Deborah - Judge and Prophet

The peasantry prospered in Israel;
they grew fat on plunder,
because you arose, Deborah,
arose as a mother in Israel. Judges 5.7

JUDGES IN ISRAEL

The Old Testament Book of Judges gives an account of Israel’s life prior to the establishment of the Monarchy. In this time, which follows the death of Joshua, God appointed Judges to rule over the people. These Judges were to serve as the people’s leaders, judge between them with wisdom, and (when necessary) lead them into battle.

The period of the Judges covers about 200 years. Scholars vary on the dates, but we might think of this period as falling between something like 1250 to 1050 BCE. Over these years there were twelve judges. Six were Minor Judges, about whom we know little more than their names: Shamgar, Tola, Jair, Ibzan, Elon and Abdon. The other six, the Major Judges, are names we might be more familiar with: Othniel, Ehud, Deborah, Gideon, Jephthah and Samson.

These six Major Judges were

… renowned for their brave exploits in battle. They were leaders who arose in times of great need and led the tribes to victory in battle because God had marked them out charismatically. They guided the tribes during the rest of their lifetimes. Because of their recognised authority, they exercised power in legal disputes between tribes and in political squabbles.ⁱ

DEBORAH – THE TEXT

The story of Debroah, one of these Major Judges, is told in Judges 4 and 5. These texts themselves are interesting.

Judges 5 is a poem, said to be sung by Deborah, but on reading it we may wonder whether to it was actually sung about her rather than by her, proclaiming as it does her great works. This poem is one of the oldest complete narratives in the Bible.

Judges 4 is then a prose narrative of Deborah’s reign, which scholars agree is based on this poem. It differs slightly in content, reflecting a later view and style.

DEBORAH – PROPHET AND JUDGE

We learn from these texts several things about Deborah:

1. She was the wife of Lappidoth, though that is all we know of him (4.4).
2. She “arose as a mother in Israel” (5.7).
3. She was the fourth judge in Israel.
4. She would sit under a Palm Tree between Ramah and Bethel, where people would come to her for judgement/wisdom (4.4).
5. We can infer that she ruled for 40 years and that much of this time was peaceful (5.31).
6. We can infer that she had extraordinary courage and deep trust in God (eg 5.12, 4.8-9).

Deborah is “one of the most remarkable figures in the Old Testament, known for her roles as a prophetess, a judge, and a leader of Israel during a time of oppression”.

Richard Brewer writes well of her:

Deborah is a charismatic leader, as were all the judges. But she is more than a Judge: she is a prophetess. The judge was inspired by the spirit of YHWH to rule and to lead into battle when necessary. A prophet or prophetess was inspired also, but with special power to speak the word of YHWH to his people. Deborah, as prophetess, acts in a way similar to that which we see in the story of Samuel: she commissions Barak to lead the army against the enemy; moreover, she does so in the name of YHWH.ⁱⁱ

DEBORAH, BARAK, AND JAEL, AND WAR AGAINST SISERA

During her time as Judge Deborah appointed Barak to lead his people in battle against Sisera and his army. Barak was clearly afraid and said that he only lead the battle if Deborah went with him. In thinking about the time, this seems like an extraordinary request, as does Deborah’s agreement. We tend to think of the men going to war, and yet here is Deborah, a female judge, leading the Israelite army!

Deborah has the last word on this when she replies to Barak that she will go with him, “Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” (4.9)

This is indeed what happens – the battle is fought, Sisera is defeated, as Judges 4 and 5 tell, and then while his army is being pursued Sisera flees on foot, seeking shelter with Jael:

Most blessed of women be Jael,
the wife of Heber the Kenite,
of tent-dwelling women most blessed.
Water he asked, milk she gave;
she brought him curds in a lordly bowl. (5.24-25)

But then, as Sisera sleeps, Jael drives a tent peg through his skull (5.26 and 4.21), and so a woman wins victory for her people, just as Deborah prophesied. Indeed, the song of Deborah in Judges 5 is then unique in that it celebrates a military victory won by two women: Deborah, the prophetess and Jael, the warrior.

DEBORAH AND US.

Here, in some of the Bible’s earliest literature, is the account of a remarkable women leading her people. She is noted for her wisdom and courage, but more important than these is her faith and trust in God. This is clear to those around her, people such as Barak, who will not go into battle unless she goes alongside him, leading the people. Deborah is an early example of women leading or inspiring others in Scripture, a tradition we must not lose.

Finally, I asked Google what we can learn from Deborah today and thought the answer was spot on:

Deborah, as a prophetess, judge, and leader in the Bible, can encourage Christians today to arise as leaders in their generation, trusting in God's power over fear. She would urge believers to step out of comfort zones, act with boldness against evil, and lead by example while giving God the glory.

[i] Lawrence Boadt, Reading The Old Testament. Paulist Press. 1984.

[ii] Richard Brewer, Education for Ministry notes. University of the South, Sewanee. 2002.