1330 BC
Deborah, prophetess and judge, is one of the most remarkable women in the Old Testament. She was the wife of Lappidoth and judged Israel during the period when the Canaanite commander Sisera oppressed the Israelites with 900 iron chariots. Deborah held court under the palm tree between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites came up to her for judgment. She summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and told him that God commanded him to gather 10,000 men and march to Mount Tabor.
Barak hesitated, saying he would only go if Deborah accompanied him. Deborah agreed but prophesied that 'the road on which you go will not lead to glory, for the Lord will sell you into the hand of a woman.' Indeed, it was not Barak who defeated Sisera, but Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, who drove a tent peg through Sisera's temple while he slept. Deborah and Barak sang a triumphant song (Judges 5) that is one of the oldest poems in the Bible.
The Catholic Church honors Deborah as a model of faithful leadership and prophetic courage. Her wisdom, courage, and trust in God provide an example for all who lead God's people. Key Scripture: Judges 4-5; Sirach 46:4; Hebrews 11:32; CCC 37