Lexical Definition
יָבִין Yâbîyn (yaw-bene') Jabin N:N-M-P
from בִּין; intelligent
Jabin.
- § Jabin = "whom God observes"
- Jabin, the name of two Canaanitish kings
1) a king of Hazor who organised a confederacy of the northern princes against Joshua; confederacy routed by the waters of Merom
2) another king of Hazor whose general, Sisera, was defeated by Barak
Extended Information
- A man living before Israel's Monarchy, first mentioned at Jdg.4.2
Brown-Driver-Briggs
יָבִין proper name, masculine (one who is intelligent, discerning) two Canaanite kings of Hazor; —
1. Josh 11:1.
2. Judg 4:2; Judg 4:7; Judg 4:17; Judg 4:23; Judg 4:24 (twice in verse); Ps 83:10*. (But compare Be Judg 4:2 BuRS 66 f f.)
Brown-Driver-Briggs References
| Book | Refs |
|---|---|
| Joshua | 11:1 |
| Judges | 4:2 · 4:7 · 4:17 · 4:23 · 4:24 |
| Psalms | 83:10* |
Profile
Male • Canaanite king • Canaanite king who oppressed Israel; defeated by Deborah and Barak.
King living before Israel's Monarchy
Jabin, a Canaanite king of Hazor, oppressed Israel for twenty years until he was defeated by Deborah and Barak (Jdg.4.2,23-24; Psa.83.9).
- A king in Canaan living before Israel's Monarchy, first mentioned at Jdg.4.2;
- only referred to as Jabin יָבִין.
Jabin, a Canaanite king of Hazor, is mentioned in the book of Judges as an oppressor of Israel. During this time, the Israelites had done evil in the sight of the Lord, and as a result, God allowed Jabin to overpower them. Jabin had a commander named Sisera, who led a powerful army with nine hundred chariots of iron (Jdg.4.2-3).
For twenty years, Jabin oppressed the Israelites, until they cried out to the Lord for help (Jdg.4.3). God raised up Deborah, a prophetess and judge, to deliver Israel. Deborah summoned Barak and instructed him to gather an army to fight against Sisera (Jdg.4.6-7).
Barak agreed to go only if Deborah would accompany him, to which she consented, but warned that the honor of the victory would go to a woman (Jdg.4.8-9). Deborah and Barak led the Israelite army against Sisera, and with the Lord's help, they defeated the Canaanite forces (Jdg.4.14-16).
Sisera fled on foot and sought refuge in the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. Jael invited him in and covered him with a blanket, but while he slept, she drove a tent peg through his temple, killing him (Jdg.4.17-22).
On that day, God subdued Jabin before the Israelites, and they eventually destroyed him (Jdg.4.23-24). The defeat of Jabin and Sisera is also mentioned in Psalm 83:9 as an example of God's power to deliver His people from their enemies.
This account demonstrates the consequences of Israel's disobedience and the importance of crying out to God in times of oppression. It also highlights the role of women, such as Deborah and Jael, in God's plan of deliverance for His people.
All entries for Jabin: יָבִין