A Biblical Portrait of Two Female Heroes: Devora and Yael

(1) The Israelites again did what was offensive to GOD—Ehud now being dead. (2) And GOD surrendered them to King Jabin of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. His army commander was Sisera, whose base was Harosheth-goiim. (3) The Israelites cried out to GOD; for he had nine hundred iron chariots, and he had oppressed Israel ruthlessly for twenty years. (The above lines are not in the Haftara.)

(4) Deborah, wife of Lappidoth, was a prophet; she led Israel at that time. (5) She used to sit under the Palm of Deborah, between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites would come to her for decisions.

(6) She summoned Barak son of Abinoam, of Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, “The ETERNAL, the God of Israel, has commanded: Go, march up to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun. (7) And I will draw Sisera, Jabin’s army commander, with his chariots and his troops, toward you up to the Wadi Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hands.” (8) But Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go; if not, I will not go.” (9) “Very well, I will go with you,” she answered. “However, there will be no glory for you in the course you are taking, for then GOD will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh.

(10) Barak then mustered Zebulun and Naphtali at Kedesh; ten thousand men marched up after him and Deborah also went up with him....

( (14) Then Deborah said to Barak, “Up! This is the day on which GOD will deliver Sisera into your hands: GOD is marching before you.” Barak charged down Mount Tabor, followed by the ten thousand men, (15) and GOD threw Sisera and all his chariots and army into a panic before the onslaught of Barak. Sisera leaped from his chariot and fled on foot.

(17) Sisera, meanwhile, had fled on foot to the tent of Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was friendship between King Jabin of Hazor and the family of Heber the Kenite. (18) Jael came out to greet Sisera and said to him, “Come in, my lord, come in here, do not be afraid.” So he entered her tent, and she covered him with a blanket. (19) He said to her, “Please let me have some water; I am thirsty.” She opened a skin of milk and gave him some to drink; and she covered him again. (20) He said to her, “Stand at the entrance of the tent. If anybody comes and asks you if there is anybody here, say ‘No.’” (21) Then Jael wife of Heber took a tent pin and grasped the mallet. When he was fast asleep from exhaustion, she approached him stealthily and drove the pin through his temple till it went down to the ground. Thus he died. rak appeared in pursuit of Sisera. Jael went out to greet him and said, “Come, I will show you the man you are looking for.” He went inside with her, and there Sisera was lying dead, with the pin in his temple. 23) On that day God subdued King Jabin of Canaan before the Israelites....

(1) On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang: (2) aIn many parts of this poem the meaning is uncertain. When locks go untrimmed in Israel, When people dedicate themselves—Bless GOD! (3) Hear, O kings! Give ear, O potentates! I will sing, will sing to GOD,Will hymn the ETERNAL, the God of Israel....

(6) In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,dson of Anath Or “the Beth-anathite.”In the days of Jael, caravansecaravans Or “roads.” ceased,And wayfarers went by roundabout paths.

(7) Deliverance ceased, Ceased in Israel,Till you you Heb. qamti, archaic second-person singular feminine. arose, O Deborah,Arose, O mother, in Israel!....

(24) Most blessed of women be Jael, Wife of Heber the Kenite, Most blessed of women in tents. (25) He asked for water, she offered milk;In a princely bowl she brought him curds. (26) Her [left] hand reached for the tent pin, Her right for the workmen’s hammer. She struck Sisera, crushed his head, Smashed and pierced his temple. (27) At her feet he sank, lay outstretched, At her feet he sank, lay still; Where he sank, there he lay—destroyed.

(28) Through the window peered Sisera’s mother, Behind the lattice she whined:pwhined Or “gazed”; meaning of Heb. uncertain.“Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why so late the clatter of his wheels?” (29) The wisest of her ladies give answer; She, too, replies to herself: (30) “They must be dividing the spoil they have found: A woman or two for each man, Spoil of dyed cloths for Sisera, Spoil of embroidered cloths, A couple of embroidered cloths Round every neck as spoil.” (31) So may all Your enemies perish, O GOD! But may Your friends be as the sun rising in might! And the land was tranquil forty years.

(1) Then the Israelites did what was offensive to GOD, and GOD delivered them into the hands of the Midianites for seven years.

§ The mishna continues: And women are included in the halakhot of damages in the same way as men. The Gemara asks: From where is this matter derived? The Gemara presents three sources for this halakha. Rav Yehuda says that Rav says, and similarly, the school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: The verse states with regard to the liability of one who takes a false oath that he had not stolen: “When a man or woman shall commit any of the sins of a person” (Numbers 5:6). The verse equates a woman with a man with regard to all punishments in the Torah.

The school of Rabbi Elazar taught: The verse states with regard to the civil laws given following the revelation at Sinai: “And these are the civil laws that you shall set before them” (Exodus 21:1). The reference to “them” in the verse is referring to all those who stood at the revelation, both men and women. The verse thereby equates a woman with a man with regard to all civil laws in the Torah.