Judge Deborah

Judges 4 to 5

re-told by Debbie Dunn

Story Highlights:

* Israelites went to Deborah for prophecies-prayers-advice

* Deborah told Barak to fight Canaanite commander Sisera

* A woman got credit for Lord’s victory over Sisera since Barak needed Deborah in battle

Bible tale: Judge Deborah

This next story is about an amazing woman from the Bible named Deborah. She lived about 1200 years before Christ Jesus.

Deborah was a judge. She was also a female prophet.

Question: What is a prophet?

Answer: A spokesperson for God

Deborah lived long after both Moses and Joshua had died.

Sadly, without their strong leadership, the Israelites seemed to have forgotten about God. Not Deborah! Never Deborah! But a bunch of the rest of them were actively worshiping idols.

Question: What are idols?

Answer: People mistakenly worshiped a statue or carving (i.e., golden calf, etc.) instead of God.

Deborah chose a palm tree with plenty of shade where the Israelites could come and sit with her daily.

She was a very wise mother whom the Israelites could talk to, tell their problems to, and ask for prayers and advice.

As a judge, Deborah would help the Israelites solve their problems. She would also help them to settle arguments.

As a female prophet, called a prophetess, Deborah would pray to God and reveal to the people what God willed for their lives.

The Israelites really needed somebody like Deborah, as they had been suffering from the cruelty of a very bad king from Canaan for 20 years. His name was King Jabin [Jay-bin].

His Canaan commander, Sisera [SIS-uh-ruh], was even worse. For 20 miserable years, he, along with his enormous army and 900 iron chariots, did all kinds of horrible things to the people of Israel.

The Israelites cried out to the Lord for help.

One of the ways God answered their prayers was by setting up the motherly Deborah as their Prophetess and Judge.

One day, Deborah sent for Barak [BAIR-uhk], the military commander of the Israelite army.

Deborah told him:

DEBORAH: Barak [BAIR-uhk], this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, commands you to do. Gather 10,000 warriors. You will fight against Sisera [SIS-uh-ruh], the commander of King Jabin's [Jay-bin's] army. There, God will give you victory over him.

Barak nervously declared:

BARAK: Deborah, I will go, but, ..., only if you go with me.

DEBORAH: Very well. I will go with you. But know this. The Lord's victory over Sisera [SIS-uh-ruh] will be in the hands of a woman and not with you.

So, Deborah went with Barak as he gathered his army of 10,000 Israelite warriors. Then, she announced:

DEBORAH: Get ready! On this day, the Lord will give you victory over Sisera, for the Lord is marching ahead of you.

Sure enough, when Deborah's army attacked, the Lord threw Sisera and all his chariots and warriors into a panic. As the Israelite army killed every single one of the bad guys, Sisera leaped down from his chariot and escaped on foot.

Sisera ran and ran until he came to the woman's tent belonging to Jael [Jay-uhl], the wife of Heber [Hee-bur].

SISERA: Phew! I found Heber's wife's tent. Due to the peace treaty he has with my king, I know I will be safe.

The woman, named Jael [Jay-uhl], went out to meet Sisera. She invited him into her tent and hid him under a blanket.

SISERA: Woman, please, give me some water. I'm so thirsty.

Jael gave him milk instead of water.

JAEL: [Whisper this to the audience] As tired as Sisera is, this milk will help him sleep. Hee! Hee! Hee! ... Shhhhh! Don't tell.

Worn out, Sisera said:

SISERA: Stand at the door of the tent. If anybody comes and asks you if there is anyone here, [YAWN], say no.

Then, the cruel commander fell fast asleep.

Very quietly, Jael grabbed an extra tent peg and her hammer. She sneaked over and hammered that cruel commander's head into the ground. And so, after 20 years of cruelty, Sisera died.

Later, when Barak came looking for Sisera, Jael showed him his dead body.

So, Prophetess Deborah was correct. The Lord's victory over Sisera happened at the hands of a woman and not a man.

After that, under the motherly guidance of Deborah, there was peace in the land of Israel for 40 years.