Who was Deborah in the Bible?

What does the Bible say about Deborah?

Deborah was a prophetess and the only female judge mentioned in the Bible. She lived during a time when the Israelites were oppressed by Jabin, the king of Canaan (Jdg.4.4). Deborah held court under a palm tree between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, where the Israelites came to her for judgment (Jdg.4.5). Deborah summoned Barak, an Israelite warrior, and delivered a message from God instructing him to lead an army against Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army (Jdg.4.6-7). Barak agreed to go only if Deborah accompanied him, to which she consented but prophesied that the honor of the victory would go to a woman (Jdg.4.8-9). Deborah and Barak led the Israelite army to Mount Tabor, where they defeated Sisera's forces (Jdg.4.10-16). Sisera fled and sought refuge in the tent of Jael, who killed him by driving a tent peg through his temple (Jdg.4.17-22). After the victory, Deborah and Barak sang a song of praise, recounting the events of the battle and celebrating God's deliverance (Jdg.5.1-31). Deborah's leadership as a prophetess and judge brought 40 years of peace to the land of Israel (Jdg.5.31).

Where does Deborah appear in the Bible?

Deborah is referenced in 9 verses. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.

• Judges 4:4
• Judges 4:5
• Judges 4:9
• Judges 4:10
• Judges 4:14
• Judges 5:1
• Judges 5:7
• Judges 5:12
• Judges 5:15

What else appears in these passages?

These turn up in the same passages as Deborah.