Deborah

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Gustave Dore's interpretation of the prophetess Deborah

Deborah or Dvora or Dəvora, (literally "Bee" in the Hebrew language) was a prophetess and the only female Judge of pre-monarchic Israel in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). Her story is told twice in chapters 4 and 5 of the Book of Judges. The first account is prose, relating the victory of Israelite forces led by General Barak, whom Deborah called forth but prophesied would not achieve the final victory over the Canaanite general Sisera himself. That honor went to Jael, the wife of Heber, a Kenite tentmaker, who killed the general while he slept.

Judges chapter five renders this same story in poetic form, and it is thought to have been composed in the second half of the 12th century B.C.E., shortly after the events it describes. If that is the case, then this passage, often called The Song of Deborah, is one of the oldest passages of the Bible and the earliest extant sample of Hebrew poetry. It is also significant because it is one of the, if not the, oldest extant passages that portrays women in roles other than as victims or as villains. The poem may have been included in the Book of the Wars of the Lord mentioned in the Biblical Book of Numbers, 21:14.

Little is known about Deborah's personal life. She was apparently married to a man named Lapidoth (meaning "torches"), but this name is not extant outside of the Book of Judges and might simply mean that Deborah herself was a "fiery" spirit. She was a poet and she rendered her judgments beneath a palm tree in Ephraim. Some refer to her as the Mother of Israel. After Deborah's victory over Sisera and the Canaanite army, there was peace in the land for forty years.

The Story of Deborah

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Mount Tabor

Following the death of Joshua, Israel lacked strong leadership. This period, known as the Period of Judges, lasting about four hundred years, had been highlighted Biblically by the phrase, "In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes." (Judges 17:6) The generations after Joshua had grown up ignorant of the God of their Fathers; four centuries of decline, disunity and moral compromise filled this period. The Judges were those who sat in position of leadership during this time, in an attempt to keep the Israelites correctly following the laws of Yahweh.

The story of Deborah is a story of deliverance of the Israelite people. Following eighty years of relative tranquility after Ehud delivered Israel from the oppression of the Moabites, new bondage came from within the land from the Canaanites living there. God had instructed Moses that these people should be destroyed or driven out (Exodus 23:33; 34:11-16; Numbers 33:51-56; Deuteronomy 7:1-5), but Israel's obedience to this command had been incomplete.

Forbidden by Mosaic Law, nonetheless, intermarriage had taken place between the Israeliates and the local peoples. Customs and cultures of the Canaanites, which seemed more advanced and prosperous, were adopted. Worship of Baal began to take place. Indulging in sexual immorality and idol worship, the Israelites lived oblivious of the covenant their forefathers had made with God.

The enemies of the Israelite people, having moved from the tactic of fortified cities in the time of Joshua had resorted to dividing the Israelites and denying access to good agricultural lands and main highways. The Israelites were forced to hide in the hills for safety.

Jabin, a Canaanite king, stationed 900 chariots at Harosheth-of-the-Gentiles (modern Tell el-Harbej), on the banks of the Kishon River, at the foot of Mount Carmel. This central location on the plain of Esdraelon was ideal for chariot operations, so that Jabin controlled not only the main trade routes but held onto the richest farm land in Israel. The Israelites had been forced into the hill country, leaving the fertile plains in the hands of the Canaanites. In addition to his 900 chariots, Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, no doubt commanded a large well-armed army of foot soldiers. In contrast, weaponry among the Israelites was scarce.

At this point, Deborah, the Prophetess and Judge, emerged to inspire and guide the Israelites. The position of judge in that era carried more the role of a godly counselor and deliverer than the courtroom judges of modern times. In the absence of a King or prominent godly leadership among the people, the judges guided the people according to their wisdom and knowledge of the laws of Moses. Referred to as "a mother in Israel", living in the hills north of Jerusalem, Deborah had become aware of the suffering and hardship of her people who lived in Galilee. Through her compassion and wisdom the people in the hill country united around her, raising a small standing army.

Safed, Galille's "Capital", with Yam Kineret and the hilly landscape of the area

General Barak, known as a capable but timid man, lived in the oppressed territories. Barak had been worn down by twenty years of Canaanite tyranny and strength. He had seen the slaughter of innocent Israelites too many times to have the faith needed to mount an attack. He was frightened and unwilling: "Then Barak said to her, ‘If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go’" (Judges 4:8).

With Deborah's agreement to participate, Barak rallied men in the requisite number to follow the strategy as directed by her, which was to establish himself and 10,000 men on the flanks of Mount Tabor, a prominent peak on the eastern end of the valley of Jezreel (Esdraelon). There they would soon be discovered by Sisera who would seek to lure them onto the plains where his chariotry would be no match for them. Instead a small diversionary force of Ephraimites and Benjaminites, led by Deborah coming up from the south, diverted Sisera's attention near Taanach.

During this manuever, a sudden violent rainstorm ocurred, which turned the river Kishon into a torrent and the surrounding plains into a bog. The plain became a quagmire for chariots and armored foot soldiers alike — Barak's troops then rushed down from Mount Tabor to wipe out the bogged–down charioteers and Sisera's encumbered army.

As Deborah had prophesied, it would be a woman who would provide the final downfall of Sisera. Weary in battle, Sisera retreated to the tent of Heber the Kenite for rest and cover. While he slept, Jael, Heber's wife "took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died." (Judges 4:21)

Deborah's Song

After obtaining the decisive victory and the death of Jabin’s general Sisera, Deborah wrote a victory song much as Moses and Miriam did before her following their successful crossing of the Red Sea.

The fifth chapter of the Book of Judges is entirely composed of the Song of Deborah. It is an ode of triumph over what seemed impossible odds and exults in the breaking of the Canaanite stranglehold over much of the country. The Song of Deborah is beloved by Jews as well as Christians for the lessons perceived within:

Deborah began her song by praising God and thanking him for the victory. She quickly added her gratitude for the willingness with which ten thousand Jews put their lives on the line to defend the nation. "Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves."

Next Deborah recognized the unusual methods God used to assist the Israelites. "...the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water. The mountains melted from before the Lord, even that Sinai from before the Lord God of Israel."

The desolation existing at the time was voiced next in her song. "The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel." Here Deborah also sings of the concept of the need of protection by a parent–figure.

An unusual occurance appeared next: "My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people." Governors in Old Testament times generally had military and judicial powers and were responsible to the king. A common responsibility was that of tax collector. Deborah praised their willingness to join in revolt against the oppressive taxation by the Canaanite king.

Deborah made note of the tribes who took part in the overthrow of the Canaanites and their varying degrees of participation. Differing from the reign of Kings in which the nation was more structured, in the period of Judges, each tribe tended to act separately and cooperated on only selected occasions. "Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer. And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart. Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the seashore, and abode in his breaches. Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field."

Although this was not necessarily a war in which nobility fought, Deborah referred to all fighters as 'kings', recognizing their actions as those of noble standing: "The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo."

"Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent." Here we hear of the fulfillment of the prophecy in the previous chapter of Judges, that Barak would not receive the glory for the victory, but that it would fall to a woman.

Deborah ended her song as she began it, singing praises to her God: "So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might."

"So may all Your enemies perish, O Lord," is Deborah's final refrain. However, according to the Talmud, Rabbi Akiva, one of the greatest figures in Jewish history, was a direct descendant of Sisera. That a descendant of this great enemy of the Jews became a great Jewish rabbi and scholar represented the Jews' ultimate victory over their ancient Canaanite opponent. The victory went far beyond the immediate destruction of Sisera and his chariots.

Biblical Judges

According to the introduction to the Book of Judges (2:10-3:6), after the death of Joshua, a new generation of Israelites grew up and rather than worshipping Yahweh, instead worshipped the pagan Baals and the Asherah, provoking God to anger. This divine wrath is described as causing the Israelites to be plundered by raiders and was the reason they were never able to defeat their enemies in war. Hence, they fell under the influence of the Canaanites, Philistines, Amorites and other foreign rulers.

However, God provided assistance, raising up people from time to time to save them from their enemies, referred to as judges. However on many occasions the people did not listen to the judges and refused to obey God's commands. Even though God raised up judges for them several times, each time the judge died they returned to their old ways. Finally, it is revealed (Judges 2:20-23) that it was part of God's plan for the Israelites to be unable to drive out the remnant Canaanite tribes; they were left to the test of keeping the way of the Lord and walk in it as their forefathers did.

Biblical judges were chief magistrates of the Hebrews, distinct from modern, merely judicial judges. While judge is the closest literal translation of the Hebrew term used in the Bible, the position held the level of respect such as a king. A judge was looked upon as a deliverer, who took charge of the affairs of the tribes in case of war and who assumed leadership of their respective tribes in the succeeding times of peace.

List of Biblical Judges

Judges in Bible
In the Book of Judges
Othniel
Ehud
Shamgar
Deborah
Gideon
Abimelech
Tola
Jair
Jephthah
Ibzan
Elon
Abdon
Samson
In the First Book of Samuel
Eli
Samuel

The following (in order) are identified as Judges in the Book of Judges - great judges are those deemed worthy of large narratives in the Book:

• Othniel
• Ehud (great judge)
• Shamgar
• Deborah (great judge)
• Gideon (great judge)
• Tola
• Jair
• Jephthah (great judge)
• Ibzan
• Elon
• Abdon
• Samson (great judge)

Biblical critics believe that Abimelech was also originally considered a judge, becoming changed to a "king" owing to his being regarded as evil, at which point Shamgar was added to the list so that there were still 12 in the Book. Textual criticism also views the minor judges as being added to the list simply to make the total number equal 12, a number of religious significance to the Israelites.

The First Book of Samuel also mentions:

• Eli (great judge)
• Samuel (great judge)

According to textual criticism the initial portion of the first book of Samuel, containing these two names, was probably originally the final part of the Book of Judges. Hence the original form of the book, according to textual criticism, listed 8 judges, 7 good and 1 bad, 7 being a religiously significant number.

Preceded by: Shamgar

Judge of Israel

Succeeded by: Gideon

Sources and further reading

• This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913. Judges
• Bond, Stephen Bradley, Spiritual authority : God's way of growing leaders, Joplin, Missouri, College Press Pub. Corrporation, 1995, ISBN 0899007279 OCLC 31606339
• Moor, Johannes Cornelis de; Oudtestamentisch Werkgezelschap in Nederland en België.; Society for Old Testament Study, The elusive prophet : the prophet as a historical person, literary character and anonymous artist, Boston, Brill, 2001, ISBN 9004121609 OCLC 48920592
• Harrison, Eveleen, Little-known women of the Bible, New York, Round Table Press, 1936, OCLC 3029261
• Drummond, Lewis A; Drummond, Betty, Women of awakenings : the historic contribution of women to revival movements, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Kregel Publications, 1997, ISBN 0825424712 - ISBN 9780825424717 OCLC 35178591

External links

• Emil G. Hirsch, Victor Ryssel Book of Judges, Jewish Encyclopedia, Retrieved February 6, 2007
• R .P. BenDedek, Israel's Period of the Judges, The King's Calendar: The Secret of Qumran, Retrieved February 6, 2007
• The Song of Deborah, United Church of God, St. Paul, Retrieved February 5, 2007
• Deborah Jewish Virtual Library: American Israeli Cooperative Enterprise, Retrieved February 5, 2007
• Judaism: Deborah, About, Inc. - The New York Times Co., Retrieved February 5, 2007
• Carl Hagensick, A Stunning Deliverance: The Song of Deborah, Herald Magazine, Retrieved February 5, 2007
• Lisa Stevensen Great Jewish Women, Project Genesis, Retrieved February 5, 2007
• Lambert Dolphin, Deborah the Prophetess, Lambert Dolphin's Library, Retrieved February 5, 2007
• Jennifer Rosania, Mighty in Spirit; Song of a Servant In Touch Ministries, Retrieved February 5, 2007
• W.S. Reilly, Debbora, The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume IV - New Advent, Retrieved February 5, 2007
• Wayne Blank, Deborah, The Church of God Daily Bible Study, Retrieved February 5, 2007

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