The Meaning of Judges 4:5 Explained

Judges 4:5

KJV: And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

YLT: and she is dwelling under the palm-tree of Deborah, between Ramah and Beth-El, in the hill-country of Ephraim, and the sons of Israel go up unto her for judgment.

Darby: She used to sit under the palm of Deb'orah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of E'phraim; and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment.

ASV: And she dwelt under the palm-tree of Deborah between Ramah and Beth-el in the hill-country of Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And she dwelt  under the palm tree  of Deborah  between Ramah  and Bethel  in mount  Ephraim:  and the children  of Israel  came up  to her for judgment. 

What does Judges 4:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Judges 4:1-11 - A Woman's Deliverance
The scene changes to the northern part of Canaan. Deborah probably belonged to Issachar, Judges 5:15; but her seat of government was removed to the hill country of Ephraim, probably for greater security. Her spirit was susceptible to God, and she recognized that the hour for the emancipation of her suffering country was at hand. Indeed, the command had gone forth, Judges 4:6. But the divine method is ever to link command and promise, as we discover in Judges 4:7. Barak had true faith, Hebrews 11:32; but it needed inspiration and stimulus, as a dying fire calls for the bellows.
Kedesh, the gathering-place, was not far from the shores of the Lake of Galilee. From the table-land on the top of Tabor, these two heroic souls watched the gathering of Sisera's vast host, far away to the slopes of Carmel and the banks of Kishon, soon to be encrimsoned with blood. What a moment that was when Deborah summoned Barak to arise, because the Lord had already gone forth! Who of us need fear and who need hesitate in the face of difficulty, if we are simply called upon to go in the wake of our Lord? [source]

Chapter Summary: Judges 4

1  Deborah and Barak deliver them from Jabin and Sisera
17  Jael kills Sisera

What do the individual words in Judges 4:5 mean?

And she would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and in Bethel in the mountains of Ephraim and came up to her the sons of Israel for judgment
וְ֠הִיא יוֹשֶׁ֨בֶת תַּֽחַת־ תֹּ֜מֶר דְּבוֹרָ֗ה בֵּ֧ין הָרָמָ֛ה וּבֵ֥ין בֵּֽית־ אֵ֖ל בְּהַ֣ר אֶפְרָ֑יִם וַיַּעֲל֥וּ אֵלֶ֛יהָ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לַמִּשְׁפָּֽט

וְ֠הִיא  And  she 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
יוֹשֶׁ֨בֶת  would  sit 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
תַּֽחַת־  under 
Parse: Preposition
Root: מִתְחָה 
Sense: the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas.
תֹּ֜מֶר  the  palm  tree 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: תֹּמֶר 
Sense: palm tree, post, column.
דְּבוֹרָ֗ה  of  Deborah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: דְּבֹורָה  
Sense: the nurse of Rebekah who accompanied her from the house of Bethuel.
בֵּ֧ין  between 
Parse: Preposition
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
הָרָמָ֛ה  Ramah 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: רָמָה 
Sense: a town in Benjamin on the border of Ephraim about 5 miles (8 km) from Jerusalem and near to Gibeah.
אֵ֖ל  Bethel 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בֵּית־אֵל  
Sense: ancient place and seat of worship in Ephraim on border of Benjamin, identified with Luz (former name).
בְּהַ֣ר  in  the  mountains 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
אֶפְרָ֑יִם  of  Ephraim 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶפְרַיִם  
Sense: second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh.
וַיַּעֲל֥וּ  and  came  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
אֵלֶ֛יהָ  to  her 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
בְּנֵ֥י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
לַמִּשְׁפָּֽט  for  judgment 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.