Lexical Summary Yabin: Jabin Original Word: יָבִין Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Jabin From biyn; intelligent; Jabin, the name of two Canaanitish kings -- Jabin. see HEBREW biyn NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom bin Definition "one who is intelligent," two Canaanite kings NASB Translation Jabin (7), Jabin's (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs יָבִין proper name, masculine (one who is intelligent, discerning) two Canaanite kings of Hazor; — 1 Joshua 11:1. 2 Judges 4:2,7,17,23,24 (twice in verse); Psalm 83:10. (But compare Be Judges 4:2 BuRS 66 f f.) Topical Lexicon Biblical ProfileYabin is the royal name assigned to two Canaanite kings of the northern city–state of Hazor. The first opposes Joshua during the Conquest (Joshua 11:1), while the second dominates Israel in the era of the judges (Judges 4). Their shared title underscores Hazor’s enduring prominence and the repeated challenge it posed to the covenant people. Hazor’s First Yabin and the Conquest Generation Joshua 11 records a sweeping coalition led by Yabin that rallies “kings and their armies— a vast multitude, as numerous as the sand on the seashore” (adapted from Joshua 11:4). The Lord directs Joshua to strike decisively at the waters of Merom. Hazor is burned, its military might broken, and its leader put to the sword. The victory establishes Israel’s northern frontier and exhibits the pattern of total devotion to God’s command. Historical note: Archaeology confirms a massive Late Bronze Age destruction layer at Tel Hazor, aligning with the biblical timeframe. The defeat of this powerful center served as a public testimony to the surrounding nations that “the Lord fought for Israel” (Joshua 10:42). The Second Yabin and the Era of the Judges Centuries later Hazor rises again. The book of Judges chronicles a cyclical apostasy in which “the Lord sold them into the hand of Yabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor” (Judges 4:2). This monarch, allied with Sisera and his 900 iron chariots, oppresses Israel for twenty years. 1. Military Supremacy: Iron chariots symbolize technological superiority, yet they cannot nullify divine deliverance (Judges 4:3–7). Psalmic Reflection Psalm 83:9 recalls the events: “Do to them as You did to Midian, as to Sisera and Yabin at the River Kishon.” The psalmist cites the defeat to encourage faith in God’s ongoing protection. Yabin becomes shorthand for oppressive powers toppled by the Lord’s intervention. Theological Themes • Divine Sovereignty over Nations: Whether through Joshua’s armies or the unlikely trio of Deborah, Barak, and Jael, the Lord governs history to accomplish His redemptive purposes. Lessons for Ministry 1. Pray and act: Deborah models intercession coupled with decisive leadership. Geographical and Archaeological Note Hazor sat astride major trade routes north of the Sea of Galilee. Its size—ten times larger than contemporary Jerusalem—made it a strategic prize. Excavations reveal religious and administrative buildings destroyed by intense fire, matching both Joshua’s and Judges’ accounts and reinforcing the historicity of the narratives. Intertextual Echoes Later prophetic threats against foreign powers (for example, Jeremiah 49:30) echo the pattern first established in Yabin’s fall: prideful nations laid low when confronting God’s purposes. New Testament writers likewise assure believers of ultimate victory over oppressive forces through Christ (compare Revelation 19:11–16). Summary Yabin, though a single lexical entry, encompasses two historical kings whose rise and fall frame pivotal moments in Israel’s national story. Their defeats affirm God’s supremacy, highlight the necessity of covenant fidelity, and inspire confidence that no earthly power can withstand the purposes of the Lord. Forms and Transliterations יָבִ֔ין יָבִ֣ין יָבִ֥ין יבין כְ֝יָבִ֗ין כיבין cheyaVin ḵə·yā·ḇîn ḵəyāḇîn yā·ḇîn yāḇîn yaVinLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 11:1 HEB: וַיְהִ֕י כִּשְׁמֹ֖עַ יָבִ֣ין מֶֽלֶךְ־ חָצ֑וֹר NAS: Then it came about, when Jabin king KJV: And it came to pass, when Jabin king INT: came heard Jabin king of Hazor Judges 4:2 Judges 4:7 Judges 4:17 Judges 4:23 Judges 4:24 Judges 4:24 Psalm 83:9 8 Occurrences |