Archives for January 2022

“From Efrayim came those rooted in ‘Amalek. Behind you, Binyamin is with your peoples. From Makhir the commanders marched down, and from Z’vulun those holding the musterer’s staff.” -Judges 5:14 In the latter half of verse 14 of Judges Chapter 5, we’re told the military leaders of Makhir also contributed their share of soldiers. Okay, […]

“From Efrayim came those rooted in ‘Amalek. Behind you, Binyamin is with your peoples. From Makhir the commanders marched down, and from Z’vulun those holding the musterer’s staff.” -Judges 5:14 Yesterday we expounded on the mysterious phrase about Ephraim being rooted in Amalek. Following on the heels of that phrase, we encounter yet another mysterious […]

“From Efrayim came those rooted in ‘Amalek. Behind you, Binyamin is with your peoples.” -Judges 5:14 Verse 14 presents us with a serious head-scratching problem. It says that Ephraim came to join the battle against the Canaanites, but they were “rooted in Amalek”. What the heck?!?!?! Why is this a problem? Because the Lord swore […]

“Awake, awake, D’vorah! Awake, awake, break into song! Arise, Barak! Lead away your captives, son of Avino‘am! “Then a remnant of the nobles marched down; the people of Adonai marched down to me like warriors.” -Judges 5:12-13 Verses 12 and 13 are all about Devorah putting out the call to holy war. There were two types of […]

Today let’s talk about leadership. Specifically, the type of leadership the Bible approves of and more importantly… …the kind of leadership it flat-out condemns. In the Song of Devorah, Devorah blames Israel’s messed up situation on the passive, complacent and self-serving leadership of Israel’s tribal chiefs and leaders. She doesn’t blame outside circumstances or the […]