DEBORAH

Deborah is one of the heroic women of history. She was one of the most talented
women of the Bible a wife, mother, prophetess, judge, poetess, singer, and political
leader. Her life is a wonderful illustration of the power that womanhood has to influence
society for good. The great influence that Deborah possessed is evident in the fact that
all Israel came to her for counsel and judgment.
The life of Deborah is recorded in Judges 4-5. Chapter 4 contains the prose narrative
and chapter 5 contains the story in poetry. From these accounts we discover the
following facts about Deborahs life:
a. She was married (4:4). Lappidoth was her husband. Here is an interesting point to
ponder. We would never know of Lappidoth if not for his wife! This is the case today.
Many men are honored and respected only because their wives are holy.
b. She possessed talents (4:4,5).
c. She had a great faith (4:4,6,14; 5:13).
d. She is the only woman Judge (4:4). Deborah is the only woman who served God as
an official of the State government. Other women served as Queen but they had
usurped the role.
e. She was well respected (4:5). When she asked Barak, a general from Naphtali, to
come to her (4:6,14), he did not hesitate.
f. She confronted wrongs (4:5; 5:14b-17, 23).
g. She took action to help others (4:9).
h. She was a prophetess. Only two other women in the Old Testament share this
honored designation (Miriam, Ex 15:20; Huldah, 2 Ki 22:14-20).

3. Deborah lived in a period of Israels history that was tragic. Spirituality was at a low
point. The standard of behavior was anarchy. During her time the nation was oppressed
by Canaanite rulers (4:1-3). Oppressed is the same word used to describe Israeli
bondage in Egypt (Ex 3:9). The oppression of Israel was directly associated with the
spiritual decay that had corrupted that nation. Consider some of the causes for Israels
spiritual decline:

a. It had failed to give honor to God (Ps 33:12).

b. It had failed to separate herself from evil associations (1 Co 15:33).
c. It had failed to obey Gods rules for life (Jud 17:6; 21:25). It could not distinguish
between right and wrong.

IBZAN
The name Ibzan was of Hebrew origin, which means splendid. In the Bible, this name
was mentioned as one of the judges of Israel. A minor judge who succeeded Jephthah.
Ibzan became Israels tenth judge. Although he was noted to have been originally from
Bethlehem, it was not very clear if this town was the one from the Tribe of Zebulun or
from the Tribe of Judah.
Judge Ibzan served as Israels great judge for 7 years. There were accounts that he
became a judge from 1081 to 1073 BC.
He had thirty sons and thirty daughters whose marriages he arranged. His sixty children
testified to his multitude of wives and his social importance. Jewish tradition identifies Ibzan
as Boaz (Judges 12:8, 10) the great grandfather of David (Ref. Ruth 4:21-22).

There was not much detail presented in the Bible about the life and character of Ibzan.