Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
"And the children of Israel came up to her for judgment"  (Judges 4:5). "The expression, `came up,' is applied here, as in  Deuteronomy 17:8, to the place of justice, as a spiritual height, independently of the fact that the tree was in the hill-country."[13]  As Barnes noted, "This verse shows that the `judges' exercised the as well as the military functions of rulers."[14]  Go, and draw near unto mount Tabor  (Judges 4:6).  This mountain stands 1,843 feet above sea level."[15]  It has a flat surface on top where a town was erected in N.T. times, and its steep sides provided a very secure position for the rallying of Barak's ten thousand men.  It has a spectacular appearance overlooking the eastern part of the plain of Esdraelon, and that caused it to be mentioned along with Mount Hermon, despite that mountain's being five times as high as Tabor.