The Story of Deborah in the Bible, Judge and Prophetess

Deborah’s story can be found in the Book of Judges, chapters 4-5. The Book of Judges begins with the death of Joshua. Joshua, Moses’s predecessor, led the Israelites into the Promised Land. The Israelites were supposed to remove the current inhabitants, the Canaanites, because the Canaanites lived in ways that contradicted God’s commands. To avoid being influenced by these nations, the Israelites needed to drive them out. However, they failed to do so and ended up living in a pattern of sin and a lifestyle contradictory to God’s design.

The cycle would start with the Israelites' sin, followed by oppression from the Canaanites. The Israelites would eventually see the fault in their ways and repent. A judge would help the Israelites overcome their enemies and lead them into a time of peace. However, the peace wouldn’t last for long. Israel would again be negatively influenced by the Canaanites and begin the cycle of sin once again. This is the context of Deborah's story in Scripture.

Who Is Deborah in the Bible?

Deborah was one of these judges, and her story is the third of the judges' stories told in the Bible. The Bible tells us she was a prophetess and the wife of Lappidoth. Matthew Henry describes a prophetess as “one that was instructed in divine knowledge by the immediate inspiration of the Spirit of God, and had gifts of wisdom.” The Old Testament lists five women as prophets. These include Miriam, Huldah, Noadiah, and a woman simply called “the prophetess.” Deborah is, however, the only female judge listed in the Bible.

Deborah’s name means “bee.” According to a collection of teachings known as The Midrash, the Hebrew people viewed bees in several ways. First, bees travel in swarms following the leader. Likewise, the Hebrew people followed prophets. Additionally, bees make sweet honey but also have a sharp sting. Similarly, the Bible blesses those who follow its commands but stings those who don’t. We will see in the story of Deborah how God’s people sting or overcome the Canaanites who go against his ways.

Deborah could usually be found under the Palm of Deborah, which sat in Ephraim between Ramah and Bethel. The people would come to her for advice and judgment. During this time, the Israelites were under the oppression of Jabin, the king of Canaan, for 20 years. Jabin’s army had 900 chariots of iron. The chariots likely had scythes on the side, which were tools with long curved blades. These weapons covered the sides of the chariots and the wheels’ orbs. Moreover, these chariots were ten cubits long or fifteen feet. Imagine 900 of these deadly machines barreling toward you. In contrast to the Israelite infantry, the Canaanites had an extreme advantage. The people, knowing they were in trouble, cried out to God for help. He sent Deborah to help deliver them from Jabin.

How Did God Help Deborah Deliver the Israelites?

One day, Deborah spoke to Barak, the son of Abinoam. She told him to gather his troops at Mount Tabor with 10,000 men to confront Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, at the brook Kishon. Deborah promised she would help deliver the Israelites, but, being a woman, could not be the one leading the army. Barak agrees to go if Deborah goes with him. Deborah agrees and says the Lord will help deliver the people through the hand of a woman.

Barak took his soldiers to Mount Tabor. Some believe his troops were all footmen. This would have put the Israelites at a severe disadvantage against Jabin’s chariots of iron and horses. However, with God’s presence, the Israelites did indeed have the upper hand. We see this reflected in verse 4:14 when Deborah tells Barak, “Go! This is the day the LORD has given Sisera into your hands. Has not the LORD gone ahead of you?”

Sisera, the leader of Jabin’s army, heard that the Israelite army was coming and summoned his troops. Barak was unsure how his army would fare against the mighty Canaanites. With Deborah’s encouragement, he forged ahead with his 10,000 men. While it would make sense for 900 iron chariots to obliterate Barak’s footman, this isn’t what happened. With God’s help, Barak’s troops took on Sisera’s entire army, not leaving one man alive.

How Was Deborah's Prophecy Fulfilled?

After the Canaanites were wiped out, their leader, Sisera, escaped. He abandoned his mighty chariot and ran on foot to the home of a presumed comrade, Heber the Kenite. Heber was at peace with Sisera’s king, Jabin. Sisera thought he would be safe there and hid in the tent of Heber’s wife, Jael.

The story then takes a dark turn. Sisera was gravely mistaken about Jael’s allegiance. Jael offered Sisera milk and then he lay down to rest. While he was sleeping, she took a peg and hammered it into his temple, killing him. The final act of vengeance was committed by a woman. With the leader of Jabin’s army dead, the Israelites were once again victorious and came out from their enslavement to the powerful king.

What Is Deborah’s Song?

Judges 5 recounts a song of Deborah and Barak and the events leading up to Israel’s victory. The song begins with praise to God, for he is the one who made the Israelites victorious. The song acknowledges the tribes that participated in the battle and those that did not. It also applauds Jael for her courageous act of killing Sisera. Here is part of the song:

“When the princes in Israel take the lead,
    when the people willingly offer themselves—
    praise the Lord!

“Hear this, you kings! Listen, you rulers!
    I, even I, will sing to the Lord;
    I will praise the Lord, the God of Israel, in song.

“When you, Lord, went out from Seir,
    when you marched from the land of Edom,
the earth shook, the heavens poured,
    the clouds poured down water.
The mountains quaked before the Lord, the One of Sinai,
    before the Lord, the God of Israel.

“In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,
    in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned;
    travelers took to winding paths.
Villagers in Israel would not fight;
    they held back until I, Deborah, arose,
    until I arose, a mother in Israel.
God chose new leaders
    when war came to the city gates,
but not a shield or spear was seen
    among forty thousand in Israel.
My heart is with Israel’s princes,
    with the willing volunteers among the people.
Praise the Lord! (Judges 5:2-9)

What Are Some Lessons We Can Learn from Deborah’s Story?

1. God’s strength is supreme.

Looking at the differences between Barak’s Israelite army and Sisera’s Canaanite army, Sisera should have one. He had the advantage and a stronger army. However, God helped Barak overcome his weaknesses. The Lord was with Deborah and Barak’s army, and human strength of the Canaanites could not compare to God’s power.

2. God’s plan will prevail.

We already know that on paper, the Israelites didn’t stand a chance against the Canaanites. Even so, Deborah prophesied that their leader, Sisera, would be delivered into the hands of a woman. This plan prevailed in two ways. First, Deborah joined Barak’s army at the battle where the Israelites should have been wiped out by the knife-clad iron chariots barreling toward them. Instead, the Israelites not only won the battle but also eliminated the entire army. Then Sisera runs to the tent of a woman, where he is brutally murdered, and the Israelites are freed from Jabin’s oppression.

3. Two are better than one.

God uses both Deborah and Barak to defeat Sisera’s army. Deborah has the prophecy and faith. Barak, being a man, has the military strength to execute the plan. Ecclesiastes 4:9 says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.” Barak doesn’t want to go into battle alone. He says he will only fight if Deborah comes. Fortunately, she agrees, and God’s plan moves forward. Ecclesiastes 4:12 goes on to say, “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Their victory could not have occurred without God. Together, all three of them were able to conquer Sisera’s army.  

Deborah’s story shows us how faith and trusting God can lead to unimaginable outcomes. On our own, circumstances may seem too big to overcome. We may feel like mere footmen up against a deadly chariot of steel, but we have God, and with God, anything is possible.

Photo credit: ©GettyImages/satori13

Jenna Brooke Carlson is an elementary dual language teacher in the Chicago suburbs. As a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Word Weavers, she enjoys spending time with other writers and perfecting her craft. Her debut novel, Falling Flat, spreads the message that healing can occur, even after tragedy. Along with writing, she’s pursuing her dreams of creating a community of brave young women, who she can encourage to live out their dreams amid challenges and imperfection. Her days are busy, but she’s determined she can conquer anything with a fuzzy blanket and a hot cup of tea. To find out more about Jenna, visit her website at jennabrookecarlson.com.