ֖ים רִקְמָ֑ה צֶ֥בַע רִקְמָתַ֖יִם לְצַוְּארֵ֥י שָׁלָֽל׃ (לא) כֵּ֠ן יֹאבְד֤וּ כׇל־אוֹיְבֶ֙יךָ֙ יהוה וְאֹ֣הֲבָ֔יו כְּצֵ֥את הַשֶּׁ֖מֶשׁ בִּגְבֻרָת֑וֹ וַתִּשְׁקֹ֥ט הָאָ֖רֶץ אַרְבָּעִ֥ים שָׁנָֽה׃ {פ}

Judges 4-5

(1) The Israelites again did what was offensive to the LORD—Ehud now being dead.(2) And the LORD surrendered them to King Yavin of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. His army commander was Sisera, whose base was Charoshet-goyim.(3) The Israelites cried out to the LORD; for he had nine hundred iron chariots, and he had oppressed Israel ruthlessly for twenty years.(4) Deborah, wife of Lappidot, was a prophetess; she led Israel at that time.(5) She used to sit under the Palm of Deborah, between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites would come to her for decisions.(6) She summoned Barak son of Avino’am, of Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, “The LORD, the God of Israel, has commanded: Go, march up to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun.(7) And I will draw Sisera, Yavin’s army commander, with his chariots and his troops, toward you up to the Wadi Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hands.”(8) But Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go; if not, I will not go.”(9) “Very well, I will go with you,” she answered. “However, there will be no glory for you in the course you are taking, for then the LORD will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh.(10) Barak then mustered Zebulun and Naphtali at Kedesh; ten thousand men marched up after him;^-a and Deborah also went up with him.(11) Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the other Kenites,^-b descendants of Hobab, father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent at Elon-bezaanannim, which is near Kedesh.(12) Sisera was informed that Barak son of Avino’am had gone up to Mount Tabor.(13) So Sisera ordered all his chariots—nine hundred iron chariots—and all the troops he had to move from Charosheth-goyim to the Wadi Kishon.(14) Then Deborah said to Barak, “Up! This is the day on which the LORD will deliver Sisera into your hands: the LORD is marching before you.” Barak charged down Mount Tabor, followed by the ten thousand men,(15) and the LORD threw Sisera and all his chariots and army into a panic before the onslaught of Barak.^-c Sisera leaped from his chariot and fled on foot(16) as Barak pursued the chariots and the soldiers as far as Charoshet-goyim. All of Sisera’s soldiers fell by the sword; not a man was left.(17) Sisera, meanwhile, had fled on foot to the tent of Yael, wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was friendship between King Yavin of Hazor and the family of Heber the Kenite.(18) Yael came out to greet Sisera and said to him, “Come in, my lord, come in here, do not be afraid.” So he entered her tent, and she covered him with a blanket.(19) He said to her, “Please let me have some water; I am thirsty.” She opened a skin of milk and gave him some to drink; and she covered him again.(20) He said to her, “Stand at the entrance of the tent. If anybody comes and asks you if there is anybody here, say ‘No.’”(21) Then Yael wife of Heber took a tent pin and grasped the mallet. When he was fast asleep from exhaustion, she approached him stealthily and drove the pin through his temple till it went down to the ground. Thus he died.(22) Now Barak appeared in pursuit of Sisera. Yael went out to greet him and said, “Come, I will show you the man you are looking for.” He went inside with her, and there Sisera was lying dead, with the pin in his temple.(23) On that day God subdued King Yavin of Canaan before the Israelites.(24) The hand of the Israelites bore harder and harder on King Yavin of Canaan, until they destroyed King Yavin of Canaan.(1) On that day Deborah and Barak son of Avino’am sang:(2) When locks go untrimmed^-b in Israel,
When people dedicate themselves—
Bless the LORD!(3) Hear, O kings! Give ear, O potentates!
I will sing, will sing to the LORD,
Will hymn the LORD, the God of Israel.(4) O LORD, when You came forth from Seir,
Advanced from the country of Edom,
The earth trembled;
The heavens dripped,
Yea, the clouds dripped water,(5) The mountains quaked—
Before the LORD, God of Sinai,
Before the LORD, God of Israel.(6) In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,^-d
In the days of Yael, caravans ceased,
And wayfarers went
By roundabout paths.(7) Deliverance ceased,
Ceased in Israel,
Till you arose, O Deborah,
Arose, O mother, in Israel!(8) When they chose new gods,
Was there a fighter then in the gates?^-g
No shield or spear was seen
Among forty thousand in Israel!(9) My heart is with Israel’s leaders,
With the dedicated of the people—
Bless the LORD!(10) You riders on tawny she-donkeys,
You who sit on saddle rugs,
And you wayfarers, declare it!(11) Louder than the sound of archers,^-h
There among the watering places
Let them chant the gracious acts of the LORD,
God’s gracious deliverance of Israel.
Then did the people of the LORD
March down to the gates!(12) Awake, awake, O Deborah!
Awake, awake, strike up the chant!
Arise, O Barak;
Take your captives, O son of Avino’am!(13) Then was the remnant made victor over the mighty,
The LORD’s people won my victory over the warriors.(14) From Ephraim came they whose roots are in Amalek;
After you, your kin Benjamin;
From Machir came down leaders,
From Zebulun such as hold the marshal’s staff.(15) And Issachar’s chiefs were with Deborah;
As Barak, so was Issachar—
Rushing after him into the valley.

Among the clans of Reuben
Were great decisions of heart.(16) Why then did you stay among the sheepfolds
And listen as they pipe for the flocks?
Among the clans of Reuben
Were great searchings of heart!(17) Gilead tarried beyond the Jordan;
And Dan—why did he linger by the ships?^-j
Asher remained at the seacoast
And tarried at his landings.(18) Zebulun is a people that mocked at death,^-k
Naphtali—on the open heights.(19) Then the kings came, they fought:
The kings of Canaan fought
At Taanach, by Megiddo’s waters—
They got no spoil of silver.(20) The stars fought from heaven,
From their courses they fought against Sisera.(21) The torrent Kishon swept them away,
The raging torrent, the torrent Kishon.

March on, my soul, with courage!(22) Then the horses’ hoofs pounded
As headlong galloped the steeds.^-m(23) “Curse Meroz!” said the angel of the LORD.
“Bitterly curse its inhabitants,
Because they came not to the aid of the LORD,
To the aid of the LORD among the warriors.”(24) Blessed by women be Yael,
Wife of Heber the Kenite,
Blessed by women in tents.(25) He asked for water, she offered milk;
In a princely bowl she brought him curds.(26) Her [left] hand reached for the tent pin,
Her right for the workmen’s hammer.
She struck Sisera, crushed his head,
Smashed and pierced his temple.(27) At her feet he sank, lay outstretched,
At her feet he sank, lay still;
Where he sank, there he lay—destroyed.(28) Through the window peered Sisera’s mother,
Behind the lattice she whined:
“Why is his chariot so long in coming?
Why so late the clatter of his wheels?”(29) The wisest of her ladies give answer;
She, too, replies to herself:(30) “They must be dividing the spoil they have found:
A damsel or two for each man,
Spoil of dyed cloths for Sisera,
Spoil of embroidered cloths,
A couple of embroidered cloths
Round every neck as spoil.”(31) So may all Your enemies perish, O LORD!
But may God’s friends be as the sun rising in might!

And the land was tranquil forty years.

Appendix B: Deborah, Yael, and Sisera in the News

Ancient mosaics of biblical heroines found in lower Galilee
These are the earliest known depictions of Jael and Deborah, in the Book of Judges, to have been discovered.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF

Published: JULY 12, 2022 17:33

Ancient mosaics dating back nearly 1,600 years have been unearthed in the Lower Galilee, with some of the latest findings being the first-known depictions of the biblical heroines Deborah and Jael, as announced by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The findings were made in a 14th-century Mameluke synagogue in the ancient village of Huqoq as part of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Huqoq Excavation Project and led by Prof. Jodi Magness.

The project itself is an ongoing initiative in the area, currently in its 10th season after having a brief hiatus due to COVID-19. The ninth season was back in 2019.

“This is the first depiction of this episode and the first time we’ve seen a depiction of the biblical heroines Deborah and Jael in ancient Jewish art.”
Prof. Jodi Magness

Deborah and Jael: Biblical heroines

The characters of Deborah and Jael both feature in the Book of Judges chapter 4.

As the story recounts, this was a time period when a Canaanite King Jabin had sent his general Sisera to conquer the Land of Israel.

However, at the time there was a woman, Deborah, who acted as a judge — essentially a leadership figure. She was a prophetess, famously associated with being underneath palm trees as she worked, and who helped military leader Barak raise an army, composed of the Israelite tribes of Naphtali and Zebulon, to defeat Sisera in battle.

However, Sisera would flee the battlefield rather than be captured by the Israelite forces. He instead went to the tent of Hever the Kenite for refuge. Hever was not there but his wife Jael was.

There, Jael supposedly fed him until he fell asleep, after which she took a hammer and drove a tent peg into his skull, killing him.

It is these two scenes, Deborah under a palm tree with a battle-ready Barak and Jael driving the tent peg into Sisera's head that is preserved in these mosaics.

The mosaics found on the floor of an ancient synagogue are divided into three registers (three horizontal stripes). One depicts Deborah and Barak. The middle, which isn't fully preserved, seems to show Sisera sitting. The last shows Sisera dead, blood coming out of his head after Jael killed him.

“This is the first depiction of this episode and the first time we’ve seen a depiction of the biblical heroines Deborah and Jael in ancient Jewish art,” Magness said in a statement.

“Looking at the book of Joshua chapter 19, we can see how the story might have had special resonance for the Jewish community at Huqoq, as it is described as taking place in the same geographical region – the territory of the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulon.”

Previous finds

These are not the first biblical scenes found in Huqoq. In addition to this, they also found scenes of Samson, the spies sent by Moses to explore Canaan, Noah's Ark, the splitting of the Red Sea, the Tower of Bable and many more.

But research is still ongoing, with more excavations set to begin in the summer of 2023.
Marcy Oster/JTA contributed to this report.

https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-711887

Long time archaeological riddle solved
Canaanite general was based in Wadi Ara.
By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH

Published: JULY 2, 2010 03:19

The riddle of the identity of a 3,200-year-old round bronze tablet with a carved face of a woman has apparently been solved, 13 years after it was discovered at the El-ahwat excavation site between Katzir-Harish and Nahal Iron (Wadi Ara) by scientist Oren Cohen of the University of Haifa.The small, broken-off piece of metal is probably part of a linchpin that held the wheel to a war chariot sent to battle by the Canaanite general Sisera against the Israelites, says Prof. Adam Zertal, who for 33 years has led weekly walks with university colleagues and volunteers over “every square meter” of Samaria and the Jordan Rift to search for archeological evidence from biblical times.The round, bronze tablet, about 2 centimeters in diameter and 5 millimeters thick, features a carved face of a woman wearing a cap and earrings shaped as chariot wheels. It was found in a structure identified as the “Governor’s House.”

Cohen was unable to find its parallel in any other archeological discoveries. When carrying out a study on the walls of the Temple of Rameses III in Egypt of ancient reliefs depicting chariot battles, Cohen identified a unique decoration – the bronze linchpins fastening the chariot wheels were decorated with the faces of captives, foreigners and enemies of Egypt. He also noticed that these decorations characterized those chariots that were used by royalty and other dignitaries. Cohen found that the linchpin with the woman’s face found near Katzir was almost identical to that found in the Egyptian temple.The identification as a linchpin, Zertal said, reinforces the claim that a high-ranking Egyptian or local ruler was based at this location and is likely to support the theory that the site is Haroshet Hagoyim – the Canaanite base of Sisera, as mentioned in the fourth and fifth chapter of the Book of Judges, the 70-year archeologist told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday.The Egyptians and Canaanites both created linchpins for chariots with the carved faces of their enemies; the place on the wheels were considered “very undignified,” said Zertal, like the Jews putting Haman’s name on the soles of their shoes for beating against the floor while the Book of Esther is read aloud.The woman whose face is depicted on the linchpin found at the site was apparently a Hittite goddess; the Hittites were bitter enemies of the Egyptians. “So suddenly we realized that there was evidence of chariots from the head of the broken linchpin, which was found 10 centimeters underground in the large ‘Governor’s House’ that overlooked the northern quarter, where a large number of chariots had apparently been parked,” Zertal said.

The city’s uniqueness – its fortifications, passageways in the walls and rounded huts uncovered in the Zertal digs – made it foreign amid the Canaanite landscape. Zertal has proposed that based on these unusual features, the site may have been home to the Shardana tribe of the Sea Peoples, who, according to some researchers, lived in Harosheth Haggoyim, Sisera’s capital city.The full excavation and its conclusions have been summarized in Zertal’s 2010 Hebrew-language science-based novel, Sisera’s Secret, A Journey following the Sea-Peoples and the Song of Deborah.Sisera was the captain of the army of Yavin, king of Canaan. According to Judges 4:3, Sisera led an army of 900 iron chariots and oppressed the Israelites for two decades. Deborah the Prophetess, then leader of the Israelite tribes, persuaded Barak to face Sisera in battle. He led a force of 10,000 and destroyed the army of Sisera, whose origin was completely unknown. The battle, the Bible says, led to a 40-year peace.After his defeat, Sisera fled to the tent of Hever the Kenite in the plain of Za’anaim, where Hever’s wife, Yael, invited him inside and gave him milk to drink. This put him into a slumber; Yael – becoming the second heroine in the story after Deborah – quietly came close to him and pounded one of the tent pegs into his temple with a mallet, killing her enemy.
The Haifa archeologist was raised at a Hashomer Hatzair kibbutz andseverely wounded in the Yom Kippur War. “I spent a year at HadassahHospital in Jerusalem, and I became interested in archeology. AlthoughI had argued that the Bible was full of myths, I decided after myrecovery to travel the land by foot to look for archeological evidence.”Zertal, who took the walks often using crutches from his decades-oldinjury, added: “I am a man of science and have to investigate whetherwhat is described in the Bible suits the geography. Nobody thoughtthere was an altar on Mount Ebal, but the evidence was found. It is nota legend. When you do archeological research as you should, you see alot [of the biblical stories] is reality.”

Zertal identified Sisera with the town of Sassari, arguing that he came from the people of Shardana – or Sardinia. “Sisera’s name did not appear on any archeological findings in the Middle East. But we did research and found that in Sardinia, there is a city called Sassari. About a third of people’s names in the world are based on the place their family come from. We believe that Sisera or his family came from Sassari. Sea peoples came to the Land of Israel from the sea. The Philistines were the most famous, but the Shardana people also arrived,” Zertal said.Eighteen years ago, said Zertal of the university’s Zinman Institute of Archeology, “we discovered an unknown city near Katzir with a huge, six-meter-wide wall. We found corridors, which were unusual, and in 1995 reached the conclusion that the residents were foreigners and not natives. They established features from their native home, just as the Chinese in New York created Chinatown. Everything fit together,” said Zertal, who noted that the area in Wadi Ara was very strategic, as it connected between Galilee and Samaria. “So the battle of Sisera and the Israelites was very important. But we had no visible signs where the Haroshet Hagoyim mentioned in the Bible as the place where the chariots left for battle actually was located.”The Haifa team wondered where the residents could have come from and realized that the Egyptian writing on the Temple of Rameses III in the 12th century BCE described his being a warrior who fought against Philistine and Shardana soldiers who wanted to capture Egypt. He was described as having constructed citadels, but archeologists were unable to find any.Zertal noted that it was fortunate the site was not built on afterward,from after the battle until the modern age. “But Katzir had plans toexpand into the area. That has been canceled, and we have built afence. We want people to visit the site,” he said.

https://www.jpost.com/Christian-In-Israel/Features/Long-time-archaeological-riddle-solved

Archaeological site could cast light on life of Biblical villain Sisera
The Bronze Age site of el Ahwat may have been the fortress of the Canaanite commander Sisera, whose death at the hands of Jael is recorded in the Book of Judges.
By DONNA RACHEL EDMUNDS

Published: NOVEMBER 27, 2019 18:55

An unusual archaeological site in northern Israel may shed some light on the lives of Biblical figures, if digging is allowed to resume there next year.While a number of sites in Israel are known for their association to Biblical heroes, el Ahwat, discovered by the late Prof. Adam Zertal of the University of Haifa, is unusual for being linked to a villain.Thanks to its unusual features, more commonly associated with the Shardana tribe of Sardinia, Zertal believed it to be the biblical site known as Harosheth Hagoyim, or Smithy of the Nations, a fortress described in the Book of Judges as the fortress or cavalry base of Sisera.

Commander of the Canaanite army of King Jabin of Hazor, Sisera was defeated by the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali, under the command of Barak and Deborah, before being killed by Jael, who drove a tent peg through his temple.The Governor's House is one of the main attractions of the site. Artifacts discovered there previously include a chariot lynch-pin, which suggests the site may have been used as a military base."What we found in the foundation is a rare corpus of glyptic finds," Dr. Shai Bar, an archaeologist at Haifa University, told i24 News. "We found here more than ten scarabs and seals that date to the 13th and 12th century BCE, including some very unique finds. We have here an ibex ivory head, very rare, that is usually found only in places that are in direct contact with the Pharaonic sites in Egypt."The site gained international interest when similarities were noted between its layout and late Bronze Age structures known to have been created by the Shardana tribe on Sardinia, one of the groups of Sea Peoples. The first definite mention of the tribe is found in the records of Ramses II, who defeated them in his second year when they attempted to raid the Egyptian coast lands. Shardana captives were used by the pharaoh in his bodyguard.

"All city wall lines in Levantine architecture are usually straight," Bar said. "Here we have something that is bending – that is like a circular line of a city wall."Inside the walls, Bar noted, the site features "these very strange corridor phenomenons," also not commonly found in the Levant. Rather, they are reminiscent of sites in Sardinia and Corsica."When you look at plans of sites of the Shardana in Sardinia, in the second millennium BCE, throughout this entire period, you can see wavy walls, you can see corridors... you can see high heaps of stones, which were developed into the classical nuraghic culture of Sardinia. The only good architectural parallels are found in Sardinia and the Shardana culture."The site is also noted as the location of one of the earliest, if not the earliest iron smelting location in the region. The nearby mountain range is known to contain meteorite rock, which provided inhabitants with a source of iron."By smelting it, hitting it, and then working with an anvil and a hammer, they could extract the iron and make weapons, daily tools etc.," Bar said.Despite its significance, locals are now concerned that the site, which is not a national park, could be under threat by plans to develop the local village of Ar'ara.Tour guide Udi Vulchman said: "The fact that we live next to a very ancient site is very significant for us, even though we are not sure whether the people who lived here were Israelites. The fact that there is a theory that they were mentioned in the Bible and in Egyptian inscriptions in the area is very important, to know that this area was very vivid and had the culture."Sharon Halpern, head of the Katzir local union concurred. "We think that Ar'ara will be established and developed, but we don't want any interference to this place, which is a very important place to the Arab community."

If the bulldozers do move in, Bar hopes he can revisit the site with a new dig beforehand, hopefully in 2022."As we can still see here, 15 years after the excavation, we still have iron age pottery; iron age finds scattered on the floor. So although the site [and] the structure was partly excavated, there is still a lot to do here."

https://www.jpost.com/Israeli-Life-In-Docs/Archaeological-site-could-cast-light-on-life-of-Biblical-Villain-609189

David Schwartz

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