Keraia
People

Deborah

Deborah, a prophetess and judge, led Israel to victory against the Canaanites alongside Barak.

The name Deborah means “word; thing; a bee”

FemaleOld Testament1 book15 verses

Summary

A Judge living before Israel's Monarchy, first mentioned at Judges 4:4; only referred to as Deborah (דְּבוֹרָה); wife of Lappidoth.

Profile

The prophet Deborah was one of the early judges of Israel. She was a woman of integrity and devotion to the Lord. As a prophet, she received divine messages. As a judge, she settled legal disputes. People often called her “a mother in Israel” (see Judges 5:7).

During Deborah's time, people were doing more wrong things. They stopped following God's ways, and the tribes of Israel were not united. Israel was doing "evil in the sight of the LORD" (Judges 4:1). So, God handed Israel over to an oppressor, Jabin of Canaan. Once more, Israel cried out to the Lord for help (Judges 4:3).

God called Barak to fight Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, through Deborah. However, Barak was not enthusiastic or brave. He insisted that Deborah accompany him. Deborah agreed but warned that a woman would receive the glory for the victory, not Barak. This came true when Barak defeated Sisera and his army, but Jael, the woman who killed Sisera, received the glory. Barak showed little courage or leadership. This was very different from the courage and leadership of Deborah and Jael. Deborah's actions led to forty years of peace for Israel (Judges 5:31).

Passages for Further Study

Judges 4:1–5:31

Events

Dates are approximate

Glossary entries

Deborah

Family members

Spouse

Lappidoth

Alternative names

Mentions

Includes 6 verses that refer to Deborah without naming them, as “he”, “she”, or the subject of a verb.

  1. Judges 4:4
    Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time.
  2. Judges 4:5
    And she would sit under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, where the Israelites would go up to her for judgment.
  3. Judges 4:6Referred to, not named
    She summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “Surely the LORD, the God of Israel, is commanding you: ‘Go and march to Mount Tabor, taking with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun.
  4. Judges 4:8Referred to, not named
    Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.”
  5. Judges 4:9
    “I will certainly go with you,” Deborah replied, “but the road you are taking will bring you no honor, because the LORD will be selling Sisera into the hand of a woman.” So Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh,
  6. Judges 4:10
    …where he summoned Zebulun and Naphtali. Ten thousand men followed him, and Deborah also went with him.
  7. Judges 4:14
    Then Deborah said to Barak, “Arise, for this is the day that the LORD has delivered Sisera into your hand. Has not the LORD gone before you?” So Barak came down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him.
  8. Judges 5:1
    On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song:
  9. Judges 5:3Referred to, not named
    Listen, O kings! Give ear, O princes! I will sing to the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD, the God of Israel.
  10. Judges 5:7
    Life in the villages ceased; it ended in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose, a mother in Israel.
  11. Judges 5:12
    ‘Awake, awake, O Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, O Barak, and take hold of your captives, O son of Abinoam!’
  12. Judges 5:13Referred to, not named
    Then the survivors came down to the nobles; the people of the LORD came down to me against the mighty.
  13. Judges 5:15
    The princes of Issachar were with Deborah, and Issachar was with Barak, rushing into the valley at his heels. In the clans of Reuben there was great indecision.
  14. Judges 5:21Referred to, not named
    The River Kishon swept them away, the ancient river, the River Kishon. March on, O my soul, in strength!
  15. Judges 5:23Referred to, not named
    ‘Curse Meroz,’ says the angel of the LORD. ‘Bitterly curse her inhabitants; for they did not come to help the LORD, to help the LORD against the mighty.’