Illustration created for this project.
Deborah
A prophetess and the only woman to judge Israel, who with Barak defeated the army of Sisera.
What we know — and how we know it
Bible — stated in scripture (with verse) · 1
Scholarly — supported scholarly belief · 1
Life, role & deeds
BibleA prophetess who judged Israel from beneath her palm and summoned Barak to defeat Sisera; the victory is sung in her name.
Judges 4:4–9; 5:1
ScholarlyThe Song of Deborah is widely held to be one of the oldest passages in the whole Hebrew Bible.
Scholarly dating of the Song of Deborah (Judges 5)
Where in scripture
JudgesFamily
In their own words — 4 recorded sayings
“And she sent for Barak, the son of Abinoam, from Kedesh-naphtali, and said to him, Has not the Lord, the God of Israel, given orders saying, Go and get your force into line in Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? And I will make Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his war-carriages and his forces, come against you at the river Kishon, where I will give him into your hands.” — Judges 4:6-7
“And she said, I will certainly go with you: though you will get no honour in your undertaking, for the Lord will give Sisera into the hands of a woman. So Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh.” — Judges 4:9
“Then Deborah said to Barak, Up! for today the Lord has given Sisera into your hands: has not the Lord gone out before you? So Barak went down from Mount Tabor and ten thousand men after him.” — Judges 4:14
“Because of the flowing hair of the fighters in Israel, because the people gave themselves freely, give praise to the Lord. Give attention, O kings; give ear, O rulers; I, even I, will make a song to the Lord; I will make melody to the Lord, the God of Israel. Lord, when you went out from Seir, moving like an army from the field of Edom, the earth was shaking and the heavens were troubled, and the clouds were dropping water. The mountains were shaking before the Lord, before the Lord, the God of Israel. In the days of Shamgar, the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were not used,…” — Judges 5:2-31
Speaker attribution: Clear Bible MACULA (CC BY 4.0). Wording: Bible in Basic English (public domain).
In art
