Judges 4: Women To The Rescue!

While much of the Bible consists of the stories of men and their exploits, there are passages to be found that extol that contributions that women have made.  Judges 4 is one such chapter, highlighting the surprising work of Deborah and Jael.

Deborah was a judge (vs. 4).  That's right.  Listed alongside heroes like Gideon, Samson, Ehud, and Jephthah, Deborah was entrusted to a position of power and authority by the tribes of Israel in being an arbiter among them and a spokesperson for God.  At the time, Israel had again turned to evil following the death of Ehud.  Where are they in the cycle?  "Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help" (vs. 3).  They are being oppressed and persecuted and seeking deliverance from God.

God hears their prayers.  Deborah is given a message from the Lord to appoint Barak as the commander of the armies of Israel in throwing off the yoke of King Jabin of Canaan and his general Sisera.  Deborah assures him of victory.  But Barak is reluctant to go.  He refuses to take up this charge - unless Deborah promises to go with him!  Deborah agrees to go, but for this lack of faith, she tells him that the glory of the victory will belong not to him but to a woman.

Yet it is not Deborah herself to whom this honor will fall.  In the midst of the battle between the Canaanite forces and the Israelites forces, Sisera gets off his chariot and runs away.  He finds refuge in a neighboring town of supposedly friendly Kenites (descendants of Cain and also of Moses' father-in-law).

A woman named Jael invites Sisera into her tent and promises to take care of him.  After hiding him under a rug and attending to his thirst, Sisera falls asleep while she stand guard at the entrance of the tent.  Jael, however, is no friend to Sisera and instead takes this opportunity to drive a tent peg through his temple all the way into the ground.  (There is some more of that TMI!)

When Barak arrives looking for Sisera, Jael shows him the corpse.  Therefore, in this chapter we see not only a spiritual leader of Israel being a woman in Judge Deborah but also military victory given to another woman, Jael.  All in all, it's a good day for the ladies!