Deborah (Judges 4:1–3; Judges 4:4–5; Judges 4:6–7; Judges 4:8–10; Judges 4:11–13; Judges 4:14–16; Judges 4:17–22; Judges 4:23–24; Judges 5:1–5; Judges 5:7; Judges 5:12; Judges 5:15; Judges 5:31)

Prophetess and Judge of Israel

A prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, who judged Israel from under her palm-tree in the hill-country of Ephraim, sent for Barak with the command of the LORD, went up with him to Kedesh, told him on the day of battle that the LORD had delivered Sisera into his hand, and sang with him afterward.

Judges introduces her after twenty years of oppression under Jabin king of Canaan: “Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, she judged Israel at that time. And she dwelt under the palm-tree of Deborah between Ramah and Beth-el in the hill-country of Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment” (Judges 4:4-5).

She “sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam” (Judges 4:6) and asked, “Hath not Jehovah, the God of Israel, commanded, saying, Go and draw unto mount Tabor … ?” (Judges 4:6). Barak answered, “If thou wilt go with me, then I will go” (Judges 4:8), and she said, “I will surely go with thee” (Judges 4:9). On the day of battle she said, “Up; for this is the day in which Jehovah hath delivered Sisera into thy hand” (Judges 4:14), and “Jehovah discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host” (Judges 4:15).

Judges 5 opens, “Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day” (Judges 5:1). In the song she says, “Until that I Deborah arose, That I arose a mother in Israel” (Judges 5:7), and the chapter ends, “And the land had rest forty years” (Judges 5:31). Scripture does not record her death or any later judging, and the New Testament does not name her. The only other Deborah in Scripture is Rebekah’s nurse, whose death and burial below Beth-el are recorded in Genesis 35:8.

Strengths

• A prophetess
• Judged Israel
• Passed on the command of the LORD
• Willing to go with Barak
• Declared the day of deliverance
• A mother in Israel
• Sang praise to the LORD

Themes

• A woman who judged
• The command of the LORD
• Partnership with Barak
• Deliverance from Sisera
• Song of praise

Judging Israel under the palm-tree (Judges 4:1–5)

After Jabin king of Canaan has oppressed Israel twenty years, Deborah, a prophetess and the wife of Lappidoth, is judging Israel under a palm-tree in Ephraim, where the people come up to her for judgment.

Judging Israel under the palm-tree

Israel “again did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah” (Judges 4:1), and the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, whose captain was Sisera; “twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel” (Judges 4:3).

“Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, she judged Israel at that time. And she dwelt under the palm-tree of Deborah between Ramah and Beth-el in the hill-country of Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment” (Judges 4:4-5).

Scripture does not say how she came to be prophetess or judge, nor how long she judged. Lappidoth is named here and nowhere else.

Sends for Barak (Judges 4:6–7)

Deborah sends for Barak from Kedesh-naphtali and gives him the command of the LORD to take ten thousand men to Mount Tabor, with the promise that Sisera will be delivered into his hand.

Barak will go only if she goes (Judges 4:8–10)

Barak says he will go only if Deborah goes with him; she agrees, says the journey will not be for his honor, and goes with him to Kedesh.

Barak will go only if she goes

“And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go; but if thou wilt not go with me, I will not go” (Judges 4:8). The text gives no reason for his condition.

“And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding, the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honor; for Jehovah will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh” (Judges 4:9).

“And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh; and there went up ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him” (Judges 4:10).

Sisera gathers his host (Judges 4:11–13)

Sisera is told that Barak has gone up to Mount Tabor and gathers his nine hundred chariots of iron and all his people to the river Kishon.

The day of battle at Tabor (Judges 4:14–16)

Deborah tells Barak that this is the day the LORD has delivered Sisera into his hand; Barak goes down from Tabor, the LORD discomfits Sisera and his host, and none are left.

The day of battle at Tabor

“And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which Jehovah hath delivered Sisera into thy hand; is not Jehovah gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him” (Judges 4:14).

“And Jehovah discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera alighted from his chariot, and fled away on his feet” (Judges 4:15).

“But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; there was not a man left” (Judges 4:16). The text does not say that Deborah fought.

Sisera dies in Jael's tent (Judges 4:17–22)

Sisera flees on foot to the tent of Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite, and Jael smites a tent-pin into his temples; Barak finds him dead. Deborah is not named in this account.

Jabin subdued (Judges 4:23–24)

On that day God subdues Jabin king of Canaan before the children of Israel, whose hand prevails more and more until they destroy him.

The song of Deborah and Barak (Judges 5:1–31)

Deborah and Barak sing to the LORD on that day; the song names Deborah as one who arose a mother in Israel, tells of the battle and of Jael, and ends with rest in the land forty years.

The song of Deborah and Barak

“Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,” (Judges 5:1). The song begins, “I, even I, will sing unto Jehovah; I will sing praise to Jehovah, the God of Israel” (Judges 5:3).

It says of the days before: “The rulers ceased in Israel, they ceased, Until that I Deborah arose, That I arose a mother in Israel” (Judges 5:7). It calls to her and to Barak: “Awake, awake, Deborah; Awake, awake, utter a song: Arise, Barak, and lead away thy captives, thou son of Abinoam” (Judges 5:12).

“And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; As was Issachar, so was Barak” (Judges 5:15). Of the battle it says, “From heaven fought the stars, From their courses they fought against Sisera” (Judges 5:20), and of Jael, “Blessed above women shall Jael be, The wife of Heber the Kenite” (Judges 5:24).

“So let all thine enemies perish, O Jehovah: But let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years” (Judges 5:31).

Lappidoth (Judges 4:4)

Deborah is called the wife of Lappidoth, who is named nowhere else.

Barak (Judges 4:6–10; Judges 4:14; Judges 5:1)

She sent and called him, went up with him to Kedesh, told him the day had come that the LORD had delivered Sisera into his hand, and sang with him.

The LORD (Judges 4:6; Judges 4:14–15; Judges 5:3)

She passed on his command to Barak and said he had gone out before Barak; the LORD discomfited Sisera, and she sang praise to him.

The children of Israel (Judges 4:5; Judges 5:7)

They came up to her for judgment, and she arose a mother in Israel.

Sisera (Judges 4:7; Judges 4:14–16)

Captain of Jabin’s host, whom she said the LORD would draw to the river Kishon and deliver into Barak’s hand.

Zebulun and Naphtali (Judges 4:6; Judges 4:10)

The ten thousand men who went up at Barak’s feet, with Deborah going up with him.

Major sections

• Judges 4–5

More illuminations · Harbinger's Lamp