Introduction
In Judges chapters 4 and 5, Deborah, a woman, is described as a prophet and as judging Israel.[1] Some Christians, however, take issue with Deborah’s story. They are concerned that Deborah, a successful leader of Israel, might be used as a precedent for women leading in the church.
This concern is exemplified in a message that was given at a church in West Seattle (USA) in August 2023.[2] In a 30-minute message entitled, “Can Women Teach or Lead in the Church? Part 1,” the speaker focused on Judges 4.[3] He seemingly believed that the best way to address the topic of women in ministry today was to start with Deborah.
I was previously aware of arguments used to diminish and downplay Deborah’s ministry. In 2012, I wrote an article entitled, “Deborah and the No-Available-Men Argument.” I had to close comments on that article because I grew tired of dealing with the hundreds of baseless and disrespectful comments it was attracting.[4]
Since that time, I’ve seen more statements that are used to diminish and undermine Deborah’s leadership. In this article, I critique seven arguments I’ve seen used to minimise Deborah’s role and ministry as Israel’s judge. Arguments 3 and 4 are taken from the sermon given in West Seattle.
1. Deborah was Israel’s judge only because no men were available.
This argument, which is worded in various ways, is the one that is brought up most often in articles and online discussions. It seems many Christians believe that Deborah became judge only because either no man willingly stepped up to take that role or because no man was capable of being the leader at that time.[5]
However, the idea that Deborah became a judge because there was a problem with the supply of competent male leaders is contrived. It’s a made-up idea that is not based on the biblical text. Nothing in Judges 4-5 conveys the notion that Deborah was judge by default because there was no man who would or could do the job.
We know from other Bible stories that being unwilling or feeling inadequate is not an impediment to being called by God to lead major projects or to lead his people. Think of Moses, Gideon, Saul, and Jonah.
I have more to say about Deborah’s ministry and the no-available-men argument, here.
2. Deborah, as a female leader, signified God’s judgment on Israel.
An extension of the no-available-men argument is that having a woman as judge was a punishment against the Israelite men because they were somehow inadequate. But Israel prospered under Deborah’s leadership (Judg. 5:6-7). Deborah was not a punishment; she was a blessing.
God’s judgment is stated at the beginning of Judges 4.
“The Israelites again did evil in the sight of the LORD, now that Ehud was dead. So the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan … The sons of Israel cried out to the LORD for … [Jabin] oppressed the sons of Israel severely for twenty years” (Judg. 4:1–3).
This is when Deborah enters the narrative to set things right (Judg. 4:4ff). Deborah’s leadership was God’s answer to the prayers of his people who were suffering because of God’s judgment.
I discuss the idea that women leaders is a sign of God’s judgement (re: Isaiah 3:12) here.
A related argument is that Deborah’s leadership as a woman was designed to shame the men.[6] However, Barak is praised as a hero in the Bible, even if Sisera did fall by Jael’s hand. And the men mentioned in Judges 5, as well as Barak, do not seem to be ashamed. They seem to be happy.[7]
Stanley J. Grenz and Denise Muir Kjesbo observe,
Scripture offers no evidence that the Israelites ever rejected a woman’s leadership simply on the basis of gender. On the contrary, we get the impression that Israel acknowledged the authority of God-ordained women leaders to the same extent as their male counterparts.[8]
3. Deborah isn’t given the title of “judge” in the Bible.
At the 8.45-minute mark of his message, the West Seattle pastor, Ryan Faust, says that in the book of Judges, “there are twelve who are actually given the title of ‘judge’: the noun is used to describe them in that role.” He implies that Deborah isn’t one of these twelve, and says it is questionable if Deborah is given the title of judge (18.18).[9]
Beginning with Moses, and ending when Saul was crowned king, the leaders of Israel, at the highest level, were called “judges” (cf. Sirach 10:2, 24). The Hebrew word for “judge” in this context is shofet. This word is not used in the Hebrew Bible as a noun. As far as I can tell, no judge, not even God the Judge, is called a “judge” using a noun form of shofet. (See here.)[10]
Shofet occurs only as a verb or participle in the biblical text, but participles of shofet are sometimes used as substantives and function as nouns. For example, shofet is used as a participle for God as judge in Judges 11:27, it is used as a participle for Samuel’s sons who were judges in 1 Samuel 8:1-2,[11] and it is used as a participle for Deborah in Judges 4:4.[12]
On the other hand, none of the male judges in the Book of Judges are called “judge” with a participle (or non-existent noun). Instead, shofet is used as a verb. In all, eight male judges in the Book of Judges are described with the verb “judged.” [13] So, unlike Ryan’s claim, it could be said that because of the participle used for Deborah, she, more so than the male judges, is given the title of “judge.”
Moreover, three of the judges in the Book of Judges (Ehud, Shamgar, and Gideon) are not mentioned with any form of the “judge” word. These three are called “deliverers.” So the statement that “there are twelve who are actually given the title of ‘judge’” is incorrect about the number twelve and about shofet being used as a noun for a title.
4. Because she is not called a “deliverer” and did not lead an army, Deborah was not a real judge.
Ryan believes that a defining role of the judges was to be military leaders, and that “the judge was at the forefront of the battles” (11.20). In another comment, he said that judges were “deliverers” or “saviours,” and he referred to the Hebrew word yasha.
The Hebrew word for “deliverer/ saviour” (yasha) is used for six of the twelve judges as either a verb, or as a participle where it can function as a noun (cf. Neh. 9:27). For example, in the stories of Othniel and Ehud, there is the line, “the LORD raised [name] to be a deliverer (yasha)” (Judges 3:9, 15).[14] Yasha is not used for Deborah. It’s also not used for Barak.[15]
Furthermore, of the twelve judges, only four (shown in italics) are said to have led armies.
- Othniel went to war and so presumably he led an army (Judges 3:10).
- Ehud acted alone and then called the Israelites to follow him in battle (Judges 3:15, 27-29).
- Shamgar seems to have acted alone. There is no mention that he formed or led an army (Judges 3:31).
- Deborah directs Barak to go to war against the Canaanites, and she goes with him to war (Judges 4:6-10, 14). Deborah led the man who led the army.
- Gideon forms an army (Judges 6:34ff).
- Tola is not said to have formed or led an army (Judges 10:1-2).
- Jair is not said to have formed or to have led an army (Judges 10:3-5).
- Jephthah led an army that was already formed and in need of leader (Judges 10:18-11:1).
- Ibzan is not said to have formed or to have led an army (Judges 12:8-10).
- Elon is not said to have formed or to have led an army (Judges 12:11).
- Abdon is not said to have formed or to have led an army (Judges 12:13-15).
- Samson seems to have acted alone. There is no mention that he formed or led an army (Judges 14:19; 15:14ff, 20; 16:30).
As the military leader, Barak delivered Israel from the Canaanite army. He did so under Deborah’s direction and in Deborah’s company, and he did so with the crucial help of another woman, Jael.
Ryan’s claim that the role of judges meant, or included, being a military leader and being at the forefront of battles is not entirely accurate. Moses and Samuel, who were judges and prophets like Deborah, were not military leaders.[16]
5. God didn’t raise Deborah; she raised herself.
Some say that because of the wording in Judges 5:7, a line in the song that Deborah and Barak sang, God didn’t raise Deborah to be a judge; she raised herself. Some further claim she raised herself against God’s wishes.
Here’s what Judges 5:7 says.
“Village life ceased in Israel; it ceased until I arose;
I, Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel.”[17]
The argument that God didn’t raise Deborah continues to be repeated despite the fact that when the ministry of all the judges is explained in Judges 2:16-19 (this is where it says twice, “the LORD raised up judges”), Deborah’s leadership fits the explanation quite well.
Furthermore,
- No verse in the Book of Judges mentions a person called a judge and says God raised him or her: no verse says, “the LORD raised [name] to be a judge.”
- Two verses say that “the LORD raised [name] to be a deliverer” (Judg. 3:9, 15). This is said only about Othniel and Ehud.[18]
- The same Hebrew (qal imperfect) verb, where it says Deborah “rose up” (Judg. 5:7 X2), is used for the judges Tola and Jair (Judg. 10:1-5 NIV).[19]
When we look at the whole story of Deborah in chapters 4 and 5, and at the surrounding chapters in Judges, especially Judges 2, we recognise that the LORD inspired Deborah to rise, and her rise in leadership is not vastly different from the rise of other judges.[20] Nevertheless, each of the judges has their own unique story.
6. Barak, not Deborah, is mentioned in Hebrews 11, showing he was the real judge.
Even though Jael received the honour and fame for killing Sisera, Barak received honour and fame for his actions in defeating the enemy army (cf. Judg. 4:9). Furthermore, he is mentioned in 1 Samuel 12:11 alongside several men who served as judges,[21] and is named as a faith hero in Hebrews 11:32-33.
Deborah is not mentioned by name in Hebrews 11 or in 1 Samuel 12:11.[22] I don’t know why that is. Still, Judges 4 states that Deborah, not Barak, was the person judging Israel at that time. The word shofet (“judge”) is never used in the Bible for Barak, but it is for Deborah. Furthermore, a feminine pronoun, equivalent to “she” is used before the word shofet in Judges 4:4. This pronoun is not needed in the Hebrew text for its meaning; rather, it adds emphasis: “she,” Deborah is the one judging (leading) Israel.[23]
Deborah is the one calling the shots in Judges 4: summoning Barak, telling him what to do, and what the outcome will be. In Judges 5, where Barak is mentioned by name three times, Deborah is named before him each time. (See Judges 5:1, 12, 15.) The authors of Judges chapters 4-5 regarded Deborah as the leader of Israel, holding a higher position, or being more prominent, than Barak.
Nevertheless, Ryan believes that Barak, because he was the military leader, was the real judge, and that Deborah was initially only a prophet. Ryan claims that Deborah became a co-judge with Barak at Barak’s invitation when she was asked to accompany him to the battle.[24] The biblical text, however, does not express this co-judge idea.[25]
There may have been many times when Deborah’s roles as prophet and judge coincided in her ministry, as they did with Moses and Samuel.[26] I see no reason to suppose that Deborah was not acting or speaking as both prophet and judge (leader) when she summoned Barak and gave him detailed instructions, telling him what to do (Judg. 4:6-7).
7. Deborah did not speak in public.
The claim that Deborah didn’t speak in public is as old as Origen (d. 253) who used it to argue against women leaders in the Montanist movement. Origen stated that “There is no evidence that Deborah delivered speeches to the people, as did Jeremiah and Isaiah.”[27] This argument has been rehashed and is still used by some today to argue against women leaders in churches.[28]
Deborah was a prophet, a spokesperson for God. She was also a judge, and one of her roles was to arbitrate disputes among the Israelites. Speaking was a big part of her ministry, and she did this in a public place, the Palm of Deborah (Judg. 4:5; cf. Moses in Exod. 18:13).[29] This location was just north of the crossroads of busy trading routes at the centre of Israel.[30]
As the judge, or leader, of Israel (Judg. 4:4ff) and as a matriarchal figure (Judg. 5:7), she probably made many speeches. And even though no public spoken speech is recorded in Judges 4-5, her song, a sung speech, is recorded. Victory songs, such as the one Deborah sang with Barak, were typically sung in public. (I’ve written about this custom here.) Moreover, the Hebrew verb for “sing” in Judges 5:1 is feminine and singular, putting a focus on Deborah. Since she sang this song publicly there is no reason to presume Deborah did not also speak publicly at times, even if the Bible does not record these occasions.
Some of Deborah’s spoken words to Barak are also recorded. We don’t know if they were said in a public setting or in private. Either way, the argument that Deborah didn’t speak publicly is an argument from silence and seems to ignore her song which fills chapter 5.
Deborah and Barak’s Story
Deborah as prophet and judge of Israel, and Barak as the leader of the army, worked together. It’s a great example of collaboration.[31] They go into battle together in Judges 4, and they sing and celebrate together in Judges 5. It is an inspiring story with surprising twists. But we can miss the significant elements of the story if we interpret it with our own concerns in mind and don’t pay attention to what the authors wanted to say.
Unlike what is said of some of the male judges, not one bad word is said of Deborah in the biblical text, and there is no valid reason to downplay her leadership. We can admire Barak’s success as military leader without belittling Deborah as prophet and judge, and vice versa. We distort the Deborah-Barak story if we try to reduce Deborah’s ministry because of our own theological or doctrinal issues.
Whether Deborah, as the judge of early Iron Age Israel, is a precedent for women leading local congregations of Jesus-followers is a whole other discussion. 11th-century Israel and 21st-century congregations are not analogous. Still, I’m glad that Deborah, and other women leaders, are mentioned in the Bible.
As Gordon Hugenberger has observed,
The scriptures … offer an impressive number of examples of women exercising social or political authority without raising any questions as to the propriety of that authority.[32]
Note: I welcome constructive critiques of this article. I may not have everything right, I might have missed something in Judges, and I’m happy to correct any errors. But I will remove any comments that are even slightly disrespectful, snarky, unedifying, or unhelpful.
Footnotes
[1] Barry G. Webb comments on the statement that Deborah was judging Israel. He says that it has the sense that she was “the effective ruler of the nation as a whole.” Webb, The Book of Judges (NICOT; Eerdmans, 2012), 188.
Hebrew scholar Robert Alter mentions the two roles of Deborah as shofet (“judge”).
The word shofet, traditionally translated as “judge,” has two different meanings —”judge” in the judicial sense and “leader” or “chieftain.” The latter sense is obviously the relevant one for [the book of Judges], though the sole female judge, Deborah, in fact also acts as a judicial authority, sitting under the palm tree named after her.
Alter, The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary, Vol. 3 (W.W. Norton, 2019) (Google Books)
[2] I was made aware of this message recently when a reader of my blog contacted me with questions about its content. The message is posted on YouTube here.
[3] The speaker regards himself as an “exegete” (6.35) with the job of explaining “straightforwardly what this text means” (7.10). Later in the message (32:26), he says that he aims to “look plainly at the text [and] see what it actually says …” I think he has failed to see what Judges 4 actually says.
[4] I removed disrespectful and silly comments.
[5] This flawed argument is even expressed in a few Bible commentaries. For example, Trent C. Butler says that Deborah’s “special role seems to be so strongly emphasized to show not only her qualifications but also the absence of any man to fill the role, another way of showing the weakness of leadership in Israel.”
Butler, Judges (Word Biblical Commentary; Thomas Nelson, 2009), 93.
[6] Calvin, for example, wrote,
Deborah was not only a prophetess, but also ruled the people of God. … And thus we see how God might use a woman to govern his people. And it is to be marked that he did it to despite [vex or offend] men withal, as if he would by this means shame them, because there was none of them meet to be in authority and dignity.
Calvin, 19th Sermon on 1 Timothy (Source: Purely Prebyterian)
[7] Except perhaps for the men in the tribe of Reuben (Judg. 5:15-16). They don’t seem happy for some reason.
[8] Stanley J. Grenz and Denise Muir Kjesbo, Women in the Church: A Biblical Theology of Women in Ministry (InterVarsity Press, 1995), 67.
[9] Ryan includes Barak in his comment, casting the same level of doubt on both Deborah and Barak as judges even though Deborah is referred to with “judge” language and Barak isn’t.
At the 18.22-minute mark, Ryan points out that “judging” is used as a verb in Judges 4:4. More precisely, it is used as participle in the Hebrew. As discussed above, when a participle of shofet is used in the biblical text, it can function as a noun.
Ryan makes an incorrect statement about the grammar of the “judgement” word, mishpat, in Judges 4:5. This word is not related to shofet. It is an entirely different word with a different range of meanings. Deborah’s leadership of Israel was multifaceted and included making judgments, judicial decisions (cf. Moses in Exodus 18:13-16, 26, and Samuel in 1 Samuel 7:15-17).
[10] K. Lawson Younger Jr states, “It is interesting that the noun shopet [or, shofet] is never used of any named individual in the book [of Judges], except for Yahweh.” Younger, Judges, Ruth, Revised Edition (NIVAC; Zondervan Academic, 2002), 24. However, I can only see shofet being used as a verb or as a participle functioning as a noun. Have I missed something? I’m happy to be corrected on this.
[11] The shofet verb is used three times for Samuel in the previous three verses (1 Sam. 7:15-17). (See here: BibleGateway.) But this verb doesn’t imply that Samuel wasn’t a real judge or a real leader of Israel.
[12] For comparison, participles of shofet are also used in Exod. 2:14; Num. 25:5; Deut. 1:16; 16:18; 17:9, 19:17-18; Judg. 2:16, 17, 18 (3X), 19; 2 Sam. 7:11; Job. 9:24; Zeph. 3:3, etc. The participles in Judges 2, and in most other verses, are typically translated as nouns in English translations.
[13] To be precise, the qal consecutive imperfect 3rd person masculine singular form of the verb shofet, with the vav conjunction, is used for Othniel (Judges 3:10), Tola (Judges 10:2), Jair (Judges 10:3), Jephthah (Judges 12:7), Ibzan (Judges 12:8), Elon (Judges 12:11), Abdon (Judges 12:13 & 14), and Samson (Judges 15:20). The qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular of shofet is used for Samson in Judges 16:31.
The ESV, which Ryan quotes from in his sermon, accurately translates shofet as a verb in the stories of these eight male judges. The ESV does not translate shofet as a noun or title for these men. (See here: BibleGateway.)
[14] Yasha is also used for the actions of Shamgar (Judges 3:31), Gideon (Judges 6:14; 7:7; 8:22), Tola (Judges 10:1), and Samson (Judges 13:5). (See here: Bible Hub.)
[15] Yasha is not used for Barak in the book of Judges or in 1 Samuel 12:10-11.
[16] In a blog post on the Unlocking Femininity website, the author Gabrielle Pickle ignores the examples of Moses (Exod. 18:13-16, 26) and Samuel (1 Sam. 7:15-17) as male judges who held court, listened to complaints, made legal decisions, and were not military leaders. She also seems to differentiate between the verb and non-existent noun for “judge” when she says that Deborah was not named “judge.” Gabrielle states,
The only judge in Scripture that did not serve as military leader was, you guessed it … Deborah. […] Deborah is the only “judge” identified as having a legal function. Clearly Deborah is not providing military deliverance under her palm tree. The Israelites sought her out to obtain justice. The verb form of the word “judging” tells us that she was doing the action of legal judging rather being named “Judge” a.k.a. leader of Israel and military deliverer. This is different from the male judges, who did not hold court, listen to complaints, or make legal decisions.” (Unlocking Femininity)
[17] Deborah was a “mother in Israel,” a matriarchal figure in the community of his people, a female counterpart to the male judges. I have more on “mother in Israel” in a footnote here.
[18] The hifil imperfect of קוּם-kum (“raised”) is used in Judges 3:9 & 15.
[19] The qal perfect of קוּם-kum is used in Judges 5:7; 10:1 & 3.
For more on the “rise” verb in the context of Deborah, Tola, and Jair, see definition 4 in Brown, Driver and Briggs’s Hebrew Lexicon: “arise = come on the scene, appear, of leader, prophet, king” (Online: Bible Hub)
[20] Gabrielle Pickle observes that “Deborah is the only significant character in the book of Judges whose call is not described and who is not said ‘to arise,’ a call that was given to every deliverer-judge.” (Unlocking Femininity) However, the “calling stories” of the judges, where there is such an account, are each unique. Deborah’s account of rising is also unique. This doesn’t mean some judges were more like leaders, and others were less like leaders. Though some judges, unlike Deborah, were more like military deliverers.
Gabrielle probably doesn’t call herself a Bible scholar, but her work, which is easily accessible, contributes to unfairly denigrating Deborah.
Daniel I. Block, who is a Bible scholar, asks twelve rhetorical questions about Deborah beginning with, “Why is [Deborah] not introduced as one whom Yahweh had raised up?” followed by, “Why is there no reference to her inspiration and empowerment by Yahweh’s Spirit (rûaḥ yhwh)?” But not all judges are said to have been raised by God, and the Spirit is mentioned as inspiring or empowering only four of the judges in the Book of Judges: Othniel (Judg. 3:10), Gideon (Judg. 6:34), Jephthah (Judg. 11:29), and Samson (Judg. 13:24-25; 14:6, 9; 15:14). (See here: BibleGateway)
Block also asks, “Why is the verb yāša [yasha], “to save,” never applied to [Deborah]?” This word is discussed in Argument 4, and as I’ve previously stated, it is only used for six judges in the Book of Judges, and is never used for Barak. Block asks several more questions, all seemingly designed to unfairly cast doubt on veracity of Deborah’s ministry as judge.
Block, Judges, Ruth: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture (New American Commentary; Broadman & Holman, 1991), 196–197.
It’s reasonable to compare the stories of the judges, but when we do so, we find there are many differences and unique elements in their stories.
[21] These men are not called “judges” in 1 Samuel 12:10-11, but are described as “defending” or “delivering” (natsal) Israel.
[22] Deborah is not named in 1 Samuel 12:11 in the Hebrew Bible or Septuagint. Interestingly, her name is first in 1 Samuel 12:11 in the Peshitta: “And YHWH sent Deborah and Barak and Gideon and Jephthah and Samuel and he saved you from the hand of your enemies, those who surrounded you, and you lived in quietness.”
The Old Testament of the Peshitta was translated from Hebrew into Syriac in the second century AD. (See NET note 3 about the names in 1 Samuel 12:11, here. An English translation of 1 Samuel 12 from the Peshitta is here.)
[23] Robert G. Boling comments on the inclusion of the feminine pronoun: “She. Not any one else. The emphasis is clear from the Hebrew word order, independent pronoun preceding the verb for emphasis.”
Boling, Judges: Introduction, Translation, and Commentary (Anchor Bible; Doubleday, 1975), 95. (Internet Archive)
[24] Josephus has an entirely different interpretation from Ryan. Josephus writes, “Barak said that he would not be the general unless she would also go as a general with him.” According to Josephus, Barak asks Deborah to be his co-general (participle of systratēgeō) in battle. (Antiquities 5.5) I have notes about Josephus’s interpretation of the Deborah-Barak story in the comments section, here.
[25] Webb differentiates between Deborah’s role as prophet and judge and Barak’s role as saviour (or, deliverer), and notes that a judge may or may not be a saviour.
… judges are not necessarily saviors, and saviors are not necessarily judges. However, Deborah does play a crucial role in the saving of Israel, in two senses: by settling disputes (the Israelites went up to her for judgment) she saves it from trouble within, and by commissioning Barak to deal with Jabin and Sisera she saves it from trouble without.
Webb, Judges, 183.
[26] Ryan acknowledges that Moses (who was not a military leader) was the first judge.
[26] I quote Origen and write about his words in my article, Origen on Biblical Prophetesses.
[28] For example, William C. Weinrich echoes Origen and states, “there is no evidence that Deborah delivered speeches to the people.”
Weinrich, “Chapter 15: Church History: Women in the History of the Church: Learned and Holy, but Not Pastors,” in Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, John Piper and Wayne Grudem (eds) (Crossway, 2009), 263–279, 275. I critique Weinrich’s views on Deborah and other prophetesses in my article on Huldah.
[29] Ryan acknowledges that the Palm of Deborah was an accessible public place, but he also makes some odd inferences about the phrase “Palm of Deborah.” He says that this phrase makes a statement about Deborah’s grace as a woman and that there is an implicit “softness” in this reference (20.30).
Webb draws on a very different image. He states that Deborah sitting, or presiding, under her palm “is somewhat like the picture we have in 1 Samuel 14:2, of Saul, Israel’s first king “sitting” (yoseb) on the outskirts of Gibeah, under a pomegranate tree, holding a council of war with six hundred of his men.” Webb, Judges, 189.
[30] Webb writes about the central location of the Palm of Deborah: “In terms of the distribution of the tribes from north to south Mount Ephraim, the central hill country, was a logical place for an all-Israel leader to be based.” And he adds, “The picture of Deborah under her palm tree became a sign of hope for Israelites in an otherwise bleak and threatening environment. That’s why the Israelites went up to her for judgment.”
Webb, Judges, 189 & 190.
[31] For example, the word “with” is used 5 times in Judges 4:8-10 (ESV) about Deborah going with Barak to the battle.
[32] Gordon P. Hugenberger, “Women in Church Office: Hermeneutics or Exegesis? A Survey of Approaches to 1 Tim 2:8–15,” JETS 35.3 (September 1992), 341–360, 344-345. (A pdf of this article can be accessed here.) I discuss Hugenberger’s quotation here.
© Margaret Mowczko 2025
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Image credit
Relief of Deborah from the original Christ the Saviour Cathedral, Donskoy Monastery, Moscow. Source: Wikimedia (cropped). (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.)
Explore more
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Further Reading
Deborah: An Abnormal Judge or a Great Woman Leader? by Lyn Kidson
Did the Spirit of Yahweh Empower a Woman to Lead? by Lora Angeline E. Timenia, Asian Journal Of Pentecostal Studies 27.2 (August 2024): 195-212. via Academia.edu or ResearchGate.
29 thoughts on “7 Arguments Used to Minimise Deborah’s Ministry”
When a person’s sex is the only reason driving alternative translations or pointing out distinctions where there is no difference, that doesn’t seem like very good exegesis to me, nor does it seem like a very high regard for scripture.
It does seem to be Deborah’s sex that is behind the efforts to question her leadership.
I don’t see that similar efforts are being made to question the leadership of the men in the Book of Judges who did some highly questionable things.
Hello Marg
Thank you for your work on this subject and for sharing it with us. As always, it is thorough, careful and respectful.
We are indebted to you for your work here and in all your other articles.
Trevor R Allin
If anyone was a “real” judge, it was Deborah. She functioned in the role as it was initially created with Moses, and finished with Samuel.
As a Pentecostal-Charismatic low-church person, I do see *some* analogy between the age of Judges and the Church Age, since the leaders in question were chosen and empowered directly by God, not by family line (in contrast to kings and OT priests).
Possible errata: I’m getting a broken link in the last paragraph of Section 5.
The ministries of the various judges wasn’t a “one size fits all.” But Deborah’s ministry as prophet and judge does mostly closely resemble Moses’s and Samuel’s.
Unfortunately, that link it automatically generated and I can’t fix it.
Judges 2:18 ESV: 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. For the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them. Deborah’s leadership was divinely ordained to serve in her different capacities. She like many women leaders in history broke the mold of the historically conditioned mindsets of men (Jewish collective thinking) that enabled her to function as a miliary and spiritual leader (maybe the first “Iron lady’). The results speak for themselves: “Then the land had peace for forty years.”
Hello Dickinson. Yes, Deborah’s ministry fits quite well with the general description of judges given in Judges 2. Her ministry also has similarities with Moses and Samuel who were judges and prophets. And nothing negative is said about her. Deborah doesn’t deserve the treatment she’s been getting from some.
How very sad that the West Seattle church is receiving such teaching! On so many levels this is wrong! Such teaching distracts from the Gospel and cancels the Gospel work of women. Why?
It is not long ago that such arguments were used against allowing black people to worship in white churches. How divisive and how heartbreaking for the Lord.
Thanks for your good work Marg – it is so clear, respectful and educational.
An excellent article. Your explanations are clear. Had the judge in question been male, there would have been no question on his authority. Thank you for this.
Yes, I’ve haven’t see anyone question Shamgar’s leadership, for example. Not that we should. (Judges 3:31; 5:6-7.)
I have heard it argued that Barak was supposed to lead the Israelite army, but he got cold feet and persuaded Deborah to do it instead. As a result he “lost out” on getting the glory for the victory.
However, a good leader is one who recognises the abilities of others, and a really good leader can recognise superior abilities. Barak was a good leader (a hero of faith in Heb 11:32) who recognised and acknowledged Deborah’s superior military abilities. As a good military leader he knows that “no plan survives first contact with the enemy”: so he needed Deborah “on the ground” to provide leadership. He will not settle for sending Israel into battle with only the second-best military leader (i.e. himself). Deborah comments “this will not lead to your glory”: the glory will go to a woman! To which, I imagine, Barak’s response would be: “Quite right too!”.
Barak was a praiseworthy military leader, but acknowledged Deborah’s superior abilities. As Faramir said in Lord of the Rings: “The praise of the praiseworthy is above all rewards.”
I like that quotation, Martin.
I agree that Barak’s reliance on Deborah is not necessarily a sign of weakness. It may demonstrate his reliance on God, and that he recognised that Deborah was a way to stay in touch with God. Julie Walsh notes that Barak’s statement in Judges 4:8 is similar to Moses’s statement to God in Exodus 33:12–15, including, “If you do not go with us, don’t make us leave this place” (Exod. 33:15 GNT). Julie states, “Barak wanted God’s prophet with him as Moses wanted God’s angel.” Walsh, The Cross and the Tent Peg (2018), 56.
If Deborah was a judgment, she was a good one if there was 40 years of peace.
I am SO grateful for your scholarship.
I have grown weary of leaders who are determined to present teachings which only support their pre-determined conclusions. You dive deeply into the texts, and present sound, Biblical evidence that we can use as tools to knock the dirt and rust off our own theological positions.
When I was a seminary student, around 1978-1980, there were serious controversies about the ordination of women in certain denominations. I ran across an article addressing the ordination of a woman I knew personally, and I grabbed it eagerly, looking for some good evidence. To my dismay, all I got was opinion, saying “Well, it’s high time for this to happen.” That sort of thing might suit the casual passers-by, but for those of us who want to know what is found in the Scriptures, it’s deeply unsatisfying.
THANK YOU for going deep. Your posts are balm to my troubled heart.
Thanks, Pat. My heart was troubled as I read up for this article. It was sad to see so many fellow Christians cast doubt on Deborah’s leadership.
Great study work! Thank you! Blessings in Yeshua’s mighty Name!
Thanks, Tamara.
I grew up with the understanding that Deborah stepped up because Barack chickened out. Then someone ran through the battle’s geography and note Barack was a real risk taker.
But I do have a question about why Deborah says, ‘ you will receive no honor on the road you are about to take, because the LORD will sell Sisera to a woman.’ It reads like a rebuke but isn’t clear what for, if not his request that she comes with him. The twist is it’s not Deborah who gets that glory, either.
Hi Alex, Barak’s words in Judges 4:8 seem to express some hesitancy. He did not want to go into battle without Deborah, and he gave her an ultimatum.
Since Deborah, as God’s spokesperson, had just told Barak, “I will hand over Sisera to you” (Judges 4:7), and since, after Barak’s ultimatum, Deborah says “the Lord will sell Sisera to a woman” (Judges 4:9), there was probably something about his statement in verse 8, that caused him, the commander of Israel’s army, to miss out on the honour of personally killing Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army. That honour would go to a woman who turns out to be Jael (Judges 5:24ff).
Deborah seems reasonably keen to go into battle alongside Barak. She told him, “I will gladly (CSB, CJB), certainly (NASB, NIV), surely (ESV, KJV) go with you.” It wasn’t a problem that she went with him, so I’m guessing there was something about the ultimatum part that was bad form on Barak’s part.
Barak received no honour for killing Sisera. Still, he doesn’t seem disappointed, and he received honour overall (1 Sam. 12:11; Heb. 11:32ff).
Just yesterday on Twitter-X, someone named James said that Deborah was the judge of Israel only because there was no man fit to lead, and that she was a sign of God’s judgment. I responded to his comment, and this is what James wrote back.
According to James, “The point of these arguments is to dismantle the misguided idea that Deborah’s story means women are meant to lead regularly.” James acknowledges why these arguments are constructed, but he still uses them himself.
James’s candid remark illustrates what I say in my conclusion. The 7 arguments designed to dimish Deborah’s leadership are not taken directly from Judges 4-5, but are influenced and moulded by concerns about how Deborah’s example as Israel’s judge might be used.
I have learned so much from your writings and research. If there was an award for that I would nominate you!
Remarks like what James said is why many stay away from Christianity. After all, who wants to be considered a second class citizen with abridged rights and limited in service and calling?
Patriarchy has to have someone be the lesser since that is how patirachy works. There is the all powerful uncontested unquestioned leadership and the lessers who serve the leadership, something Jesus came to dismantle and correct.
Actually no one is meant to lead “regularly”–the only leader should be Christ with us following His guidance and leadership.
Thank you for clarifying scholarship surrounding my namesake. She has certainly gotten a bad rap from so many simply for being a woman! I have less and less patience with my complementarian brothers and sisters in Christ as the years go by. As one of my good friends said recently, “It is simply a thinly veiled misogyny.” As I am called “further in” and “further up,” I just don’t have the time or the inclination to address it anymore, but I am grateful for you and others like you who are able to address it with such patience and such thorough exegesis!
Thanks for this thoughtful article.
Been reading your blogs for some time but first time commenting.
Coincidentally I was reading Hebrews 11 for another reason and noticed that not only is Deborah not named in the “hall of fame”, but also Moses’ mother and sister (Jochebed and Miriam) who played a key role in saving his life. In any case, Hebrews 11 is not meant to be an exclusive list as the author points out in verse 32 ( the very verse that mentions Barak). One could argue that the omissions are due to human limitations ( because the author says they are ie not enough time to list everyone) without detracting at all from the main point of Hebrews 11. In the face of these human limitations, choices were made what to include, and this is where bias has crept in.
Thanks, Jenny. I agree. Hebrews 11 isn’t an exhaustive list of people in Israel’s history who demonstrated strong faith.
Deborah’s precise words and certainty about the battle, expressed in Judges 4:6-7 & 9, and the fact that she had no qualms about going to the battle herself, show that she had great faith.
Hi Marg, thank you for another wonderful article.
Regarding point number 6, I think there is good reason why Barak, and not Deborah, is praised in Hebrews 11. Hebrews 11 praises people for enduring shameful, hard, and sometimes brutal circumstances because of their trust in God. They were the ones who “out of weakness were made strong”. I think Barak qualifies because of his faith in God. He chose the presence of God through Deborah rather than his own glory:
“And Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go!” So she said, “I will surely go with you; nevertheless there will be no glory for you in the journey you are taking, for the LORD will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh.” (Jdg 4:8-9)
So essentially, Barak is praised for having faith in God and recognizing the leadership of God through a woman. Though seemingly weak (according to our earthly standards), his faith was strong in God and is our example to follow.
Not that Deborah did not have faith in God, but that Barak’s faith fits the theme of Hebrews 11 more: His faith might seem like weakness, but it is actually an example of strong faith.
Thanks Rachel. I’ll have to think about that.
[…] In Judges 4-5, Deborah is clearly a judge, prophet and leader in Israel. As such, she is a model of female leadership in the Old Testament. Marg Mowczko surveys Seven Arguments Used to Minimise Deborah’s Ministry and offers a brief response for each. […]
Regarding the first argument, the “no available men” position, I’ve heard the same proposed to explain away Hudson Taylor’s successful use of women for ministry in China. A more direct answer to this claim is that sin (if they view women in ministry as such) does not become allowable by the perceived absence of better options. Sin is sin, thus “no available men” is not just deflection, but condoning wrongdoing.