Bible Dictionary
Jabin
Jabin was the royal name of two kings of Hazor. Joshua defeated the first, while the second oppressed Israel until Deborah and Barak led Israel to victory.
Definition
Jabin was the name or royal title of two kings associated with Hazor. The first led a northern Canaanite alliance against Joshua and was defeated at the waters of Merom. The second, called king of Canaan, oppressed Israel until Deborah and Barak led Israel to victory.
Biblical Usage
Joshua defeated the first Jabin and took Hazor. The later Jabin held Israel in oppression for twenty years, but Deborah and Barak defeated the power associated with him and Sisera.
Historical Background
The name may have functioned as a hereditary royal title among northern Canaanites. The supplied material differs on whether the second Jabin personally took part in the battle, while identifying Sisera as his powerful commander.
Scripture References
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Discerner; the wise. (1.) A king of Hazor, at the time of the entrance of Israel into Canaan (Josh. 11:1-14), whose overthrow and that of the northern chief with whom he had entered into a confederacy against Joshua was the crowning act in the conquest of the land (11:21-23; comp. 14:6-15). This great battle, fought at Lake Merom, was the last of Joshua’s battles of which we have any record. Here for the first time the Israelites encountered the iron chariots and horses of the Canaanites. (2.) Another king of Hazor, called “the king of Canaan,” who overpowered the Israelites of the north one hundred and sixty years after Joshua’s death, and for twenty years held them in painful subjection. The whole population were paralyzed with fear, and gave way to hopeless despondency (Judg. 5:6-11), till Deborah and Barak aroused the national spirit, and gathering together ten thousand men, gained a great and decisive victory over Jabin in the plain of Esdraelon (Judg. 4:10-16; comp. Ps. 83:9). This was the first great victory Israel had gained since the days of Joshua. They never needed to fight another battle with the Canaanites (Judg. 5:31).
Smith's Bible Dictionary
(whom God observes).
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>ja'-bin (yabhin, "one who is intelligent," "discerning." The word may have been a hereditary royal title among the northern Canaanites. Compare the familiar usage of par`oh melekh mitsrayim):</p><p>(1) "The king of Hazor," the leading city in Northern Palestine, who led an alliance against Joshua. He was defeated at the waters of Merom, his city was taken and he was slain (Jos 11:1-9).</p><p>(2) "The king of Canaan, that reigned (or had reigned) in Hazor." It is not clear whether he dwelt in Hazor or Harosheth, the home of Sisera, the captain of his host at the time of the story narrated in Jgs. He oppressed Israel in the days preceding the victory of Deborah and Barak. To the Israelites he must have been but a shadowy figure as compared with his powerful captain, Sisera, for the song makes no mention of him and there is nothing to indicate that he even took part in the battle that freed Israel (Jud 4:2,7,17,23,24 bis; Ps 83:9,10).</p><p>Ella Davis Isaacs</p>