Wise Women of the Bible

Lesson 1Deborah: A Mother in Israel ............................................3Judges 4:4-16; 5:4-9

Lesson 2Shiphrah and Puah: Resisters of Tyranny ..........................8Exodus 1:8-10, 15-21

Lesson 3The Wise Woman of Tekoa: A Mediator ..........................132 Samuel 14:1-20

Lesson 4The Wise Woman of Abel: An Intercessor ........................182 Samuel 20:14-22

Lesson 5King Lemuel’s Mother: A Teacher of Wisdom ..................23Proverbs 31:1-9

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Prepare Before the SessionRead the session for today in the Study Guide. Then read the options in this Teaching

Guide, placing checkmarks beside the activities you plan to include. After you have decidedwhich options to use, gather the appropriate materials.

WHAT’S IN YOUR TEACHING GUIDE

This Teaching Guide has three purposes:➤ to give the teacher tools for focusing on the content of the session in the Study Guide.➤ to give the teacher additional Bible background information.➤ to give the teacher variety and choice in preparation.

The Teaching Guide includes two major components: Teacher Helps and Teacher Options.

Teacher Helps

Teacher Options

Bible BackgroundThe Study Guide is your mainsource of Bible study material.This section helps you more fullyunderstand and interpret the Scripture text.

Teaching Outlineprovides you with an outlineof the main themes in theStudy Guide.

The next three sections provide a beginning, middle, and endfor the session, with focus paragraphs in between.

Focus Paragraphsare printed in italics at the top of the page because they

are the most important part of the Teaching Guide. Theseparagraphs will help you move your class from “what the text

meant” to “what the text means.”

You Can Choose!There is more material in each session than you can use, so choose the options from each sectionto tailor the session to the needs of your group.

Bible BackgroundDeborah the WarriorEvery story in Judges begins

with a statement that theIsraelites “did evil,” a reference to

their worship of the Canaanite deities,Baal and Asherah. God then sends anoppressor who torments the people viaoccupation, taxation, or military threat.The people eventually cry out under theoppression, and God sends a deliverer.The deliverer defeats the oppressorthrough battle, and a period of peacefollows.

Deborah’s story follows this patternprecisely. The Israelites did evil (4:1). Godhanded them over to Jabin, king of Hazor,and his general Sisera (4:2). After twentyyears of oppression, the people cried out(4:3). God appointed Deborah to deliverthem (4:4–5:30). And a period of peacefollowed (5:31).

In Judges 4:4, the narrator describesDeborah as a prophetess, the “wife ofLappidoth,” and a judge. She is the onlydeliverer in the book of Judges who is alsoidentified as a prophetess.

Although most translations identifyDeborah as the “wife of Lappidoth,” theHebrew text allows for another possibil-ity. The word lappidot means “fires,” and itmight function as an adjective describingDeborah as a “fiery woman” (Niditch, 62).This description certainly suits Deborah,

who moved Israel to action with her stirring words.

Deborah’s judgeship is unique. Likethe other judges, she functions as a military deliverer, but unlike the otherjudges, she also serves as an arbitrator.The people of Israel came to Deborah’spalm tree between Ramah and Bethel, andshe rendered judgments over them.

Deborah shatters the stereotypicalportrayal of a “traditional” Hebrewwoman. She was a military leader, aprophet, and a judge. She was not famousbecause of children she bore or because ofher husband (if indeed she was evenmarried). No one challenged her leader-ship because she was a woman. On thecontrary, she was revered as a wise womanwho ably led Israel through a difficulttime.

The fact that Deborah summonedBarak indicates that she, not Barak, wasthe true military leader. As a prophet, shespoke for God, and God commandedBarak to assemble troops at Mount Tabor.God said, “I will draw out Sisera…and Iwill give him into your hand” (v. 7). Thevictory was assured; God would fight onbehalf of Israel.

But Barak refused to go withoutDeborah (4:8). Why he balked is uncer-tain. Was he afraid? Did he not trust whatDeborah told him? Did he believe that shehad to be on the battlefield, uttering herprophecy in order for the words to cometrue (Boling, 96)? Perhaps Barak thought

1Lesson Teaching Guide

DEBORAH: A MOTHER IN ISRAEL

Judges 4:4-16; 5:4-9

his troops would not believe him if hecalled them to fight a battle they wouldsurely lose. Regardless, Deborah agreedto go with Barak, but she rebuked himfor his faithlessness, declaring that awoman, not he, would get the glory ofkilling Sisera (v. 9).

So Deborah went with Barak toKadesh, and he summoned the armies ofNaphtali and Zebulun. They marched toMount Tabor where they would meetSisera’s army in battle.

At this point, the narrator inserts adetail that interrupts the battle story.Heber the Kenite had emigrated fromMidian to Canaan, and his people campednear Kedesh at the Oak of Zaanim (i.e.,Elon-bezaanannim) (v. 11). Althoughseemingly unimportant, this notice antici-pates the heroism of Jael, wife of Heberthe Kenite, who killed Sisera with a tentpeg (4:17-22). Her story fulfills Deborah’swords that a woman would earn the gloryin the battle.

Sisera assembled his 900 chariots atthe Wadi Kishon, and Deborahcommanded Barak, “Up! For this is theday on which the LORD has given Siserainto your hand. The LORD is indeed goingout before you” (v. 14).

At Deborah’s command, Barak led thetroops forward. According to the Song ofDeborah (5:19-22), God caused rain to fallduring the battle, and the Wadi Kishon—ordinarily a dry riverbed—turned into araging torrent. Sisera’s chariots becamebogged down in the mud and useless inbattle. Without their chariots, theCanaanites no longer had the advantage.The Lord caused panic amongst Sisera’stroops and Sisera fled (vv. 15-17).

Deborah the MotherScholars consider the Song of Deborah( Judg 5) one of the oldest pieces of litera-ture in the Bible. Important events wereoften recorded in song before they wererecorded in prose because a song formmakes the story easier to recall. Thus,Judges 5 is thought to be much older thanJudges 4.

Unfortunately, poetry in any languageis difficult to interpret. That, combinedwith the antiquity of the Hebrew, makestranslation and interpretation ofDeborah’s song even more challenging.Different English translations are likelyto read quite differently.

Introduction: Deborah’s story is not as wellknown as some of the other judges’ stories,Samson’s in particular. But unlike the otherjudges, Deborah was a woman, a prophet,and a public arbitrator. In other words,Deborah was unique. Her story illustratesthe qualities a good leader needs, but evenmore importantly, it challenges stereotypesof women in the Bible. Accordingly,Deborah’s story offers us an opportunity todialogue about women as leaders, espe-cially in the faith community.

I. Deborah the Warrior (Judges 4:1-16)A. Introduction: The Cycle of Sin

(vv. 1-3)B. Deborah: Prophetess, Fiery Woman,

and Arbitrator (vv. 4-5)C. Deborah’s Command to Barak

(vv. 6-7)D. Barak’s Hesitation (vv. 8-9)E. The Battle (vv. 10-16)

1. Assemblage of the IsraeliteTroops (v. 10)

2. Note about the Kenites (v. 11)3. Sisera Gathers His Army

(vv. 12-13)4. Israel’s Victory (vv. 14-16)

a. Deborah’s Command andBarak’s Obedience (v. 14)

b. The Lord’s Intervention (v. 15a)

c. Sisera’s Escape (v. 15b)d. Defeat of Sisera’s Army

(v. 16)II. Deborah the Mother (Judges 5:4-9)

A. The Lord as Warrior (vv. 4-5)B. Deborah, Israel’s Mother (vv. 6-7)C. War in the Gates (vv. 8-9)

4 Lesson 1

❍ Good and Godly LeadersAsk participants to name characteristicsof a good or godly leader. Write responseson the board. Discuss which characteris-tics they think are most (and least)important.

Today we’re going to study a personwho led Israel in the days of the Judges.This leader was unique in many ways anddemonstrated extraordinary qualities ofleadership.

❍ Influential WomenAsk participants to think of an influentialwoman in their lives. Ask for volunteersto share this woman’s story by answeringthe following questions.

Questions➤ Who is (or was) this woman?➤ Why is (or was) she influential?➤ What characteristics about her stand

out?

Today we’re going to discuss an influ-ential woman from the Bible. This womanwas a mother, a prophet, a judge, and amilitary commander. The fact that she isremembered in both narrative and songtells us just how influential she was.

Today we begin a study of “Wise Women of the Bible.” The women we willstudy displayed their wisdom through teaching, leading, and advocating forothers. Begin the session by exploring qualities of good leaders and of

influential women.

A Way to Begin

Teaching Guide 5

Judges 5:1 says, “Then Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang on that day….”Although Barak receives credit alongside Deborah, because Deborah’s name appearsfirst and since the verb “sang” is in the feminine form, Deborah was most likely theactual author of the song (Niditch, 78).

After the call to sing (vv. 2-3), the song proper begins in verses 4-5 with a descriptionof God coming in power. God’s arrival causes the earth to tremble, rain to pour, andmountains to quake. The song is filled with water imagery (see also vv. 17, 19, 21). Godbursts forth like a storm god raging against Israel’s enemies (Ackerman, 56-61). Theseverses probably recall God leading Israel from Sinai through the wilderness into Canaanduring Moses’ and Joshua’s day.

Verse 6 lauds Shamgar, who defeated the Philistines with an oxgoad ( Judg 3:31), andJael, who killed Sisera with her tent peg (4:17-23). But these days were dark; people wereafraid of traveling in caravans and stayed on the main roads for safety’s sake. Althoughthe NRSV translation of verse 7 suggests prosperity, most other translations render theverse negatively. For example, the NIV says, “Villagers in Israel would not fight; theyheld back until I, Deborah, arose, until I arose, a mother in Israel” (see also ESV, HCSB,KJV, NLT). The idea seems to be that the villagers were afraid to fight or that the villageswere deserted because of fear until Deborah arose and called them to battle. Like amother comforting a fearful child, Deborah gave courage to the oppressed in Israel.

Verses 6-8 describe how Israel abandoned the Lord for other gods, leading to theiroppression. They were vastly outnumbered and their enemies had superior weaponry.Yet many were willing to fight, even against such horrible odds. Such persons gave hopeto Israel.

❍ Reading Deborah’s StoryRead Judges 4:4-16; 5:4-9. Ask the follow-ing questions.

Questions➤ What was the situation in Israel in the

days of Deborah and Barak?➤ What roles did Deborah play as a leader

in Israel? (If necessary, guide the classto Judges 4:4-6 so they can see that shewas a prophetess, wife [though discussthe alternative translation “woman offire”], judge, and military leader.)

➤ When you think of the typical Israelitewoman, what sorts of roles come tomind? Why do you think Deborah wasdifferent?

➤ Why do you think Barak refused to goto battle without Deborah? (The textdoesn’t give a conclusive answer, but wecan certainly think about possibilities.)

➤ What do you think of Deborah’s rebukein Judges 4:9?

➤ How was the battle itself won? (Refer toJudg 4:14-15; 5:4-5, 19-22, if necessary.)

❍ RolesBefore class, provide a suffi-cient number of copies ofthe resource page “Roles,”cut in half so each person

receives the information for eitherDeborah or Barak.

Summarize the story’s background byexplaining that Israel had begun worship-ing the Canaanite deities Baal andAsherah, so God sent Jabin, king of Hazor,to oppress them. Israel suffered fortwenty years under Jabin, but finally the

people cried out to God for help and Godsent Deborah to deliver them.

Divide the class into two groups.Distribute the resource pages and askeach group to investigate their assignedcharacter. Give them fifteen to twentyminutes to discuss among themselves. Asnecessary, visit each group and clarify thetext for them using information providedin the “Bible Background” section.

After each group has had time toconsider the assigned character, bring theclass back together and ask each group toreport their findings. Allow the class todialogue about the roles of each characterand especially about the significance ofDeborah as a woman.

❍ A Mother in Israel?Judges 5:7 says that Deborah “arose as amother in Israel.” In what sense isDeborah a motherly figure, especiallysince the writer says nothing about anyactual children she might have had? Whatpersonal experiences might help a motherto lead, settle disputes, or encourageanxious warriors?

A Way to Explore Scripture Often in sermons and Sunday school we emphasize male heroes of the Bible sincethey are plentiful. In this lesson, we have an opportunity to highlight a female,

particularly one who doesn’t fit the stereotype of a biblical woman. Manyparticipants may be unaware of Deborah. Some will find her story encouraging and hopeful.Others may find that it challenges their preconceptions of women’s roles in society and thechurch.

6 Lesson 1

❍ Deborah as LeaderAsk participants to list qualities ofDeborah’s leadership. If you began yoursession listing the qualities of a godlyleader, have participants identify whichqualities Deborah demonstrated. If not,list the qualities on the board as partici-pants cite them.

❍ Women in LeadershipDiscuss women in leadership roles, partic-ularly in the church. Keep in mind thatthis subject might be emotional for some.The issue of women’s leadership in thechurch is still debated among many, andmembers of your class might disagree.Deborah played roles typically held bymen in Israel (prophet, judge, militaryleader). What relevance does her storyhave for women in leadership today?

Both the Old and New Testamentsportray women in many roles. They aremothers, wives, prophets, wise women,deacons, judges, etc. Yet some passages inthe Bible seem to limit women. Forexample, women were not allowed to bepriests in the Old Testament. In the NewTestament, the evidence is ambiguous:women must prophesy with their headscovered (1 Cor 11:5) or stay silent (1 Cor14:34); some women served as deacons ortaught (Rom 16:1; Acts 18:26), but theyare also commanded not to teach (1 Tim2:12).

Questions➤ Are the passages that prohibit women

from leadership universal rules thatapply to every time and culture, or arethey culturally conditioned? Explain.

➤ How can Christians discern when theBible is describing time-bound culturaldetails and when it is establishing arule for all times and places?

❍ Deborah’s DaughtersDiscuss how your class can encourage theleadership of young women in yourcongregation.

ResourcesSusan Ackerman, Warrior, Dancer, Seductress, Queen: Womenin Judges and Biblical Israel (New York: Doubleday, 1998).

Robert G. Boling, Judges, The Anchor Bible (Garden CityNY: Doubleday, 1975).

Susan Niditch, Judges, The Old Testament Library(Louisville KY: Westminster/John Knox, 2008).

The story of Deborah invites us to reevaluate our preconceptions about women inleadership. Even though Deborah is the only female judge in the book of Judges,the fact that Israel willingly followed her leadership and remembered her both in

song and narrative indicates that her womanly status was not a barrier. What does Deborah’sstory mean for us? Does it suggest anything about women in leadership today?

A Way to End

Teaching Guide 7

2Bible Background

Pharaoh’s TyrannyAs the book of Exodus begins,

the Hebrews are enslaved,despised by the pharaoh, and

exceedingly numerous. Compared to thepositive situation at the end of Genesis,everything has changed. A new king ruledover Egypt—a king who “did not knowJoseph” (Ex 1:8). The new pharaohclaimed that the Hebrews were morenumerous and more powerful than theEgyptians (v. 9). Capitalizing on fear—both his own and his people’s—he warnedthat the Hebrews would continue toincrease, join Egypt’s enemies in war, andeventually flee from the land. The biblicalwriter never identifies this pharaoh byname. Neither does he name the pharaohwho later resisted Moses. Scholars canonly speculate about who these pharaohswere. The current consensus is that the“Pharaoh of the Oppression” was proba-bly Seti I and that the “Pharaoh of theExodus” was his son, Ramesses II.

In an attempt to control the Hebrewpopulation, the Egyptians imposed harshlabor on them (v. 10). The more theyoppressed them, however, the more theHebrews multiplied (v. 12).

The Resistance of Shiphrah and PuahThe narrator introduces the two heroinesin verse 15. Shiphrah’s name means“beautiful,” and Puah’s name means “girl”

or “shining one.” Ironically, the powerfulpharaoh remains unidentified through-out the story, but the lowly Hebrewmidwives are remembered by name(Fretheim, 34).

After the failure of harsh oppression,the pharaoh came up with a new plan. Hecommanded two Hebrew midwives to killall Hebrew males at birth (Ex 1:16).Literally, the text says, “When you lookupon the stones, if it is a boy, kill him butif it is a girl you shall let her live.” The“stones” might be a reference to thebirthing stool women used during child-birth. Essentially, a woman squatted orknelt upon large bricks or stones as shegave birth. There is another possibleinterpretation, however. Since the Hebrewword “stones” is specifically dual innumber, it must refer to “a pair of stones.”Therefore, a more likely interpretationis“when you look upon the testicles”(Durham, 12). In other words, “When yousee that it is a boy, kill him; but if it is agirl you shall let her live.”

Several questions arise in these twoverses. First, why did the pharaohcommand Hebrew midwives to killHebrew children? It seems strange that anEgyptian would assume compliance fromHebrew midwives. But perhaps thepharaoh believed that the women fearedhim so much that they would do as hesaid. Practically speaking, Hebrewmidwives were the only ones in a positionto kill the babies at birth. The murders

Lesson Teaching Guide

SHIPHRAH AND PUAH: RESISTERS OF TYRANNY

Exodus 1:8-10, 15-21

would be an “inside job,” so to speak,and no one would be the wiser.Although some interpreters have triedto argue that Shiphrah and Puah wereEgyptian women (thereby makingpharaoh’s charge a bit more plausible),the women’s names are clearly Hebrew.Besides, why would Egyptian midwivesservice Hebrew women?

Another point to consider is how onlytwo midwives could serve the Hebrews ,since they were so “numerous.” To besure, we do not know the exact number ofHebrew slaves. We cannot say exactly howmany midwives the Hebrews would haveneeded. Even so, the pharaoh certainlybelieved the Hebrew population hadexploded—even to the point of becomingmore numerous than the native Egyptians(v. 9). Furthermore, though Shiphrah andPuah are the only midwives discussed inthis chapter, that doesn’t mean they werethe only midwives available to the popula-tion.

Finally, why kill only the males?Perhaps the pharaoh believed that maleswere more likely to rebel and would havethe strength to do so. Females could becontrolled, enslaved, and used as concu-bines. Ironically, although the pharaohfeared the males, he should have fearedthe females. In Exodus 1–2, the ones whothwart the pharaoh’s plans are all female:Shiphrah, Puah, Moses’ mother, Moses’sister, and pharaoh’s own daughter!

The pharaoh expected Shiphrah andPuah to fear him. But instead, the twowomen feared God. For this reason, theydid not obey the pharaoh. Instead, theymade sure the male babies lived.

We don’t know how long it took thepharaoh to realize the midwives weredisobeying him. Eventually, however, hecalled them in and asked them why theyallowed the males to live. Shiphrah andPuah responded creatively: “Because theHebrew women are not like the Egyptianwomen; for they are vigorous and givebirth before the midwife comes to them”(Ex 1:18-19). The gist of Shiphrah andPuah’s lie is that they could not get to the

Hebrew women in time to kill the sons.But the two women also played uponpharaoh’s negative and altogether inhu-mane view of the Hebrews. In essence, themidwives say, “The Hebrew women arebeasts!” By describing the Hebrew womenas animals—giving birth rapidly andprolifically—Shiphrah and Puah excusedtheir noncompliance while at the sametime placating the pharaoh by means ofhis own intolerance (Frymer-Kensky, 25).

God “dealt well with the midwives”(Ex 1:20), and as a result the Hebrews

Introduction: Shiphrah and Puah stoodagainst the most powerful person in theworld: the pharaoh of Egypt. They werejust ordinary women who recognized evilwhen they saw it and refused to participatein it. Certainly, God rewarded them later,but when they decided to thwart thepharaoh, they had no way of knowing whatthe consequences would be. Their fear ofGod turned them into courageous womenwho risked everything to save lives.

I. Pharaoh’s Tyranny (Ex 1:8-10)A. A New King Arises (v. 8)B. The Pharaoh’s Fear (v. 9)C. The Pharaoh’s Plan (v. 10)

II. The Resistance of Shiphrah and Puah (Ex 1:15-21)

A. Introduction of Shiphrah and Puah(v. 15)

B. Pharaoh’s Command (v. 16)C. The Midwives’ Fear (v. 17)D. Pharaoh’s Question (v. 18)E. The Midwives’ Response (v. 19)F. The Lord’s Blessings (vv. 20-21)

a. The Lord dealt well with themidwives.

b. The Lord multiplied the peopleand made them very strong.

c. The Lord gave the midwivesfamilies (literally, “made themhouses”).

Teaching Guide 9

❍ Courage in the Face ofCorruption

Relate a story about someone who stoodup against corruption and immorality.You might choose to tell the stories citedin the “Resources” section of the threewomen Time Magazine named “Person ofthe Year” in 2002. All three of thesewomen stood up against corruption. Allthree of them suffered both personallyand professionally for it. They had thecourage to say no to those in power, andin so doing brought evil to its knees.

Today we will consider two ordinarywomen who stood up against one of themost powerful rulers in the ancient NearEast, risking their own lives to protectothers.

❍ Corrupt LeadershipBrainstorm characteristics of leaders whoare immoral, dishonest, or abuse theirpower. List responses on the board.Discuss which characteristics are mosttroubling, and why.

Keep in mind that not all leadersmake mistakes because they are bent onevil or are inherently “ungodly.” Leadersare human and, like all of us, they makemistakes, succumb to temptations, forget

their priorities, and sin. We should alwaysstand up for what is right, but we mustalso extend grace to those who fail.

❍ King QuotationsRead one or all of the following quota-tions by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.:

• “Our lives begin to end the day webecome silent about things that matter.”• “He who passively accepts evil is as muchinvolved in it as he who helps to perpe-trate it. He who accepts evil withoutprotesting against it is really cooperatingwith it.”• “History will have to record that thegreatest tragedy of this period of socialtransition was not the strident clamor ofthe bad people, but the appalling silenceof the good people.”

Ask participants to reflect on thequotation(s) and discuss its (their) signifi-cance.

We enjoy hearing stories about people who stand up against corruption andimmorality. Such stories restore our faith that no matter how bad things are,at least someone cares enough to try to change them. Remind participants of

such stories and examples to set the stage for today’s lesson.

A Way to Begin

10 Lesson 2

continued to multiply and became even stronger. Because the midwives feared God, Godgave them “families” (v. 21). The NRSV translation is certainly adequate, but theHebrew actually says that God gave them “houses.” In the Old Testament the word“house” in this context typically refers not just to a family or a household, but to adynasty. In other words, God established lineages through the two midwives.

Shiphrah and Puah’s heroism sets the stage for the rest of the book of Exodus.These two women—not an army or a mighty warrior—thwarted the pharaoh’s murder-ous demands. They stood up against a man who could have killed them for theirdisobedience. The fact that their names are recorded in Exodus 1 and the pharaoh’s isnot tells us just how significant Shiphrah and Puah were to their people. They wereordinary women who did an extraordinary thing.

❍ Questions and AnswersUsing information from the “BibleBackground” section, explain the new,difficult situation in which the Hebrewsfound themselves in Exodus 1.

Read Exodus 1:8-10. Why did thepharaoh fear the Hebrews? Is it possiblehe also feared something else (loss ofpower, prestige, etc.)? Were these fearslegitimate?

Read Exodus 1:15-16. After his initialplan failed, the pharaoh approached twoHebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah,and ordered them to kill any baby boysthey helped deliver.

Questions➤ Why do you think the midwives’ names

are given but the pharaoh’s is not?➤ Why do you think the pharaoh

expected the Hebrew women tocomply?

➤ Why was the pharaoh willing to let theHebrew girls live but not the boys?

Read Exodus 1:17-19. Shiphrah andPuah feared God, not the pharaoh.Instead of killing the boy babies, theymade sure they survived. Pharaohsummoned the two women anddemanded an accounting.

Question➤ What does it mean to “fear God”?

Read Exodus 1:20-21. God “dealt well”with Shiphrah and Puah (Ex 1:20), andthe Hebrews multiplied. Because themidwives saved the families of their fellowHebrews, God gave them families.Literally, God made them “houses,”meaning they were the foremothers of aline of descendants, much like kingsfathered dynasties.

Questions➤ Why do you think God rewarded

Shiphrah and Puah in this way?➤ In a society where houses were typically

established by fathers, what is thesignificance of these women establish-ing houses?

❍ InterviewsEarly in the week, enlistthree volunteers to prepareto role-play Pharaoh,Shiphrah, and Puah.

Provide them copies of the resource page“Interviews.” Encourage them to “ham itup” through snide comments about theiropponent(s), etc.

Invite a volunteer to read Exodus 1:8-10, 15-21. Using information from the“Bible Background” section, explain thenew, difficult situation in which theHebrews found themselves.

Conduct an interview with the threevolunteers you enlisted previously.

Two ordinary midwives delivered Israel from the pharaoh long before Moses everpicked up his staff. Their story illustrates how to say no to corrupt leadership.

At the same time, it reminds us that opposing evil is a very dangerous business.

A Way to Explore Scripture

Teaching Guide 11

12 Lesson 2

❍ Case StudiesBrainstorm situations in which partici-pants might have to take a risk in order tooppose immoral or corrupt leadership.These might include dishonest businesspractices, sexual exploitation or abuse,résumé-padding, bribes, violations of thepublic trust, etc.

Have participants consider these situa-tions and imagine how they mightrespond if they became aware of them.

Questions➤ How can ordinary people stand up

against injustice?➤ How can the story of the Hebrew

midwives encourage us to resist injustice?

❍ Godly OppositionWe see brokenness and sinfulness allaround us in our society. Although weexpect our leaders to be moral, the fact isthat human beings make mistakes. We seeevidence of corruption and dishonesty inschools, churches, communities, workplaces, and families. When faced withpeople who undermine trust and misusepower, we might be tempted to retaliate,or even worse, we might choose to donothing because we fear reprisal.

Questions➤ What are some practical ways we can

express godly opposition when a leaderfails?

➤ How do we find the courage to resist?➤ When is it the right time to resist?➤ What if we know we can’t stop the evil,

but only slow it down? Is it still worth itto try?

ResourcesJohn I. Durham, Exodus, Word Biblical Commentary(Waco TX: Word, 1987).

Terence E. Fretheim, Exodus, Interpretation (Louisville KY:John Knox, 1991).

Tikva Frymer-Kensky, Reading the Women of the Bible: A NewInterpretation of Their Stories (New York: Schocken, 2002).

Jodie Morse and Amanda Bower, “Sherron Watkins: TheParty Crasher,” Time Magazine (30 Dec 2002).<http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1003992,00.html>.

Amanda Ripley, “Cynthia Cooper: The Night Detective,”Time Magazine (30 Dec 2002).<http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1003990-1,00.html>.

Amanda Ripley and Maggie Sieger, “Coleen Rowley: TheSpecial Agent,” Time Magazine (30 Dec 2002).<http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1003988,00.html>.

Shiphrah and Puah risked their lives to oppose the pharaoh. Their decision to obeyGod and not pharaoh saved the lives of countless Hebrew boys. When confrontedby the pharaoh, the two midwives wisely and creatively responded, managing to

thwart the pharaoh without angering him even more. Encourage participants to considerhow they can express godly opposition in a world where evil and sin abound.

A Way to End

3Bible Background

Joab’s PlanAbsalom’s rebellion began

when David’s firstborn,Amnon, raped his half-sister,

Tamar (2 Sam 13). When David heard ofit, he did nothing to address the crime.Tamar’s full brother, Absalom, soughtrevenge, however. He killed Amnon twoyears later. David was devastated overAmnon’s death. Absalom fled to Geshur,where he lived for three years (2 Sam13:38).

Second Samuel 14:1 says, “Now Joabson of Zeruiah perceived that the king’smind was on Absalom.” Many transla-tions render the verse positively, as in “theking’s heart longed after Absalom,”suggesting that David missed his son andwanted him to return. The events of thischapter suggest otherwise. If David reallywanted Absalom to come home, why didJoab have to concoct a ruse to persuadehim? Why, when Absalom did return, didDavid refuse to see him (2 Sam 14:24).Perhaps a better translation is “the king’smind was against Absalom.” In otherwords, David had not forgiven his sonand had no plans to reconcile (Alter, 274).

Joab sent for a wise woman fromTekoa to help him convince David tobring Absalom home (v. 2). We neverdiscover Joab’s motivations. Whateverthey were, the return of Absalom resultedin near disaster for David’s kingship.

Joab probably decided to use thiswoman as an intermediary because hedoubted David would listen to him. Hechose a “wise woman” because suchwomen were known for their skill inmediation.

Joab “put the words into her mouth”(v. 3) and sent the woman to David. Someinterpreters think the woman herselfcontributed nothing to her conversationwith David. She was simply an actressplaying a part (Bellis, 135-37). Althoughthis might be true of her initial story(14:5-7), clearly, the woman had to impro-vise and contribute her own wisdom inthe subsequent dialogue with David (14:8-18).

The Woman’s StoryThe woman came as a supplicant, throw-ing herself on the ground before Davidand crying out for help (v. 4). Then shebegan her story. She told the king she wasa widow and that her two sons fought in afield. Because there was no one to inter-vene, one son killed the other. Her familyinsisted the murderer be put to deathaccording to the law of blood vengeance.But because this would annihilate herdead husband’s only heir, the womanclaimed that keeping her husband’s namealive was more important than bloodvengeance (vv. 5-7).

On one level, the woman’s storyechoes that of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4:two sons are alone in a field; one murders

Lesson Teaching Guide

THE WISE WOMAN OF TEKOA: A MEDIATOR

2 Samuel 14:1-20

the other, and blood vengeance is anissue. On another level, the story is alsoabout David, Amnon, and Absalom.David failed to intervene after Tamarwas raped. Absalom murdered Amnonand brought bloodguilt upon himself.But Absalom was also David’s heir appar-ent, so enacting blood vengeancethreatened the throne and Israel’s future.Of course, the parallels are not exact. Butclearly, the woman’s story evokes David’ssituation.

David Dissembles and the WomanPersistsInitially, David tried to put the womanoff, telling her to go home while hedecided what to do (v. 8). But the womanwas not so easily dissuaded. Thinking,perhaps, that David feared that blood-guilt might fall upon him should hepardon the murderous son, she assuredDavid that his throne would be guiltless(v. 9).

In reply, the king promised thewoman that he would punish anyone whotried to accuse her (v. 10). The womanthen reminded the king that her own lifewas not the concern. She asked the kingto protect her son from vengeance. Shedemanded that David pardon her son.David finally conceded. Swearing an oath,David said, “Not one hair of your sonshall fall to the ground” (v. 11). Ironically,David’s son Absalom would eventually diebecause of his hair (2 Sam18:9).

The StingThen the woman divulges the real reasonfor her visit: forcing David to reconsiderthe situation with Absalom. In a stingingrebuke, the woman exposed David’shypocrisy (v. 14). If the king was willingto pardon her son, why was he unwillingto pardon his own—especially since hewas putting his own people at risk?Quoting a proverb, “We must all die; weare like water spilled on the ground,which cannot be gathered up” (v. 14), thewise woman reminded David thatAmnon’s death was permanent and unfix-

able. Keeping Absalom in exile would notbring Amnon back. The second part ofverse 14 is more difficult to understandbecause the language is cryptic. Davidmight have been afraid that if hepardoned Absalom and allowed him toreturn home, God would kill him for notenacting blood vengeance. The woman

Introduction: Today’s text is a story aboutreconciliation. It is hard to discern Joab’smotivations in enlisting the wise woman,but at least they gave David an opportunityto reconcile with his estranged son. Sadly,David wasted that opportunity with disas-trous results. Nevertheless, 2 Samuel 14reveals the need for reconciliation.

I. Joab’s Plan (2 Sam 14:1-3)A. The Problem of Absalom (v. 1)B. The Ruse (vv. 2-3)

II. The Woman’s Story (2 Sam 14:4-7)A. A Plea for David’s Help (v. 4)B. The Tale of Two Sons (vv. 5-7)

III. David Dissembles and the WomanPersists (2 Sam 14:8-11)A. David: “Let me think about it” (v. 8)B. Woman: “On me be the guilt” (v. 9)C. David: “If someone threatens you I

will help” (v. 10)D. Woman: “My son’s life is threat-

ened” (v. 11a)E. David: “No one shall harm your son”

(v. 11b)

IV. The Sting (2 Sam 14:12-17)A. Request to Speak (v. 12)B. Comparison of the Woman’s

Situation to Absalom’s (vv. 13-14)C. The Woman’s Motives (vv. 15-17)

V. David’s Suspicion (2 Sam 14:18-20)A. Request for Truth (v. 18)B. Joab’s Role (vv. 19-20)

14 Lesson 3

❍ Memorable StoriesAsk participants to think of stories(fictional or not) that had a profoundinfluence on them. Be ready to share yourown example. Have them share theirstories and explain the influence they had.

Stories can reveal truth in ways thatsimply describing the facts cannot. Peopleare naturally drawn to stories because wecan relate to characters and their experi-ences better than we can to propositionalstatements and facts. That is why most ofus remember the illustrations in a sermonbetter than the points the preacher made.That is why we teach children best bytelling them stories.

Today, we will discuss a biblical text inwhich a story plays an important role,changing the course of events in David’slife.

❍ Ultimate ForgivenessRelate the story of Mary Johnson, as toldin the Daily Mail article listed in the

“Resources” section. Her story has awonderfully happy ending. She discov-ered that true healing comes fromreconciliation and forgiveness. Today weare studying a story about reconciliationbetween a father and a son.

❍ Irreconcilable DifferencesAsk participants to identify situationsthat have resulted in irreconcilable differ-ences. Political squabbles in Washingtonare an obvious example, but also look formore personal, day-to-day issues. Writethese situations on the board withoutcommentary.

Sometimes conflict runs so deep thatreconciliation seems impossible. Itrequires that both (or all) sides be willingto concede and forgive. Today’s lesson isabout a father and son in need of recon-ciliation and a wise woman who gavethem that opportunity.

Today’s lesson is about a wise woman who spun a tale, hoping it would bringreconciliation between a father and a son. Begin the session by raising aware-ness of the need for reconciliation and of possible strategies for being

reconciled with one another.

A Way to Begin

Teaching Guide 15

might have been assuring David that God would not take away the king’s life (Alter,278; Robinson, 226).

After her bluntly worded message, the woman reverted to her original story (vv. 15-17). Perhaps she saw anger in David’s eyes and retreated to the safety of her cover storyto placate him. She certainly filled her speech with ingratiating language, telling Davidhe was “like the angel of God, discerning good and evil.”

But David no longer bought her story. He sensed deception and took his own turnto speak freely, demanding that the woman tell him what he wanted to know: “Is thehand of Joab with you in all this?” (vv. 18-19).

The woman replied truthfully. Joab was indeed the perpetrator. But she explainedthat Joab was only trying to change “the course of affairs.” Perhaps David glared at her,because she groveled before him, proclaiming that his wisdom was like the wisdom ofthe angel of God (v. 19-20).

David did as Joab requested and brought Absalom home (v. 21). But when Absalomarrived in Jerusalem, David refused to see him (v. 24). Joab and the wise woman hadwon the battle but lost the war. David refused to be reconciled to Absalom and theresults were disastrous. After four years of planning and recruiting, Absalom launcheda revolt against his father.

❍ Teaching with the OutlineSummarize the events in 2 Samuel 13 asdescribed in the “Bible Background”section. Use the “Outline for Teaching” asa guide for discussing the lesson.

2 Samuel 14:1-3➤ Why do you think Joab did not want to

speak to David himself?➤ Why did Joab instruct the woman to

play the role of a widow rather thandirectly confront David aboutAbsalom?

2 Samuel 14:4-7➤ How does the woman’s story parallel

the situation of David and Absalom?How does it differ?

➤ Do you think David saw himself in thewoman’s situation? Why or why not?

2 Samuel 14:8-11➤ Why do you think David initially

stalled by telling the woman to gohome?

➤ What guilt could come upon David ifhe gave a ruling concerning thiswoman’s remaining son? (See v. 9.)

➤ Why do you think David finallyconceded and promised to protect thewoman’s son? Was it her persistence?Compassion? Something else?

2 Samuel 14:12-20➤ The woman accuses David of devising

evil against his own people by refusingto bring Absalom home. Why shouldAbsalom’s exile matter to David’speople?

➤ Why do you think the womancompares David to “the angel of Goddiscerning, good and evil”? Was shetrying to flatter him? Could she havebeen speaking ironically?

➤ What do you think tipped David offthat Joab was behind all of this?

➤ Why do you think David refused toreconcile with Absalom? (See v. 24.)

❍ Through the Eyes of theCharacters

Summarize the events in 2Samuel 13 as described inthe “Bible Background”section.

Read 2 Samuel 14 in its entirety. (Havevolunteers read a paragraph apiece.) Pointout that David refused to see Absalom, sotrue reconciliation never took place, andthat Absalom ultimately launched a rebel-lion against his father.

Divide the class into four groups.Assign each group Joab, the wise woman,David, or Absalom. Give each groupcopies of the appropriate section of theresource page “Through the Eyes of theCharacters.” Have each group reread thebiblical text and discuss the questionsprovided.

Bring the class back together. Haveeach group share its findings.

A Way to Explore Scripture Reconciliation is hard work. It often demands great creativity in addition tomaturity and forbearance on the part of the parties involved. Explore how the

wise woman attempted to bring reconciliation to David and Absalom. What canwe learn from this woman’s efforts?

16 Lesson 3

❍ Questions for Discussion andReflection

Ask the following questions to help theclass relate the text to their own lives.

Questions➤ How can believers work creatively to

help people be reconciled with eachother and with God? Offer specificexamples.

➤ What if attempts at reconciliation fail—or make things worse?

➤ What situations in my life requirereconciliation?

➤ What situations in the life of mychurch or community require reconcili-ation?

❍ What Can We Do?Invite participants to reflect on specificconflicts that need reconciliation in yourcity, community, church, small group,school, families, etc. List these on theboard.

As people name examples, ask whatsteps need to take place to bring aboutreconciliation in these conflicts. Finally,ask what we could do (individually or as agroup) to make this situation better.

Prayer will certainly be suggested.Guide participants toward concreteactions as well. For example, if a conflictin the church needs reconciling, your classcould sponsor a time for opposing partiesto come together to pray and discuss theproblems.

ResourcesRobert Alter, The David Story: A Translation with Commentaryof 1 and 2 Samuel (New York: W. W. Norton, 1999).

Alice Ogden Bellis, Helpmates, Harlots, and Heroes: Women’sStories in the Hebrew Bible, 2nd ed. (Louisville KY:Westminster/John Knox, 2007).

The Daily Mail, “Woman Shows Incredible Mercy as HerSon’s Killer Moves in Next Door” (8 June 2011).<http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2000704/Woman-shows-incredible-mercy-sons-killer-moves-door.html>.

Gnana Robinson, Let Us Be Like the Nations: A Commentaryon the Books of 1 and 2 Samuel, International TheologicalCommentary (Grand Rapids MI: Eerdmans, 1993).

Joab and the wise woman of Tekoa did everything they could to bring Absalom andDavid together. Unfortunately, David refused to forgive and the opportunity forreconciliation passed. Although this story ends in disaster, the theme of recon-

ciliation gives us an opportunity to discuss ways we can work toward reconciliation in ourown lives and the lives of others.

A Way to End

Teaching Guide 17

Bible BackgroundIntroductionSeveral important events lead

up to the rebellion of Shebaand the resulting encounter

between Joab and the wise woman of Abelof Beth-maacah. After Absalom’s rebel-lion, David’s return to power was marredby unresolved conflict between the north-ern tribes, who had remained loyal toDavid, and the Judahites of the south,who had followed Absalom (2 Sam 19:42-44). A “scoundrel” named Sheba, son ofBichri, capitalized upon the conflict,calling upon the northern tribes to rebelagainst David (2 Sam 20:1-2).

When David returned to Jerusalem, hefired Joab and replaced him with Amasa,the former commander of Absalom’sarmy. He probably did this in an effort toappease the Judahites (2 Sam 19:14-15).Of course, this did not sit well with Joab.David commanded Amasa to pursueSheba, but for some reason, Amasa wasdelayed (2 Sam. 20:4-5). Frustrated, Davidsent Joab’s brother, Abishai, after the rebel(2 Sam 20:6). Joab joined his brother, andwhen the army met up with Amasa, Joabbrutally assassinated him on the road (2Sam 20:7-13). With his rival eliminated,Joab took up the command of the armyand pursued Sheba.

Sheba’s Arrival in Abel-Beth-maacahSheba, accompanied by his own clan, trav-eled through the northern territories,

presumably to garner additional support-ers. They took refuge in the city of Abel (2Sam 20:14). Abel, meaning “brook,” wasapparently a common name for cities.Therefore, the biblical passage furtheridentified the place as “Abel of Beth-maacah” (Alter, 325). This is similar towhat we might do if someone said theylived in Abilene. We might ask, “Whichone? Abilene in Kansas or Abilene inTexas?” Abel of Beth-maacah was locatedin the northern region of Israel, near thecity of Dan (Robinson, 261).

The SiegeJoab and his army pursued Sheba to thegates of the city. Immediately they beganbuilding a siege mound, a pile of dirt andstone built up against the wall to gainaccess to the city. As Joab’s men beganbattering at the gates, a voice cried outfrom above (v. 15). A wise woman wholived in the city demanded that Joabspeak with her (v. 16). Given what weknow of Joab’s character, the fact that thiswoman would dare to face him at the citywall is all the more remarkable.

The repetition of her cry, “Listen!Listen!” (v. 16), probably indicates thatshe had to make quite a commotion toget the army’s attention. Although thetext does not say so, this woman probablyrisked her own life. She stood betweentwo armies bent on destroying oneanother. It would have been easy for Joabto ignore the woman completely—or tohave one of his archers cut her down. But

Lesson Teaching Guide

THE WISE WOMAN OF ABEL:AN INTERCESSOR

2 Samuel 20:14-224

Joab approached the wall to speak to her.She clearly had great authority toconvince a commander to makehimself equally vulnerable (v. 17).

The woman demanded that Joablisten to her. She rebuked him with aproverb: “They used to say in the olddays, ‘Let them inquire at Abel’; and sothey would settle a matter” (v. 18).Although the exact meaning of theproverb is obscured by archaic language,the woman seems to identify her city asone where disputes were resolved. It is aplace where “peaceable and faithful”people reside. It is a revered city, a princi-pal city—a “mother” in Israel (Alter, 326).Would Joab kill his own mother? Whythen would he dare to “swallow up” a citythat was the heritage of the Lord (v. 19)?

Joab’s AnswerJoab responded with a profanity-laceddenial (v. 20). English translations softenthe language, using the words “Far be itfrom me.” But the Hebrew is actuallymuch stronger. Biblical translators oftensmooth over raw language in the originaltexts, much as modern censors bleep outcursing on television. Bibles were origi-nally printed to be read aloud in worship,however, and worshipers do not expectcoarse language to pepper a religiousservice!

In effect, Joab declared that he hadnot come to destroy the city, although, inreality, he had. With a bit of backpedal-ing, he claimed that all he wanted wasSheba, the traitor. “Give him up alone,and I will withdraw from the city,” Joabcountered (v. 21).

A Man Loses His HeadThe woman accepted Joab’s request andpromised to throw Sheba’s head over thewall. Returning to her people, sheconvinced them of the wisdom of thiscompromise, and Sheba was beheaded.Cartledge notes that this woman acted“either from inherent authority or fromsupreme confidence” (631). She promised to hand over Sheba in return for Joab’s

peaceful withdrawal. But she didn’t tellJoab that she would consult with the(male) elders and get back with him. Onthe contrary, she boldly promised, “His

Introduction: The wise woman of Abel foundherself caught in a violent struggle. Shedecided to take a risk in order to speak forpeace. Risking her own life, she convincedviolent men to relent, averting a battle thatpotentially could have destroyed her city.

I. Sheba’s Arrival in Abel-Beth-maacah (2 Sam 20:14)

A. Sheba had hoped to capitalize onAbsalom’s recent rebellion.

B. He miscalculated and ended upfleeing from David’s forces.

II. The Siege (2 Sam 20:15-20)A. Joab besieges the city (v. 15).B. A wise woman seeks to avert

violence (vv. 16-20).1. Given Joab’s violent reputation,

this was a courageous act.2. Joab made himself equally

vulnerable by speaking with her.3. The wise woman demands a

hearing and pleads for her city.

III. Joab’s Answer (2 Sam 20:21)A. “Far be it from me” is an emphatic,

even profane, denial.B. Joab doesn’t want to destroy the

city; he only wants the rebel, Sheba.

IV. A Man Loses His Head (2 Sam 20:22)A. The wise woman accepts Joab’s

request.B. She convinces the townspeople of

the wisdom of handing over Shebato spare the city.

C. Nothing is mentioned of Sheba’sfollowers. Perhaps they were granteda pardon of some sort.

D. With Sheba killed, the army with-draws, and the disaster is averted.

Teaching Guide 19

❍ SurvivorDivide the class up intogroups of five or six.Distribute copies of theresource page “Survivor.”

Give the groups ten to fifteen minutes tocomplete the exercise, then have themshare their conclusions with the class.

Questions➤ How did your group make the deci-

sions?➤ Did certain members influence deci-

sions made by the group? If so, how?➤ How could better decisions have been

made?➤ Did people listen to each other? If not,

why not?➤ How did you manage disagreements?➤ What kinds of behavior helped or

hindered the group?➤ What did you learn about the function-

ing of this group?

Today’s lesson is about a compromisethat prevented a blood bath. One womanstood between two armies intent onslaughtering one another. With only hervoice as a weapon, the wise woman ofAbel orchestrated a peaceful solution.

❍ CompromiseAsk participants to share about a timethey had to compromise in order to keepthe peace. Be prepared to share your ownexample to get the ball rolling.

Questions➤ Was the peaceful resolution worth the

compromise you had to make? Explain.➤ Did everyone concede something, or

was the “compromise” one-sided?➤ Did the peace take hold or did a similar

conflict arise later?➤ Who benefited most from the compro-

mise?➤ In retrospect, can you think of a better

solution to the original conflict?

In today’s lesson, a wise woman strucka compromise that saved her city.

The story of the wise woman of Abel illustrates the power of compromise. In themidst of a threatening situation, this woman successfully intervened andprevented the destruction of her city. Although blood was shed, ultimately

one man’s death spared everyone else from a violent battle. It wasn’t a perfect compromise,but it was the best option at the time.

A Way to Begin

20 Lesson 4

head shall be thrown over the wall to you” (v. 21). Then she went to the people andconvinced them to go along with her “wise plan” (v. 22).

Once Sheba’s head was cast over the wall, Joab blew the trumpets and dispersed thetroops. It should also be noted that nothing is said about the fate of Sheba’s followers.Are we to infer that the wise woman somehow won them a pardon in exchange forhanding over their leader? Presumably, only Sheba lost his life that day, and those whofollowed him were allowed to return to their homes unmolested. With Joab’s return toJerusalem, the disaster was averted.

❍ ThreatsToday’s passage involves one of severalconflicts that followed Absalom’s rebel-lion. To see the wisdom of thecompromise described in our text, weneed to understand what the problemswere. Each of the characters in the storyfaced a threat. Most responded withviolence but, at least in one case, theviolence was limited.

Read 2 Samuel 20:1-4. David faced thethreat of rebellion. Discuss how Davidresponded. (Verse 4 is a little ambiguouswithout the context. In essence, David’sresponse to Sheba’s threat was to gatherhis army.)

Read 2 Samuel 19:13 and 20:7-10.Explain that Amasa was the commanderover Absalom’s army when Absalomrebelled against David. By asking Amasato take Joab’s place, David accomplishedtwo things: (1) he gained the trust ofthose who had been in Amasa’s army and(2) he fired Joab, thus punishing him forkilling Absalom. Discuss the threatDavid’s actions posed for Joab and how heresponded to this threat.

Read 2 Samuel 20:14-21. Discuss thethreat to the city of Abel. How did thewise woman of Abel respond to thisthreat? Of course, the simple answer isthat she convinced the city to beheadSheba, but encourage participants to lookmore carefully at the text. What steps didthe woman take before Sheba wasbeheaded? How did she manage toconvince Joab to consider a solution otherthan destroying the city?

Read 2 Samuel 20:22. Obviously, thethreat to Sheba was death. By executingSheba, however, the city was spared abattle in which many more would havedied.

Questions➤ Do you think this justifies Sheba’s

death in this case? Why or why not?➤ Was there any other solution available

to the city of Abel?➤ Note that nothing is said about the fate

of Sheba’s followers. What do yousuppose happened to them? How doyou think they felt about the wisewoman’s compromise?

❍ Questions for DiscussionUsing information provided in the “BibleBackground” section, explain the series ofevents leading up to Joab’s siege of Abel.Read 2 Samuel 20:14-20.

Questions➤ What clues identify this wise woman as

a person of authority? What cluessuggest she was a leader in her commu-nity?

➤ What do you think was the basis of thewise woman’s authoritative leadership?

➤ What was gained in the compromisethe wise woman negotiated? What waslost?

➤ Could there have been a betteroutcome? Explain.

➤ How should Christians proceed when itdoesn’t seem possible for everyone to“win”? How can we be sure to take thewelfare of all sides into account?

The story of Joab and the wise woman of Abel is not complicated: Sheba and hisarmy take refuge in a northern city. Joab and his army besiege the city. The wise

woman intervenes to protect her city from violence, and the compromise is tobehead Sheba. What can we learn about wisdom, risk, and compromise from the unnamedheroine of this story?

A Way to Explore Scripture

Teaching Guide 21

22 Lesson 4

❍ StalemateAsk participants to consider situationssuch as those suggested below and offerpossible responses. Is there a way tocompromise that would be satisfying toboth parties? Or is it an issue for whichthere is no compromise?

➤ Your seventeen-year-old daughterwants to get a tattoo.

➤ Your recently widowed mother wants tocome live with you.

➤ Your boss wants you to do more travel-ing as part of your job, but you haveyoung children and you want to be athome more.

➤ You’ve been asked to serve on anotherchurch committee but you are burnedout.

Questions➤ How can we tell when compromise is

possible?➤ Is it ever appropriate to “pull rank” and

make a unilateral decision? Explain.➤ Is it ever appropriate to “roll over” and

let the other party do as it pleases?Explain.

❍ Worth Fighting ForThe wise woman took bold action to saveher city. For what people or causes are wewilling to take bold action?

❍ Finding Peace in the Midst of theStorm

Sometimes conflicts are so deeply rootedthat compromise is difficult, if not impos-sible. For example, you might have a jobyou absolutely hate, but you can’t quitbecause nothing else is available, and youcan’t afford to lose your income. Or youknow your children are not being treatedfairly by your ex-spouse, but you have toabide by the visitation rights in thedivorce decree.

Discuss how Christians can find peacein the midst of conflict with no clear solu-tions.

ResourcesRobert Alter, The David Story: A Translation with Commentaryof 1 and 2 Samuel (New York: W. W. Norton, 1999).

Tony W. Cartledge, 1 & 2 Samuel, Smyth & Helwys BibleCommentary (Macon GA: Smyth & Helwys, 2001).

Gnana Robinson, Let Us Be Like the Nations: A Commentaryon the Books of 1 & 2 Samuel, International TheologicalCommentary (Grand Rapids MI: Eerdmans, 1993).

The resolution in 2 Samuel 20 comes when Sheba loses his head. Obviously, such asolution would not be acceptable in our day and time. Then again, most of ushave never faced a siege. We do, however, face conflict and find ourselves in situa-

tions that require compromise. How will we respond when conflict swirls around us andthere are no easy solutions?

A Way to End

Bible BackgroundIntroductionThe words of Lemuel’s mother

stand out in the book ofProverbs because they are the only

overt example of a woman instructing aman in this biblical book. Women teach-ing men is a rarity in the Old Testament,but it is not completely unheard of. InJudges 13, for example, Samson’s mothercommunicates to her husband the divineinstructions she receives from an angel,and the prophetess Huldah instructsHilkiah, the high priest, in 2 Kings 22.

Elsewhere in the book of Proverbs,fathers instruct their sons, although sonsare also admonished to heed theirmothers (Prov 1:8; 2:1; 4:1, etc.). Wisdom,personified as a woman, calls for youngmen to pursue her (Prov 8:1-9:6). And inchapter 31 a woman advises her son onhow to rule wisely as a king.

Verse 1 introduces the king and hismother. Unfortunately, the identity ofthese two remains shrouded in mystery.No king by the name of Lemuel appearselsewhere in the Bible, and the name itselfis difficult to translate. One suggestion isthat Lemuel means “belonging to God”(McKane, 408). Regardless, this king’sidentity is unknown. And since we do notknow who Lemuel was, we also do notknow who his mother was.

Another problem is the word “oracle.”The Hebrew term massa’ usually refers to

words spoken by a prophet. But the wordsrecorded here seem more like teachingthan prophecy. Thus, most translationsinclude the alternative reading “Thewords of King Lemuel of Massa” in a foot-note. If Massa is a location, then it mightrefer to an area in northern Arabia (seeProv 30:1; Gen 25:14; McKane, 644).Regardless, the words that follow theintroduction are words spoken byLemuel’s mother. And her words offersage advice.

Wise Words about WomenThe mother begins with a call for her sonto heed. Although the NRSV translatesthe admonition with a negative “No, myson!”, the Hebrew word actually means“what.” “What, my son! What, son of mywomb! What, son of my vows!” The NRSVsounds like a prohibition: “Don’t do thesethings, my son.” But the Hebrew soundsmore like an exclamation of disgust in theface of wrongs already committed: “Whathave you done?” The mother’s last excla-mation, “What, son of my vows!” mightsuggest that she had made a vow to Godin exchange for fertility, much the wayHannah prayed for her son (1 Sam 1:11).

Verse 3 is a prohibition: “Do not giveyour strength to women, your ways tothose who destroy kings.” Lemuel’smother warns him about the dangers ofseduction. Should he engage in sexualpromiscuity, he not only demonstrates

5Lesson Teaching Guide

KING LEMUEL’S MOTHER:A TEACHER OF WISDOM

Proverbs 31:1-9

bad judgment, but also undermines hisown authority.

One king in particular exemplifiedthe dangers of giving his strength towomen: Solomon. Solomon’s fixationon pleasing his wives was one of manyreasons his kingdom fell apart (1 Kings11:1-8). But Lemuel’s mother could bewarning her son about more than merephysical seduction. Elsewhere in Proverbs,folly is personified as a promiscuouswoman. For example, Proverbs 7:6-27portrays folly as a prostitute whocunningly lures her victims to theirdemise. Perhaps Lemuel’s mother alsowas cautioning him not to fall victim tofolly, but instead to pursue wisdom.

Wise Words about the Dangers andBenefits of AlcoholLemuel’s mother next admonishes herson to avoid alcohol because he is a king.Alcohol can impede good judgment andcause a ruler to pervert justice. For thisreason, kings should avoid it at all costs.

It is not accidental that Lemuel’smother equates abuse of alcohol withabuse of justice. Her warning points tothe dangers of excess and greed. TheHebrew Scriptures consistently depictgluttony, drunkenness, and sexual deprav-ity as vices of the wealthy. Those whoindulged themselves in these pursuitsoften did so at the expense of others. Thebooks of the prophets abound with exam-ples of rulers abusing justice andoppressing the poor while they them-selves prospered, drinking fine wine andgrowing fat (Isa 5:8-12; 22-23; 28:1-8; Am2:8; 4:1; 6:1-7; Mic 3:1-4; Zeph 1:7-13).Thus, Lemuel’s mother cautions her sonto avoid the excesses of the wealthy andpowerful.

The mother’s next words might be abit difficult for some readers to swallow.Describing alcohol as a sedative for thosewho suffer, Lemuel’s mother recommendsit for those who are in misery. Obviouslypeople in the biblical world were notprohibitionists. Alcohol was part of theireveryday diet. In fact, it played a role in

virtually every religious festival, particu-larly Passover. Ancient peoples also usedwine for medicinal purposes (see 1 Tim5:23).

The ancient Hebrews accepted theconsumption of alcohol, but drunkennesswas explicitly forbidden and its dangerswell documented in Proverbs (Prov 20:1;23:20, 29-35). But moderate drinking wasconsidered normal and even beneficial forthose in less enviable circumstances.

Wise Words about Speaking for theRights of the DefenselessThe mother’s final admonition is to takeaction on behalf of the oppressed.Literally, she says, “Open your mouth!Open your mouth for the silent one!” Theking should speak up for those whocannot speak. He must use his power toenact justice for his people.

Introduction: Our passage presents a motheradvising her son how to live. Almost every-one can appreciate this action, since we’veeither been given advice by a respectedmentor or we’ve bestowed our wisdom onothers. Begin the lesson by focusing on theconcept of imparting wisdom or use one ofthe pieces of advice offered by Lemuel’smother.

I. Introduction (Prov 31:1)

II. Wise Words about Women (Prov 31:2-3)

III. Wise Words about the Dangers andBenefits of Alcohol (Prov 31:4-7)A. Dangers of Alcohol for Kings

(vv. 4-5)B. Benefits of Alcohol for the Suffering

(vv. 6-7)

IV. Wise Words about Speaking for theRights of Others (Prov 31:8-9)

24 Lesson 5

❍ Sage AdviceAsk participants to share wisdom oradvice they have received from a mother,grandmother, sister, or female friend.What did this woman say? Did they followthe advice? Why or why not?

Today we will read the words of anancient queen mother who offered herroyal son some wise advice.

❍ Parental AdviceInvite parents in your class to discuss thesorts of advice they have given their chil-dren at various stages of life: startingkindergarten, entering middle school,upon taking their first job, upon gettingmarried, etc. Discuss both the nature ofthe advice and their child’s openness toreceiving it.

Questions➤ When is parental advice most

welcomed? When is it least welcomed?➤ What advice from your parents has

helped you the most?➤ What advice do you wish your parents

had given you?

❍ Materialism and ComplacencyWhether we realize it or not, most of usare wealthy compared to the rest of theworld. We may claim to be “middle class”and complain of our financial straits, butif we make more than $25,000 a year, weare not poor by global standards.

Invite participants to offer examplesof wealth in our society and list them onthe board. Press them to identify symbolsof “middle-class” wealth. For example,merely owning a car can be an indicationof wealth, and most of us probably ownmultiple cars. Help them think of exam-ples in various categories: food, comfort,entertainment, luxury, leisure, etc.Discuss how wealth and materialism inour culture might numb us to povertyand suffering.

Our lesson today emphasizes thatthose who are in positions of power andwealth should seek to stand up for thosewho are voiceless.

Today’s lesson involves the advice a mother gives to her son. Help partici-pants to reflect on episodes of giving or receiving advice, and the dynamic thatoften accompanies the imparting of wisdom from one generation to another.

A Way to Begin

Teaching Guide 25

The kings of Israel and Judah were not supposed to be despots like their counter-parts in other Ancient Near Eastern countries. They were, instead, to be the championsof the defenseless. The king was required to write a copy of the law and study it everyday for the rest of his life so he would not vaunt himself over his people (Deut 17:18-20).He was supposed to be a paragon of righteousness and justice—the supreme keeper ofthe law. Indeed, when the prophets spoke of the ideal king, they said he would beclothed with righteousness and justice (Isa 11:1-5; 16:5).

Unfortunately, few kings came close to this ideal, and most did quite the opposite.In fact, the Old Testament commends only one king for following the law completely:King Josiah of Judah (2 Kings 23:25).

26 Lesson 5

❍ Wise Leadership for DummiesDivide the class into threegroups. Distribute to eachgroup copies of the appro-priate section of the resource

page “Wise Leadership for Dummies.”Have each group follow the instruc-

tions on the worksheet. Bring the classtogether and have each group share itsfindings.

❍ Wisdom for TodayRead Proverbs 31:2-3. Discuss what thisword of advice might mean. Ask partici-pants to think of biblical examples ofrulers who “[gave] their strength towomen.”

Question➤ None of us are kings with harems to

tempt us. What might Lemuel’s motheradmonish us to avoid with regard to“[giving] our strength”?

Read Proverbs 31:4-7. Discuss howalcohol might cause a ruler to pervertjustice. In our society, we still see theconsequences of alcohol abuse. It can tearfamilies apart, ruin careers, and destroy aperson’s health. But even though Lemuel’smother tells him to avoid strong drinkand wine, she also commands him tosupply it to those who are suffering.

Questions➤ What do you think about this advice?➤ While we might feel uncomfortable

using alcohol as Lemuel’s mothersuggests, are there other ways we mightapply her advice to offer relief to thosewho suffer?

Guide the class to suggest realisticways we could comfort those who arepoor or suffering. (For example, we mightdonate blankets to local shelters as winterapproaches.)

Read Proverbs 31:8-9. Lemuel’smother admonishes her son to speak forthose who cannot speak, to speak for therights of those who are destitute, to enactjustice, and to defend the rights of thepoor and needy.

Questions➤ How have we been silent in this regard?

Have we stood by and said nothingwhen a fellow human was treatedunjustly? Have we turned the other wayto avoid looking upon someone’ssuffering?

➤ How can we open our mouths to enactjustice?

The words of Lemuel’s mother are fairly straightforward in that she warns herson to avoid excess and to advocate for the oppressed. But how should we apply

this woman’s godly wisdom in our context? Help participants discern the timelessprinciples that lie behind what Lemuel’s mother taught him.

A Way to Explore Scripture

Teaching Guide 27

❍ HeirloomsInstead of the family silver, Lemuel’smother passed down wise words to herson. What heirlooms in words could youoffer someone special to you? Distributepaper and pens or pencils for each partici-pant. Ask them to think of words ofwisdom they would like to pass down to achild, grandchild, colleague, or friend.

Ask a few volunteers to share whatthey wrote with the class. Encourage theparticipants to pass their words ofwisdom on to the intended recipient.

❍ Words into ActionResearch needs in your community orchurch. If possible, type all the informa-tion into a document that you candistribute to the class members.

Explain how, having heard Lemuel’smother admonish her son to speak out onbehalf of others and to enact justice, itwould be easy for us to nod our heads inagreement but do nothing. How can weinstead put her words into action?

Share the list of opportunities to theclass. Attempt to reach a consensus onone or two things you could undertake asa class project.

❍ Do Not Give Your Strength to…Lemuel’s mother commanded her son notto give his strength to women. He shouldnot waste his energy on things that woulddistract him from ruling well. She alsowarned him to avoid alcohol for the samereason.

Questions➤ What activities sap our strength and

distract us from what is really impor-tant?

➤ What can we do to remove thesedistractions, or at least lessen them?

Challenge participants to suggestpractical solutions rather than idealisticones. (Note: Some participants might bestruggling with hidden addictions thatthey cannot share. Be sure to remind theclass that there are professional resourcesto aid those who suffer from addiction.)

ResourceWilliam McKane, Proverbs, Old Testament Library(Philadelphia: Westminster, 1970).

Lemuel’s mother offered her son some excellent advice. We have no way of knowingwhether or not he took it to heart. Conclude the lesson by emphasizing the need

for all of us to take these words to heart and apply them in our lives.

A Way to End

Page 28

ROLESDeborah

Read Judges 4:4-16; 5:4-9

(1) What do these verses reveal about Deborah’s character? Who was she? Try todescribe her as thoroughly as possible. What did she do—and why?

(2) When you think of the typical Israelite woman, what roles do you think sheplayed in society, family, politics, etc.?

(3) What role(s) did Deborah play in the story? How does Deborah conform tothe traditional roles that women in Israel played? How does she challenge thestereotype?

(4) What surprises you about Deborah? Why?

(5) If you could describe Deborah with one adjective, what would it be? Why?

(6) Read 1 Samuel 12:11 and Hebrews 11:32. Why do you think Barak was remembered but Deborahwas forgotten?

Barak

Read Judges 4:4-16; 5:4-9

(1) What do these verses reveal about Barak’s character? Who was he? Try todescribe him as thoroughly as possible. What did he do—and why?

(2) When you think of the typical Israelite man, what roles do you think heplayed in society, family, politics, etc.?

(3) What role(s) did Barak play in the story? How does Barak conform to the tra-ditional roles that men in Israel played? How does he challenge the stereotype?

(4) What surprises you about Barak? Why?

(5) If you could describe Barak with one adjective, what would it be? Why?

(6) Read 1 Samuel 12:11 and Hebrews 11:32. Why do you think Barak was remembered but Deborahwas forgotten?

INTERVIEWSUsing information from the Learner’s Study Guide, prepare to role-play an interview in whichyou will be asked the following questions:

Pharaoh• What exactly troubled you about the Hebrews? What threat did they pose?

• Why did you ask Hebrew women to kill Hebrew babies?

• Why did you ask the midwives to kill only the male babies?

Shiphrah and Puah• Why did you fear God and not Pharaoh?

• What did you think of Pharaoh’s command?

• Why didn’t you obey him? Weren’t you afraid for your life?

• What did you mean when you told Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like theEgyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them” (Ex 1:19)?

• God was good to you as a result of what you did. Can you tell us about that?

Page 29

Page 30

THROUGH THE EYES OF THECHARACTERS

Joab(1) Did Joab simply want Absalom where he could keep an eye on him? What other reasons mightJoab have had for bringing Absalom home?(2) Why do you think Joab chose to influence David via the wise woman of Tekoa rather thanconfronting the king himself ? (3) Why did he ask the woman to tell a fictional story?(4) Ultimately, Joab’s plan backfired when David refused to see Absalom and Absalom launchedhis revolt. Do you think Joab should have attempted to reconcile David and Absalom in the firstplace? Why or why not?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Wise Woman(1) Some think the wise woman of Tekoa was not really wise since Joab “put the words into hermouth” (2 Sam 14:3). What do you think? Was the wise woman truly wise or was she merely anactress?(2) In what ways does the wise woman’s story parallel the events in David’s and Absalom’s lives? (3) How do the two stories differ?(4) Does the fact that David ultimately refused to see Absalom mean that the wise woman failed?Why or why not?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Absalom(1) Absalom killed his brother, Amnon, resulting in his estrangement from David. Do you thinkAbsalom was justified in killing Amnon to avenge the rape of his sister, Tamar? Why or why not? (2) What might Absalom have felt toward his father when he did nothing about the rape ofTamar?(3) After Amnon’s death, Absalom was the heir apparent. Why do you think he launched a rebel-lion instead of biding his time and succeeding his father peacefully?(4) What do you think would have happened had David welcomed Absalom home immediately?Would Absalom still have rebelled? Would Absalom have succeeded David?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------David(1) Why do you think David took no action against Amnon after the rape of Tamar? (2) Had David punished Amnon, how might things have been different?(3) Why did David do nothing to punish Amnon for his misdeeds, yet exile Absalom for his? Whydo you think he reacted to his two sons differently?(4) David eventually gave in to Joab’s pressure and agreed to let Absalom return. But then herefused to see him. Why do you think he did this?

✁

✁

✁

Page 31

You and your companions have just survivedthe crash of a small plane. Both the pilot andcopilot were killed in the crash. It is mid-January, and you are in Northern Canada. Thedaily temperature is 25 below zero, and thenighttime temperature is 40 below. There issnow on the ground, and the countryside iswooded with several creeks crisscrossing thearea. The nearest town is 20 miles away. Youare all dressed in city clothes appropriate for abusiness meeting. Your group of survivorsmanaged to salvage the following items:

• a ball of steel wool

• a small ax

• a loaded .45-caliber pistol

• a can of Crisco shortening

• several newspapers (one per person)

• a cigarette lighter (without fluid)

• an extra shirt and pair of pants for each survivor

• one quart of 100-proof whiskey

• a compass

• family-size chocolate bars (one per person)

Your task as a group is to list these ten items in order of importance for yoursurvival. List the uses for each. You must come to an agreement as a group.

Source: “Survival: A Simulation Game,” ScoutingWeb.com http://scoutingweb.com/scoutingweb/SubPages/SurvivalGame.htm.

SURVIVOR

Page 32

WISE LEADERSHIP FOR DUMMIES

Chapter 1: Don’t Expend Your Energy Chasing after Foolish Things

Read my advice in Proverbs 31:2-3. My first word of advice to my son was to avoid wasting his time on things thatwill only sap his strength, such as women. Women are good, of course. I am a woman. But my son must avoidobsessing over them and accumulating them and wining and dining them. Women can be distractions, and a goodruler must not be distracted.

I realize that you, dear reader, might not be distracted by women. However, like everyone, you might depleteyour strength on things that are a waste of time. Identify those distractions. How can you work to remove thosedistractions from your life?

Read the story of a dummy who didn’t follow my advice: 1 Kings 11:1-13.

• Who was the dummy?• How did he fail to follow my advice?• What were the results?• Discuss how you can avoid making the same mistakes.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chapter 2: Don’t Let Your Obsessions Consume You

Read my advice in Proverbs 31:4-7. Alcohol can create problems for those who are running a kingdom. Who wants adrunk for a king? The wisdom of my advice is obvious, but it goes deeper than alcoholism. We can be so consumedby an addiction or an obsession that we end up making horrible decisions that create injustices for others.

I’ve received a few negative reviews regarding my other advice (vv. 6-7). Some have accused me of condoningalcohol abuse for those in poverty. That was certainly not my intent! What I meant was that it is the king’s respon-sibility to comfort those who suffer. In our day, alcohol could provide relief from physical and mental suffering.You, my dears, have many resources we didn’t have: medications, psychological counseling, shelters, and food closets. Use them well to ease the suffering of others.

Read the story of a dummy who didn’t follow my advice: 1 Kings 21:1-16.

• Who was the dummy?• How did he fail to follow my advice?• What were the results?• Discuss how you can avoid making the same mistakes.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chapter 3: Speak Out against Injustice

Read my advice in Proverbs 31:8-9. Some think the kings of Israel had complete dominion over the people, but that isnot so. Look at Deuteronomy 17:18-20. The king must be the supreme keeper of God’s law. He is not above it; onthe contrary, he is supposed to uphold it by enacting justice.

So I told my son he must speak and not be silent in the face of oppression and poverty. He must speak out forthe rights of others, especially for those who are voiceless.

Read the story of some dummies who didn’t follow my advice: Amos 6:1-7.

• Who were the dummies?• How did they fail to follow my advice?• What were the results?• Discuss how you can avoid making the same mistakes.

✁

✁