There are thirteen judges mentioned by name
        in the book of Judges
Their accumulated years of service
        were about 250 years
There were lapses of time between the judges
       when no one served in that capacity
Those years were times of sin, suffering
       and oppression from an enemy nation or tribe
Then God raised up a judge
       and that meant deliverance.

 
I would like to have a biographical sketch of Deborah
However the Bible does not state 
        the circumstances surrounding her rise 
        to a position of power and influence
        and great responsibility
Deborah was judge #4 and she served for forty years

She was known for her wisdom
        good judgment
        and inspiring presence

She inspired her army to fight
        believing that God
        would make them prevail
If we fight, God will give us a victory
And that is how it worked out!

 
We do not know the how and why of Jael's story either
        How could her hands not fumble?
        How could her nerve not falter?
        Why did Sisera not leap to his feet?
Maybe she too was inspired by Deborah's faith.
If I fight, God will give me a victory.



                                DEBORAH AND JAEL
    Two women of steel and courage who saved Israel.
                                          Judges 4

    1The children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord.
2So the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan.
3Jabin had nine hundred chariots of iron, and for twenty years
he had harshly oppressed the children of Israel.
    4Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, was
judging Israel at that time.  5The children of Israel came to her
for judgment.  6Then she called for Barak and said to him,
"Has not the God of Israel commanded, 'Go and deploy troops
at Mount Tabor; take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali
and Zebulun.  Against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander
of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude, and I will
deliver him into your hand'?"
    8Barak said to her, "If you will go with me, I will go; but if
you will not go with me, I will not go!"  9So she said, "I will
surely go with you; nevertheless there will be no glory for you
in the journey, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a
woman."  And Deborah arose and went with Barak.
    14Then Deborah said, "Up!  For this is the day in which the
Lord has delivered Sisera into your hand.  Has not the Lord
gone out before you?"  So Barak went down from Mount Tabor
with ten thousand men following him. 15The Lord routed Sisera
and all his chariots and army with the sword before Barak, and
Sisera alighted from his chariot and fled on foot.
    17Sisera fled to the tent of Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite;
18Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, "My lord,
turn aside to me; do not fear."  When he had turned aside
with her into the tent, she covered him with a blanket.  19Then
he said to her, "Please give me a little water to drink, for I am
thirsty."  So she opened a jug of milk, gave him a drink, and
covered him.  20He said to her, "Stand at the door of the tent,
and if any man comes and inquires, 'Is there any man here?'
you shall say, 'No.'"
    21Then Jael took a tent peg and took a hammer in her hand,
and went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple, and
it went down into the ground; for he was fast asleep and weary.
So he died.  22Then, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out
to meet him, and said to him, "Come, I will show you the man
whom you seek."
    24And the hand of the children of Israel grew stronger and
stronger until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan. 
             _{This Bible passage was condensed from the NKJV}

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The Bible Condensed. From Genesis to Revelation (Old Testament and New Testament)
in 365 daily readings plus commentary. This Bible reading plan will help you read the Bible
from beginning end, as one continuous story.