Heber the Kenite - Judges 4:11

In the book of Judges we learned how, “Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. 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. And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Has not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? And I will draw unto you to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into your hand. And Barak said unto her, If you will go with me, then I will go: but if you will not go with me, then I will not go. And she said, I will surely go with you: notwithstanding the journey that you take shall not be for your honor; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh. And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him”, and in chapter four and verse eleven of Judges, we learn how, “Heber the Kenite … had severed himself from the Kenites” where we read,

Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh.

The verse reads, “Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, …” The writer began with the words, “now Heber the Kenite” which means “Heber whose name means ‘comrade’ and was the husband of Jael, who slew Sisera by driving a nail into his temple, the Kenite whose name means ‘smiths’ and was the tribe from which the father-in-law of Moses was a member and lived in the area between southern Palestine and the mountains of Sinai”, “which was of the children of Hobab” or “who existed as one of the offspring and progeny belonging to Hobab whose name means ‘cherished’ and was the son of Reuel, the Midianite father-in-law of Moses, also known as Jethro, and brother-in-law of Moses” “the father in law of Moses” or “the male progenitor according to the law of marriage belonging to Moses whose name means ‘drawn out’ and was the prophet, lawgiver and leader of the exodus”, “had severed himself” which means “had separated, divided and spread apart his own self” “from the Kenites” or “separate and apart from the Kenites who were the descendants of the smiths”. The writer shared how “Heber” who existed as a “Kenite” and was from the offspring and progeny belonging to “Hobab” who was “Moses’” male progenitor in law by marriage, separated from the “Kenites”. 

The verse continues, “… and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh.” The writer added the words, “and pitched his tent” which means “and stretched, spread out and extended his temporary dwelling place” “unto the plain of Zaanaim” or “to the great terebinth tree belonging to Zaanaim or Zaanannim whose name means ‘removings’ and was a place in Naphtali near Kedesh”, “which is by Kedesh” which means “that is next to and beside Kedesh whose name means ‘holy place’ and was a city in the extreme south of Judah”. The writer shared how “Heber” stretched out his temporary dwelling place at the great terebinth tree which was located in “Zaanaim”. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we learn about the husband of a central figure in this story of deliverance of Israel by Jehovah God. “Heber” was the male spouse belonging to “Jael” who will play a significant role in the defeat of “Jabin”, and we shall learn about her in later verses. God had a plan for these people, and He has a plan for us. He worked out the first part of His plan for us when He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind and raised Him from the dead after three days. When we yield to Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put His Holy Spirit within us to guide us into all truth and empower us to live according to that truth so we fulfill His plan for us in whatever way He desires. (See John 3:16; Jeremiah 29:11) 

Next time we learn how, “they showed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".