Why Deborah’s Different

Some see her as an ancient Israelite Joan of Arc, a devout maid who led her people to victory against a hated national foe.¹ Others picture her as the prototype of the modern militant feminist, who challenged the forces of an oppressive patriarchy as she delivered Israel from the Canaanites.² Most readers simply admire Deborah as the only woman in the series of local chieftains—usually translated “judges” (in Hebrew, sûoµpeát\iÆm)—who protected Israel during the turbulent days before the establishment of the Israelite monarchy.

But is this how the biblical author saw Deborah?

When we try to put aside our modern biases and read Deborah’s story afresh, we find that the image of Deborah in the mind of the ancient authors was very different.³ She functioned primarily as Yahweh’s representative.