Judges Chapter 4 verse 4 Holy Bible
Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
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Now Deborah, a woman prophet, the wife of Lapidoth, was judge of Israel at that time.
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Now Deb'orah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapp'idoth, was judging Israel at that time.
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And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
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And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
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Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
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And Deborah, a woman inspired, wife of Lapidoth, she is judging Israel at that time,
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Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(4) Deborah.--The name means "bee," like the Greek Melissa. The names of Jewish women were often derived from natural objects, as Rachel, "a lamb," Tamar,"a palm," &c. It has been sometimes regarded as a title given to her as a prophetess, just as the priestesses of Delphi were called Bees (Pindar, Pyth. iv. 106); and priests were called by the title Malebee (Ess?n). But the fact that Rachel's nurse (Genesis 35:8) had the same name is against this supposition, though Josephus (Antt. v., ? 5) accepts it. She had, as Cornelius a Lapide quaintly says, "a sting for foes, and honey for friends." The pronunciation Deb?rah is now so deeply-rooted in England (possibly from the Vulgate, Debbora) that it would, perhaps, be pedantic to alter it; but properly the "?" is long ?????; LXX., Deborra and Debb?ra).A prophetess.--Literally, a woman, a prophetess; like Miriam (Exodus 15:20), Huldah (2Kings 22:14), Noadiah (Nehemiah 6:14), Anna (Luke 2:36), &c. She is the only female judge, or, indeed, female ruler of any kind in Jewish history, except the Phoenician murderess, Athaliah. She is also the only judge to whom the title "prophet" is expressly given. "Prophetess" (like the Latin Vates) implies the possession of poetic as well as of prophetic gifts (Exodus 15:20); and we see her right to such a title, both in her predictions (Judges 4:9), her lofty courage (Judges 5:7), and the splendour of her inspired song (Judges 5). She has modern parallels in the Teutonic prophetesses, Veleda and Alaurinia (Tac., Germ. 8), and Joan of Arc, the "Inspired Maid of Domremi." Among the Jews prophetesses were the exception; among the ancient Germans they were the rule. . . . Parallel Commentaries ...HebrewNow Deborah,וּדְבוֹרָה֙ (ū·ḏə·ḇō·w·rāh)Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singularStrong's 1683: Deborah -- two Israelite womena prophetess,נְבִיאָ֔ה (nə·ḇî·’āh)Noun - feminine singularStrong's 5031: A prophetess, inspired woman, a poetess, a, prophet's wifethe wifeאֵ֖שֶׁת (’ê·šeṯ)Noun - feminine singular constructStrong's 802: Woman, wife, femaleof Lappidoth,לַפִּיד֑וֹת (lap·pî·ḏō·wṯ)Noun - proper - masculine singularStrong's 3941: Lappidothwas judgingשֹׁפְטָ֥ה (šō·p̄ə·ṭāh)Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singularStrong's 8199: To judge, pronounce sentence, to vindicate, punish, to govern, to litigateIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (yiś·rā·’êl)Noun - proper - masculine singularStrong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his descat thatהִ֛יא (hî)Pronoun - third person feminine singularStrong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, aretime.בָּעֵ֥ת (bā·‘êṯ)Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singularStrong's 6256: Time, now, whenJump to PreviousDeborah Deb'orah Inspired Israel Judge Judged Judging Leading Prophet Prophetess Time Wife