Deborah, Fourth Judge of Israel: Old Testament Bible Character

by Larry Hammersley

Deborah is a Bible character, the only woman who was a judge of the children of Israel. Her story is told in the Old Testament scriptures Judges 4:4 through Judges 5:31. Her story as told here is a mixture of fiction and nonfiction. The time period of her life covers BC 1336 through BC 1296. She is a prophetess as well as a judge and lives during the time of oppression by the Canaanites who have as their king, Jabin and their army is led by Sisera, a brutal captain with his nine hundred iron chariots. Deborah calls the Israelite army captain, Barak, to gather ten thousand men from two tribes of Israel. One of the most unusual scriptures in the Bible is found in Judges 4:8 when Barak says to Deborah, "And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go." As the scriptures reveal the main roads were unoccupied, no doubt because of the iron chariots traveling there thus preventing safe passage for the local Israelites.
With God as her strategist, Deborah leads her people into battle and lives up to the meaning of her name, "bee" or "burning spirit" thus overcoming the enemy.

21 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 6, 2022