The Womanliness of Deborah: Complementarian Principles from Judges 4-5¹

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Introduction

According to the popular view, God called Deborah to be one of the judges of Israel, to lead men in war, and thus to deliver the nation from oppression. Deborah's leading is considered normal and precedent-setting. If one says that women should not teach men or be ordained, the answer comes back, "Oh, but what about Deborah!" For example, in Why Not Women?, a book co-authored with David Joel Hamilton, Loren Cunningham writes, "All we need to do to refute this idea—that leadership is male—is to find one woman in the Bible who was a gifted leader. Just one woman, obviously gifted, anointed, and called by God to lead. But as we look at Scripture, we find not one but several, in both the Old and New Testaments. . . . Deborah was both a leader and a prophet. She was the head of state, just as Samuel and other prophets were in the days before Israel had a king."²

What about Deborah? Does the text teach that Deborah is the leader of the nation and its military deliverer? Does Deborah provide an historical precedent that overturns the principle of male leadership in the home and nation? Is Deborah a judge, a head of state, and thereby a poster girl for egalitarianism? Or has she been misrepresented?

Judges 4-5 is a complicated and unusual passage. However, close examination of it will reveal that Deborah is not a military leader, a head of state, or an advocate for egalitarian principles. She is a great Israelite, a prophetess, the most noble person in the book of Judges, and a womanly woman. She is a strong woman in a day of weak men. Deborah's glory is that she uses her strength to strengthen men so that God is glorified and the nation is freed.

The book of Judges takes place between the founding of the nation under Moses and Joshua and the rise of the kings. With God as Israel's only king and governmental bureaucracy at a minimum, this should have been a time of great freedom and prosperity. However, because of idolatry, it was instead a dark time of oppression, civil and religious chaos, as "every man did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 17:6).

The book of Judges traces the following cycle six and a half times:

(1) The people turn away from the Lord to idols;

(2) God chastens them with oppressors;

(3) The people repent and call out to God for salvation; and

(4) God raises up a deliverer who militarily defeats the oppressors, restoring freedom for a time. These deliverers are called judges.

The Prose Account of Judges 4

Judges 4-5 relates the third cycle of the six and a half cycles presented in the book. Verses 1-3 of chapter 4 cover the first three parts of the cycle:

And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud died. And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, for he had 900 chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years.³

Usually at this point in the cycle, God raises up or calls a military deliverer to save the people. This is perfectly in accord with the definition of a judge given in the introduction of the book:

Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them. Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they whored after other gods. . . . Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge (Judges 2:16,18).

According to Judges 2:16, 18, a judge was a person whom God raised up to deliver the people militarily from oppressors—judges saved out of the hand of those who plundered them; they saved from the hand of their enemies. Second, Judges 2:16 mentions that the Israelites did not listen to their judges. Clearly this indicates that the judges did have some teaching or exhorting function. However, in this definition and in the presentation of the actual judges in the book, the military deliverer aspect is overwhelmingly the emphasis.⁴

Who is Deborah?

 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment (Judges 4:4-5).

When we come to Judges 4:4-5, we are presented with a variation in the cycle. We are not presented with the call or rise of a warrior. Rather, a woman is introduced and a state of affairs is described. Deborah is the only significant character in the book of Judges whose call is not described⁵ and who is not said "to arise," the formulaic description of a deliverer-judge, as with Othniel (3:9), Ehud (3:15), Gideon (6:14), Tola (10:1), and Jair (10:3).

Deborah was a Prophetess

The first thing the text tells us about Deborah is that she is a prophetess. A prophet is one who receives and communicates words directly from and for God (Exod 4:15-16; 7:1). There were true and false prophets (e.g., 1 Kgs 22), faithful and unfaithful prophets (Num 24:12-13; 31:16; 1 Kgs 13), and lifelong and temporary prophets (Num 11:24). Being a prophet does not tell us a lot about a person's role or even his character. Some prophets appear, deliver a message, and are not heard from again. Others are towering figures. Except in a few cases, like Moses and Samuel, they are not the rulers of the nation. Most often prophets came to the king with messages from God of warning, guidance, or judgment. Even David, who was a prophet, received this kind of ministry from Nathan and Gad.⁶ Whatever the particulars, in the Old Testament a prophet of Yahweh spoke God's words as his agent and mouthpiece.

Prophetesses are extremely rare in Scripture. There are 470 occurrences of the words prophet/prophets in the Bible and only nine occurrences of prophetess/prophetesses. Of these nine, two are false prophetesses. This leaves only Miriam, Deborah, Huldah, and Isaiah's wife⁷ as legitimate Old Testament prophetesses. The New Testament prophetesses function in a different era and may do so with a different kind of prophetic gift and so are not included here.⁸

That Deborah is a prophetess means God sometimes speaks through her. By itself, this information does not tell us anything about her role in the nation or even about her character. God chooses whom he will, and usually we do not know why. Isaiah tells us that the rule of women is a sign of degeneracy, not liberation (Isa 3:12). Certainly the time of the judges is a dark time in Israel's history. Those who seek to extrapolate doctrine or practice from Deborah need to remember that Judges 4-5 is the historical report of a very rare circumstance in a far-from-ideal setting.⁹ These chapters are given for our edification, but should not be seen as precedents or used to overturn clear commands of Scripture.

Deborah was Married

She was the wife of Lappidoth. No details are given about Deborah's husband or marriage. However, the fact that she is identified as a wife (4:4) and later identifies herself as a mother (5:7) who ministers from a particular place (4:5) warrants the understanding that Deborah's ministry did not negate her responsibilities at home.

Deborah was Judging (Adjudicating)

Next we are told that Deborah was judging Israel at that time.¹⁰ The word shaphat ("to judge") is a broad and general word that can mean "judge," "adjudicate," "decide," "govern," "deliver," "pronounce judgment," or "execute judgment." Fortunately, contextual information helps us to understand what Deborah was doing.

Clearly Deborah is not providing military deliverance under her palm tree. While the text is not specific, it is most likely that she is rendering verdicts in lawsuits, and/or giving divine guidance. First Samuel 9:6-10 provides an example of this practice. The future king, Saul, seeks a prophet or "seer" when he loses his donkeys. In 1 Sam 9:6, Saul says to this servant, "Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go." Three things are said about the seer (prophet) that Saul seeks: (1) he is known to be a man of God; (2) he is held in honor; and (3) all that he says comes true.

Undoubtedly the same could be said for Deborah. She is not merely wise or insightful; she is actually a prophetess—she speaks the words of God. Second, Deborah is a woman of integrity, loyal to God and dependable. Whether she dealt with issues such as: "Should I marry Sue or Jane?" or "Pete stole my pig; make him give it back," the text simply does not say. Whatever the details, we know that her judging provided adjudication or guidance counseling, not military deliverance from oppressors. In this sense, she is "judging," but she is not a "judge" as the role is presented in the book of Judges.

The question arises, where are the elders and priests whom God had appointed to judge the people (Exod 29:9; Num 11:16-25)? The only priest mentioned in the book of Judges is apostate (Judges 17-18). The elders after Joshua's time are corrupt or foolish (Judges 2:7, 10; 8:14-16; 21). Likely, the people resorted to Deborah because she had both the word of God and personal integrity, a rare combination in those days.

Deborah was under Her Palm Tree

One detail about Deborah's style of ministry is mentioned. She stayed put, under her palm tree, and the people came to her. Years later, Samuel also judged at Ramah (1 Sam 7:15-17). Unlike Deborah, he walked a circuit. Deborah's habit was to minister at home. This is a detail; nevertheless, home-based work is classically feminine.

The Deliverer-Judge Barak

Call and Command

She sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, "Has not the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun. And I [the Lord] will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin's army, to meet you by the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops, and I [the Lord] will give him into your hand'?" (Judges 4:6-7).

Whatever the nature of Deborah's judging ministry, something provokes her to summon Barak (v. 6). From the context, we know the following: (1) The northern tribes were suffering a harsh oppression (4:2-3; 5:6-7); and (2) they had cried to the Lord for help (4:3).

Whether God initiated the message to Deborah to commission Barak in response to the people's cries to him, or whether the people petitioned Deborah and she sought the Lord for his word, we do not know. What we do know is that God's prophetic word is to call and command Barak to engage the enemy general, with a sure promise of victory.

Again, demonstrating her preference for ministering from home, Deborah sends for Barak. His coming a distance of some seventy-five miles indicates his respect for the Lord and for his prophetess. Deborah's words to Barak make at least three things clear: (1) She does not speak from her own wisdom or because of her popularity with the people. She speaks on the authority of the word of God alone; (2) Barak is and has been the military leader of the tribes—"go gather your men"; and (3) Barak is here called to be the deliverer-judge as described in Judges 2:16, 18.

Deborah frames her message to Barak as a question: "Has not the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you?" (4:6) It is a question and yet it demands an affirmative answer, putting the greatest possible emphasis on the fact that it is Yahweh who has commanded, and it is he who will win the battle. What more could any general ask? God not only tells him what to do and where to go, but what the outcome will be—certain victory. Nevertheless, instead of marching off speedily to execute the will of the Lord, Barak issues his own condition to Deborah and thereby to God.

Condition and Accommodation

Barak is the commander of the army; the people have cried out for salvation, and yet no deliverer has arisen. It is likely that God has previously commanded Barak to go forth,¹¹ but he has refused to go. If this is the case, Deborah is repeating a command Barak has already heard, but refuses to obey. (God often sent prophets to warn and command errant leaders.¹²) Whatever has happened in the past, Barak's counter-condition in the next verse is very clear: "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'" (4:8).

We do not know why Barak does not obey the Lord straightaway. Perhaps he thinks the people do not trust him as much as they trust Deborah; perhaps he fears they will not answer his muster. Perhaps he trusts Deborah's physical presence as an assurance of God's help more than God's own promise. Whatever the reason, Barak's issuing a condition to God is not a good or admirable thing (as some have tried to make it¹³). Both Deborah and God are displeased with this response from Barak as we see by their responses to him.

Condition and Judgment

And she said, "I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman." Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. And Barak called out Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh. And 10,000 men went up at his heels, and Deborah went up with him (Judges 4:9-10).

Willing to accommodate Barak's weakness, Deborah agrees to go; but she is not pleased or honored. Apparently, she would prefer for Barak to go do his job and leave her under her palm tree to do hers. She sees the demand that she go to the battle as unnecessary. God sees it as shameful, and pronounces through Deborah a divine judgment against Barak the warrior.  It was the duty of ancient commanders to meet their enemies of equal rank and standing. That Barak's opposing commander, Sisera, will be vanquished by a woman will be a shame to both Barak and Sisera (Judges 9:52-57).

Upon first reading, some might imagine that Deborah is the woman who will slay Sisera, but God has another woman in mind. Verse 11 is included at this point to prepare the way for Jael's appearance later in the chapter: "Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh."

The Battle: Deborah Exhorts; Barak Goes Forth; God Triumphs

When Sisera was told that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, Sisera called out all his chariots, 900 chariots of iron, and all the men who were with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon. And Deborah said to Barak, "Up! For this is the day in which the LORD has given Sisera into your hand. Does not the LORD go out before you?" So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him. And the LORD routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army before Barak by the edge of the sword. And Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot. And Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left (Judges 4:12-16).

After Barak and Deborah return to the north, Barak calls out the troops and goes to Mount Tabor as commanded. However, when God draws Sisera out as he promised, Barak is again slow to act. Deborah commands Barak with the same sort of language that she used in their first encounter. She exhorts him to act, using once again the form of a rhetorical question to emphasize that God himself is the one who goes forth to destroy the enemy, "Does not the LORD go out before you?" Thus encouraged, Barak goes forth, the men follow him,¹⁴ and God routs Sisera's army.

 A Surprise Ending for Sisera

But Sisera fled away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. And Jael came out to meet Sisera and said to him, "Turn aside, my lord; turn aside to me; do not be afraid." So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug.  And he said to her, "Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty." So she opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink and covered him. And he said to her, "Stand at the opening of the tent, and if any man comes and asks you, ‘Is anyone here?' say, ‘No.'" But Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand. Then she went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple until it went down into the ground while he was lying fast asleep from weariness. So he died (Judges 4:17-21).

 Hospitality with a Hammer

The Kenites were descendants of Moses' brother-in-law Hobab, who had acted as a guide for Israel in the wilderness (Num 10:29-32). Later they settled among the tribe of Judah in the south. Heber, Jael's husband, moves away from his relatives to the north, where he is on good terms with Jabin the Canaanite king. It is probably for this reason that Sisera trusts Jael's invitation and enters her tent for sanctuary. At first Jael is the perfect hostess, inviting the exhausted general into her tent and serving him lavishly. In response, Sisera commands her to stand guard and protect him from pursuing Israelites. When Sisera is asleep, however, Jael kills him with the skill and common implements of a bedouin wife. She drives a tent peg through his temple with a hammer. Thus the Canaanite general comes to a surprising and ignominious end, exactly in accord with God's prediction through Deborah.

Barak Pursues What He Cannot Attain

And behold, as Barak was pursuing Sisera, Jael went out to meet him and said to him, "Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking." So he went in to her tent, and there lay Sisera dead, with the tent peg in his temple (Judges 4:22).

Just as Barak did not obey God's command to go to battle without condition, neither does he accept God's limitation on his glory. After the battle, Barak pursues the fleeing Sisera, apparently determined to seek what God has expressly forbidden him, the glory of slaying Sisera. Barak probably assumed that the woman prophesied was Deborah. When Deborah did not go to the battle, Barak may have thought he could triumph after all. But God's possibilities and resources are limitless. Barak did not know that God had another woman living right in Sisera's path of retreat who would be more than able and willing to kill this wicked man.

So on that day God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan before the people of Israel.  And the hand of the people of Israel pressed harder and harder against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they destroyed Jabin king of Canaan (Judges 4:23-24).

The Poetic Account of Judges 5

The cycle of Deborah and Barak is unique in Judges in that it is presented twice, once in the prose account of chapter 4, and a second time in the dramatic and poetic account of chapter 5. Probably in obedience to God's command to awake and sing in v. 12, Deborah writes this vivid account of the events as only an eyewitness could.  It is considered one of the oldest and finest examples of Hebrew poetry. While Barak sings this song with Deborah, she is its author, as is indicated by her first person references in vv. 7 and 13.

Why Deborah Sings

Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day: "That the leaders took the lead in Israel, that the people offered themselves willingly, bless the Lord! Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes; to the Lord I will sing; I will make melody to the Lord, the God of Israel. Lord, when you went out from Seir, when you marched from the region of Edom, the earth trembled and the heavens dropped, yes, the clouds dropped water. The mountains quaked before the Lord, even Sinai before the Lord, the God of Israel" (Judges 5:1-5). 

Deborah Praises God for Two Things

First, she praises him that God's people moved out in obedience to fight for him—officers led and men followed. Second, she praises God as the ultimate warrior who brought his people from Sinai and who triumphs over the Canaanites with supernatural power.

The Oppression and the Beginning of Its End

"In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned, and travelers kept to the byways. The villagers ceased in Israel; they ceased to be until I arose; I, Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel. When new gods were chosen, then war was in the gates. Was shield or spear to be seen among forty thousand in Israel?" (Judges 5:6-8).

Deborah describes the oppressive conditions created by the Canaanites. Travel, commerce, and village life had ceased. People stayed home or crept about in fear of assault, rape, and theft. And yet, the root cause of the problem was not the Canaanites; it was the Israelites themselves who had chosen new gods. Without God, they were prostrate and disarmed before their technologically superior foes.

This was the situation until, "I, Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel." While God is clearly the deliverer of his people, this short verse reveals Deborah as the human hinge of the story. When oppression and slavery seemed the immovable state of affairs, Deborah arose as a mother. Through her, deliverance is given birth; "the noble remnant comes forth" (v. 13). 

Deborah is best understood as one of the significant biblical women who "open the door" on great historical developments. Women sometimes initiate great events; but, as we shall see, men must walk through the doors women open in order to complete and execute what the women have begun. This is not a contradiction of the basic gender pattern in which men initiate and women respond; but rather represents an example of the "interdependence" principle laid out by Paul in 1 Cor 11:8-12.¹⁵ Scriptural examples of this pattern of women initiating great events and men completing them are:

• The midwives reject Pharaoh's command; Moses is born and grows up to crush Egypt.
• Rahab opens the door of Canaan to Israelite spies; Joshua comes through to conquer the land.
• Hannah opens her life to God in a corrupt day; Samuel comes forth to establish the kingdom.
• Ruth insists on coming to Bethlehem; God, through Boaz, plants the Messianic line.
• Mary opens her spirit and body to God's call; Christ comes through her to save the world.
• Deborah exhorts and supports Barak in battle; Barak and his men defeat the Canaanites.

How do we know that these actions are gender "counterpoint" and not a deliberate overturning of patriarchy? Deborah identifies herself as a mother, not a revolutionary title for a woman. Is she referring to the fact that she is a biological mother, or is she implying a motherly attitude and posture to the whole nation? Both are completely warranted from context. She describes her motivation, not as a judge or even as a prophetess, but rather as a mother, one concerned for the life and well-being of God's children.

Praising Men and God

My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless the Lord (Judges 5:9)

In v. 9, Deborah's "heart goes out"—she is full of admiration for and pride in the Israelite men who came forth to lead Israel. An officer corps answered the muster of Barak, enrolled, and took charge of the enlisted volunteers. For these commanders, without whom no army would exist, Deborah praises God. Had not these men followed God, Deborah's initiating would have availed nothing.

"Tell of it, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets and you who walk by the way. To the sound of musicians at the watering places, there they repeat the righteous triumphs of the LORD, the righteous triumphs of his villagers in Israel. Then down to the gates marched the people of the LORD" (Judges 5:10-11).

Judges 5:3 is a call to the defeated Canaanite kings (vassals of Jabin who served under Sisera), to worship the true God. Judges 5:10 is apparently a second such call to the Canaanite enemies, this time to the wealthy merchants who prospered through Jabin's oppression. These men are also commanded to tell of the triumphs of God and Israel.

Gender-Specific Commands

"Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, break out in a song! Arise, Barak, lead away your captives, O son of Abinoam" (Judges 5:12).

Deborah's song presents a staccato series of scenes, full of energy and rich imagery, but often with little context. Verse 12 may represent a summary of God's overall commands to Deborah and Barak for the whole operation—Deborah, you prophesy; Barak, you go to war.  More specifically these directions fit the situation after God routed Sisera. Deborah is to sing—lead the response of praise for the victorious warriors. (For other examples, see Miriam, Exod 15:1-18, 20-21, and the women of David's day, 1 Sam 18:6-7.) Barak is to finish what remains of the military operation by leading away the captives. In either case, these commands are classically gender-specific: Deborah is to respond with praise; Barak is to go and do.

The Roll Call of Honor and Shame

"Then down marched the remnant of the noble; the people of the Lord marched down for me against the mighty. From Ephraim their root they marched down into the valley, following you, Benjamin, with your kinsmen; from Machir marched down the commanders, and from Zebulun those who bear the lieutenant's staff; the princes of Issachar came with Deborah, and Issachar faithful to Barak; into the valley they rushed at his heels. Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. Why did you sit still among the sheepfolds, to hear the whistling for the flocks? Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan; and Dan, why did he stay with the ships? Asher sat still at the coast of the sea, staying by his landings. Zebulun is a people who risked their lives to the death; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the field" (Judges 5:13-18).

The Faithful and Unfaithful Tribes

In v. 13, Deborah returns to her introductory theme—praise for God's people rising up to follow him in holy war. In the verses that follow, she identifies by name the tribes that answered God's call and are thus worthy of praise—Ephraim, Benjamin, Machir (alternate name for Manasseh), Zebulun, and Issachar. On the other hand, Reuben, Gilead, and Dan are singled out for shame. They heard the call of God, but tarried with the daily affairs of flocks and fleets. Deborah, as a true glory-of-man woman (1 Cor 11:7), gives herself whole heartedly, not only to the praise of God but also to the praise of worthy men. Following the patterns of wisdom, she is a full-orbed woman of wisdom, speaking life-giving counsel and praising the righteous (Prov 4:7-9; 8:13-21), while scorning and rejecting the dishonorable (Prov 1:24-33). In v. 18, the highest praise is awarded Zebulun and Naphtali. These tribes not only answered God's call, they risked their very lives in the fiercest part of the battle.

God Who Wins the Battle

"The kings came, they fought; then fought the kings of Canaan, at Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo; they got no spoils of silver. From heaven the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera. The torrent Kishon swept them away, the ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon. March on, my soul, with might! Then loud beat the horses' hoofs with the galloping, galloping of his steeds" (Judges 5:19-22).

In vv. 19-22, Deborah moves from outlining the faithful and unfaithful deeds of men to describe that which actually turns the battle—the work of God and angels. Sisera's nine hundred chariots were effective in the plain of the Esdraelon Valley where this battle was fought. However, just as Sisera comes forth in his might, God supernaturally sends a torrential downpour to cause the usually tiny Kishon river to turn into a flood. The chariots are caught in a quagmire, the horses break loose in a frenzy, and Sisera's troops are left in rout. Almost certainly the stars fighting from heaven is a reference to the angelic forces who battled demons in order to fulfill God's command to send this unusual rain storm. The similarity between the victory at the Red Sea and this victory is apparent. God is the almighty God of nature. The strongest weapons of man are no match for him. The Canaanite god Baal, supposedly the god of rain and lightning, is shown to be as impotent as his servants.

The Strongest Curse

"Curse Meroz, says the angel of the LORD, curse its inhabitants thoroughly, because they did not come to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the might" (Judges 5:23).

Deborah has been writing her song in the words of God under the inspiration of his Spirit, but now in v. 23 she quotes the LORD directly. The angel of the LORD is the Ultimate Warrior who has brought the Israelites from Sinai, through Sier, and into the land under Joshua (Exod 23:20-33). Now he, the preincarnate Christ, utters a curse on the town of Meroz. Apparently Meroz was a town in or about the Esdraelon Valley; it is unknown and unfound, a reasonable expectation given this curse. Meroz's curse is more severe than the shame put upon the other slackers. Perhaps the men of Meroz were near the line of retreat and had special opportunity to help with the pursuit and slaughter of the enemy, but they did not. The LORD curses them thoroughly because they did not help him. As we have seen, God does not need men. He will sovereignly win the battle whatever the details. However, God desires to work with, in, and through his people. Their response to his commands does not determine the outcome of the battle; it determines the outcome of their own lives. Judges 4-5 presents a microcosm of all history. All of the ages encompass a holy war between God and his servants and Satan and his servants. In the end, the record will be clear—who came to serve, who did not, who served with highest distinction, and who were cowards of greatest ignominy.

Jael, the Blessed Bedouin

 "Most blessed of women be Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, of tent-dwelling women most blessed. He asked water and she gave him milk; she brought him curds in a noble's bowl. She sent her hand to the tent peg and her right hand to the workmen's mallet; she struck Sisera; she crushed his head; she shattered and pierced his temple. Between her feet he sank, he fell, he lay still; between her feet he sank, he fell; where he sank, there he fell—dead" (Judges 5:24-27).

What a contrast between Meroz and Jael! Israelites who had every opportunity and reason to serve God did not, and thus receive the harshest curse. Jael, a non-Israelite with apparently no opportunity or capacity, becomes the heroine of the battle! Truly God uses the weaker things of this world to overcome the mighty.

Who was Jael? Why did she do what she did? She was of the Kenites, descendants of Moses' in-laws, friends of the Jews. But she was not a Jew. In addition, her husband Heber had moved away from the Judahites in the south to live by choice in a land of Canaanite oppression. Heber and Jabin are on friendly terms; but as becomes clear, Jael and Sisera are not. Jael bears strong resemblance to Rahab in Joshua 2. Rahab was a non-Jew, who lived in the midst of Canaanites; indeed she was one.  She, like they, had significant knowledge of the God of Israel; his mighty deeds had been shaking the nations for decades (Josh 2:8-13). But unlike the other Canaanites, Rahab chose to repent of her idolatry and seek the mercy of Yahweh. Jael lived among Canaanites, but she is a loyal worshipper of Yahweh. When her opportunity comes to strike a literal blow for God and freedom, she does it without hesitation.

The phrase most blessed of women brings to mind Mary, the mother of Christ, though it seems hard to imagine two women more different than Jael and Mary. There is a difference of magnitude. Jael is the most blessed of tent-dwelling women. She is here honored as the greatest bedouin woman to ever live. Mary, on the other hand, is the greatest woman of all generations. However, Jael and Mary share a similarity that is the foundation of their greatness. Both are on the LORD'S side, utterly committed to him. Both love him first with heart, mind, and soul. Both are willing to do whatever he needs or wants done—be it slaying a wicked general or bringing the Son of God into the world, they are both the "handmaids of the Lord."

A Defeated Champion in the Combat of Mothers

"[T]he mother of Sisera wailed through the lattice: ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the hoofbeats of his chariots?' Her wisest princesses answer, indeed, she answers herself, ‘Have they not found and divided the spoil?—A womb or two for every man; spoil of dyed materials for Sisera, spoil of dyed materials embroidered, two pieces of dyed work embroidered for the neck as spoil?'" (Judges 5:28-30).

In the last scene of Deborah's song, we move from the tent of Jael to the house of Sisera's mother, where this well-to-do woman impatiently waits the return of her son from the battle. Not considering defeat as a possibility, she and her attendants speculate about what is keeping the general. Their answer—rape and pillage. Deborah could not have portrayed the Canaanite culture more effectively than this!¹⁶ When the "cultivated" matrons of a people deliberately and enthusiastically rear sons for the military, economic, and sexual oppression of their neighbors, then you know you are dealing with a corrupt society.

Deborah is a modest and humble woman. She does not dwell on herself or her role in events. However, by closing her song with Sisera's mother, she casts herself without words as the victorious champion of mothers in the battle between light and dark, good and evil, between Yahweh and those who hate him. Deborah's God has triumphed over Baal; her technologically inferior culture has defeated the corruption of Canaan; her man Barak will come back from the battle to enter the roll call of faith (Heb 11:32-34), while the tyrant Sisera lies dead with a tent peg through his head. Many Israelite men have been faithful, while the hosts of Sisera have been swept away by flood and sword. Deborah has reason to rejoice. Her God has brought great triumph, and she has been the mother of it.

"So may all your enemies perish, O LORD! But your friends be like the sun as he rises in his might." And the land had rest for forty years (Judges 5:31).

Complementarian Principles from Judges 4-5

Having reviewed the text of Judges 4-5, let us return to our original question. Does the cycle of Deborah and Barak support egalitarianism? Does Deborah's ministry refute the whole principle of male leadership as some suggest?

The Womanliness of Deborah

Deborah is not an example or justification for women's usurpation of men's offices or roles. Rather, as a strong woman, she deploys her strength by disciplining its use in womanly ways in order to strengthen men and glorify God.

Deborah is Not a Judge

She is not a judge in the sense that the book of Judges defines a judge; she is not a military deliverer.¹⁷ Rather she is a prophetess, and as a prophetess, she commands and exhorts Barak with God's own words and authority.

Deborah Accommodates and Cooperates

She works with Barak in ministry. She goes with him to the muster and shares with him the song she writes. She does not see Barak as a sensitive man who is opening equal opportunity for women on the battlefield. Barak's weakness irritates her; nevertheless she works for his success.

Deborah is a Wife and Mother

She stays at her palm tree and lets people come to her to receive her ministry. Her womanliness encompasses and informs her ministry; her ministry does not obliterate her womanliness. Her competitor is not Barak, or even Jabin or Sisera; by implication she presents Sisera's mother as the champion she bests.

She Does Not Lead or Fight in the Battle

War is the work of men. Nowhere in the Bible are women mustered for battle. To be killed by a woman was dishonorable (Judges 9:52-54). Women have always played a significant role in war as spies, informants, and as anchors on the domestic front (Num 32:1-27, esp. vv. 26-27; Joshua 2; 2 Sam 17:17-20). On rare occasions, they kill. But, according to the Bible, it is not normative, desirable, or glorious for women to go to battle with men.

She Arises as a Mother, Not As a Judge or Warrior

Because she uses her prophetic gift in the context of integrity and womanliness, Deborah becomes a powerful wisdom figure for the nation. Her strength is used to motivate men, and when they act, she is the first to praise them. When they are lazy or cowardly, she is the first to scorn them. What women want in society is usually what they get. Sisera's mother approved of rape and theft; Deborah wanted freedom and the glory of God.

Deborah is Commanded to Sing, Not Take Captives

Her song emphasizes praise to God for the victory and for the men who fought willingly. Deborah is a great "glory of man" woman. Of the thirty-one verses in her song, seven explicitly praise the righteous and courageous men who came forth to fight (vv. 2, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 18).

If Deborah Had Been Egalitarian

The final test for determining whether a woman is complementarian or egalitarian is to look at the results of her life and work. Complementarian women want to strengthen men as leaders, providers, and protectors. Egalitarian women want to replace men in these roles. The most convincing evidence that Deborah was a womanly woman, "complementarian" in belief and practice, is to look at the results of her life. If Deborah had been egalitarian, her goal would have been to take Barak's job, not exhort him to do it. Her goal would have been to arise as a deliverer, not as a mother. She would have exploited Barak's invitation to the battlefield, not reproved it. She would have battled for equal opportunity for Israelite women in the combat arms, not praised a homemaker. She would have filled her hymn with her own achievements, not those of men at arms. Her goal would have been to have her name in Hebrews 11, not Barak's. In short, her goal would have been to replace the men, not make them strong.
Deborah is a Woman Who Opened the Door

Her exhorting and going forth as a companion to Barak is the catalyst that rouses the faithful remnant of the nation. The result is victory and glory for God, honor for the men who served willingly, shame for slackers, and great renown for two women who stood in the gap in extraordinary ways. A great lady of wisdom, she exhorts, reproves, condemns, and praises in the pattern of Wisdom herself. She is a life-giving mother and a "glory of man" to men who are the glory of God. Her purpose is to exalt men into their proper roles and then praise them generously for it.

What Barak Did

Barak is a weak man who does the will of God when paired with a righteous and wise woman. He does the job of deliverer-judge, makes the roll call of faith, but suffers a loss of glory because of his lack of zeal and obedience. For clarification, let us review the deeds of Barak for good and ill. On the negative side, Barak knew his job as commander but did nothing to save the people in their bondage. When Deborah commands him, he hesitates, demanding that she go with him. On the day of the battle, Deborah again must "push him out the door" with command and exhortation. Finally, Barak, unwilling to pursue when commanded, then pursues when forbidden. He attempts to pursue Sisera, even though God has said he will not slay him.

On the positive side, Barak does go when Deborah says go and when she accompanies him. He does call out the men, go to Mt. Tabor, and lead 10,000 men down the mountain. He does behold God rout Sisera before him, and he does pursue the Canaanite chariots and army.

One of the clearest statements that Barak, not Deborah, is the judge of this cycle is his listing with the other judges in 1 Sam 12:11 and Heb 11:32-34: 

And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight (Heb 11:32-34).

Certainly Barak well fits the description, "were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight."

Standing In, Not Taking Over

(1) Women taking men's roles is an abnormality, not a freedom. Women were never anointed to be kings, priests, warrior judges, apostles, or elders. On rare occasions they were prophetesses. There is no precedent in Deborah for matriarchy or women's ordination.

To use the rare and exceptional woman as a fulcrum for overturning the gender standards of Scripture and nature is as pervasive today as it is aberrant. Because a woman is gifted, smart, competent, or visionary is not an excuse for giving her the offices and duties of a man. To do so is a final judgment on men and a displacement of the woman that will prevent her from deploying her strengths in their natural and most effective framework. By her words, Deborah considered it more desirable to arise as a mother than as a judge or even as a prophetess.

It is a curse on a people when women and children rule over them, not because women and children are inherently evil, but because it represents a breakdown of God's created order whereby men lead and protect, while women help and nurture for the glory of God and the benefit of all.

(2) In the case of dead or absent men, God allows women to stand in for—but not take over—male roles and duties. Zelophehad's daughters provide a clear case study of the "no men" problem. Zelophehad had no sons, so God said that his daughters might inherit his land (Num 27:1-11). In this case, God approves the idea of women standing in the gap where there are no men to provide the natural male leadership. However, in Numbers 36, we see that stand-ins can quickly create a problem. The tribal elders come back to Moses and point out that if the women marry outside their tribe, then the lands of Zelophehad will be transferred to another tribe, thus diminishing the God-appointed heritage of their tribe. In reply, God says the women may marry whomever they please, but the men must be from their tribe in order to assure that the tribal inheritances be preserved.

Stand-ins must have limitations; otherwise stand-ins become take-overs, and the fabric of society is destroyed. Today our society is in tatters from take-overs, rooted more in gender confusion and rebellion than in any other cause. Some women do need to work outside the home.  However, when feminist doctrine establishes that all women should work outside the home for their own self-respect and independence, women become take-overs in the workplace. Men are displaced in their primary role as providers, and children are deprived of their primary caregiver. Working women have taken over from far too many men; divorce has taken over from life-long monogamy; and alternate forms of childcare have taken over from motherhood. Men are weakened and displaced; women are exhausted and frustrated; and children are neglected and abused. We have taken the principle of Numbers 27, added sin to it in many cases, and completely neglected the truth of Numbers 36. A great deal of the genius of Deborah is that she did stand in, but she limited herself even as she did so. Therefore, God was glorified, and men, women, and children were strengthened by her life and ministry, not weakened.

Strengthening or Enabling Weak Men?

Accommodating Weak Men

Accommodating weak men, or a man who is weak at the moment, is not an exact science, but rather an art form requiring much wisdom. When women coddle and cover for weak men too much, they exacerbate their weakness. However, as in the case of Deborah, sometimes exhortation or encouragement, coupled with going the second mile in support will enable an otherwise passive man to do his duty. How far do you go? When does helping a weak man strengthen him? When does it only enable him to be more irresponsible, thus augmenting sin?

Deborah chose to go to the battle and to tell Barak when to go; she did not fight the battle for him; they shared the victory together (they sang her song together). Yet she refused to give him the glory as the champion he was not. He is only mentioned once in the song of victory and that in praise of Issachar, not Barak (v. 15).

Factors to Consider

When trying to discern the difference in strengthening men and enabling them to be weak, consider:

Motive: Deborah clearly had the glory of God and the good of his people foremost in her mind; her life was not about exalting or advancing herself.

Method: Deborah did her ministry in "the style" of a woman; she stayed home. When telling Barak the word of the Lord she puts it in a form to emphasize the authority of God, not her own. In recording events she put much more emphasis on what God and the men did, than on what she did.

Short-term result: Deborah had encouragement along the way. After she agreed to go with Barak, he actually went! He mustered the troops. After she told him to go fight, he went and fought.

Long-term result: Is a woman a stand-in for absent or weak men, or is she a take-over? What is the long-term effect of her work? What does she seek to perpetuate? Deborah does not found a school of prophets nor does Jael start a paramilitary academy for girls. Godly women use every means at their disposal to get men to do their jobs, not to take their jobs.

Office and Gifts Are Appointed; Glory is Earned

Complementarianism upholds God's appointed offices and roles. This does not mean that incompetence is called competence, that failure is honored as success, or that disobedience is honored with glory. God is not mocked; justice is justice. Glory will finally go to those who earn it. Men must actually be men, or they will not be glorified.  The question is, will we actually be women? Glory, divine approval, and usefulness to the kingdom belong to the faithful, whether they are men, women, or children, in a tent, under a palm, or at the head of the troops.

Conclusion

The most honorable character in the book of Judges, Deborah, becomes the catalyst and impetus for great good. Because of her, God is glorified as the deliverer-judge. Many men rise up and fight bravely. Jael is honored as an extraordinary believer and servant of God. Barak does his job, is honored for his faith, although his glory is diminished. Canaanite evil is defeated, and the northern tribes gain peace for forty years. For all the millennia since, saints have been edified by this great story of faith and Deborah's war hymn glorifying God and those who came to fight for him. 

Deborah did all this as a womanly woman. She was not a military leader, a head of state, or an advocate for egalitarian principles. Deborah was a wife, a mother, a prophetess, a singer, a patriot, and a great lover of God. Deborah was strong and she was a prophetess. What really makes her remarkable was that she used her strengths and prophetic gift in their most effective framework—the created channels of her own womanliness.

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