Exegesis Essay - Fall 2021- Judges 4:4-10

 Chosen Text: Judges 4:4-10

The introduction of Deborah

NRSV Version

4 At that time Deborah, a prophetess, wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel. 5 She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the Israelites came up to her for judgment. 6 She sent and summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you, ‘Go, take position at Mount Tabor, bringing ten thousand from the tribe of Naphtali and the tribe of Zebulun. 7 I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army, to meet you by the Wadi Kishon with his chariots and his troops; and I will give him into your hand.’” 8 Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” 9 And she said, “I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh. 10 Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and ten thousand warriors went up behind him; and Deborah went up with him.

There are few women in the old testament who are described in such detail as Deborah, and her case presents a rich opportunity to investigate the ways that God entrusts the care and liberation of the children of Israel to not just men, but also to women. In the pericope I have chosen (Judges 4:4-10), I will show that Deborah was an exemplar of faithfulness, strength, and wisdom, whom God was able to employ in delivering the children of Israel from themselves (once again). 

This introduction of Deborah follows a paragraph which briefly sets the stage for her judging of the people - in the common pattern found in the opening lines of the other stories of the judges of Israel. The pattern is as follows:  the people have fallen into sin/evil, they are suffering under oppression by a foriegn power, they are crying out to God for deliverance, and a judge comes to liberate the people and restore peace. Into this scenario we see the introduction of Deborah. I will be using a womanist/feminist perspective to interpret this text. 

First, the nitty gritty bits - what does it actually say? I will break it down by verse, and include the Orthodox Jewish Bible translation to compare to the above NRSV translation. All translations of Hebrew words are from google. 

The first, and maybe most important thing… “Deborah’s title that is given is “eshet lappidoth”, which means “woman of flames” or “fiery woman” and not “woman/ wife of Lappidoth” (Gafney, 2017 pg 106).

“4 And isha Devorah, a neviah, the eshet Lapidot, judged Yisroel at that time” (Orthodox Jewish Bible)

Isha - woman 

Eshet - “woman of”

Lapidot/lappidoth - “fiery”, “flames” or “torches” 

The more popular translation of this would be “wife of Lappidoth” but just because it’s popular doesn’t mean it is correct. There is no mention of a husband for Deborah besides this anywhere, additionally it was very rare for a Prophetess (“neviah”) to be married during this time period. So, according to this, I will read this introduction to mean that She was not married, and that the desire to diminish her somewhat, and make her into an object of the patriarchy came during a later translation. More evidence of this could be intuited from the fact that there are no progeny mentioned from Deborah or her illusory husband Lappidoth, much as is the case with the majority of prophets in the old testament. I would prefer to consider Deborah as being similar/equivalent to the other prophets in this respect, particularly since there is no evidence really to the contrary. 

5 And she held court under the Tomer Devorah between Ramah and Beit-El in har Ephrayim; Bnei Yisroel came up to her for mishpat.

Here Deborah is geographically situated, but also we see that she is already a woman of power. Unlike other judges she is not “raised up from the people” she is already considered a woman of wisdom and judgement prior to the beginning of this particular story. Additionally - the verse states that the “children of Israel” came to her, so it was not exclusively women who came to her for advice, as this is a gender neutral/inclusive term. 

Tomer - “palm tree”

Mishpat - “justice” or “law” (modern). 

Bnei Yisroel - “children of Israel”

6 And she sent and called Barak ben Avinoam out of Kedesh Naphtali, and said unto him, Hath not Hashem Elohei Yisroel commanded, saying, Go and take position at Har Tavor, and take with thee ten thousand ish of the Bnei Naphtali and of the Bnei Zevulun?

7 And I will lure unto thee to the river Kishon the sar Tze’va Yavin, Sisra, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine yad.

From these two verses we understand that Deborah is not only given deference as a purveyor of  wisdom in domestic matters, but also that she is skilled and trusted to direct warfare, and command armies. She called Barak and he came, and she directed the movement of thousands. There is a slight difference in the way that the OJB treats passage 6 as well, in the NRSV we see that Deborah states “The Lord God of Israel commands you” - however, in the OJB we see that she is questioning Barack and what he has been up to: “Hath not Hashem Elohei Yisroel commanded” - This difference I think is important because in the OJB Deborah is given a voice of authority of her own, to question Barak and his faith and willingness to follow the commands of God, rather than simply being an inert mouthpiece for God. We also see that in this, Deborah is the one who is faithful. She does not question God, apparently it is Barak who is not trusting, and it is Deborah who calls him out on this. 

8 And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go; but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.

Verse 8 is very important in that in it we see that Barak truly and honestly trusts in the skill and leadership of Deborah - he doesn’t say something to the effect that he will go if God goes with him, or that he will rely upon his faith, he relies upon her to the extent that he will not go if she doesn’t go as well. 

9 And she said, I will surely go with thee; notwithstanding the derech of thee shall not take thee to thy teferet (honor); for Hashem shall sell Sisra into the yad of an isha. And Devorah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.

10 And Barak summoned Zevulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand ish at his feet; and Devorah went up with him.

Derech - “path” or “way” 

Yad - “hand” 

In these two passages we see again that Deborah is a trusted adviser and leader of men, as well as a prophetess and judge of the people. She speaks prophetically regarding the role that Jael will play in the chapter that follows. She then as well as accompanies Barak to Kedesh. These passages all point to Deborah being a woman of faith, power, skill, and wisdom. 

The story of Deborah is a good case for the construction of  a different view of “biblical womanhood” which is so often parodied - women being meek, mild, baby vessels, slave women, wicked or degenerate, or simple mouthpieces of God’s voice rather than women of power and agency on their own. Deborah is one of a number of women, who if we really look closely at the text we will find that they are called, chosen, and equipped to do the work of God, and stand on equal footing with the men in the stories. Deborah is a powerful judge of the people, and calls Barak and the others out on their lack of faith. She is able to do this because she is a woman of exceptional wisdom, skill and faith herself, and she can serve as a good example to modern women of the ways that God calls and invites women into positions of leadership. 

References:

Gafney, Wilda C., 2017, Womanist Midrash. Presbyterian Publishing Corporation. Kindle Edition. 

New Revised Standard Version Bible, (NRSV), 1989,  Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Accessed from biblegateway.com 10/14/2021. 

Orthodox Jewish Bible, (OJB),  2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. Accessed from biblegateway.com 10/14/2021.