Two Amazingly Badass Women in the Bible

The prophetess Deborah spoke to God, and Jael used a hammer to deliver justice. Together they saved Israel over 3000 years ago as recorded in the Book of Judges, a book in the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible).

("Jael, Deborah, and Barak" by Francisco Goya/Wikimedia Commons)

Why Deborah is a badass

There are 12 judges written about in the Book of Judges, and Deborah is the only female. Judges were leaders and prophets that were regarded as being in contact with God. It turns out they did not write much about people in the 13th century BC, only for epic things.

Deborah was the leader of Israel in a time when women rarely held leadership roles.

Deborah held court under a palm tree where she settled disputes amongst her people. Her decisions were final and under a palm tree is a pretty cool place to have your office.

God spoke to her directly. Just like the other prophets and judges of Israel, Deborah heard the word of God. She was chosen to relay God's word to the people. She advised them and told them what to do, and her word was final.

She would say things like, "The LORD, the God of Israel, commands you..." (Judges, 4:6)

As the leader, she got Israel out of a big mess. She enabled the Israelites to win a war versus their enslavers, the Canaanites. She told the army what to do to win the war, and luckily for Israel, they listened.

Why Jael is a badass

Jael did what she had to to keep her family alive. When the Canaanites were in power, she maintained an alliance with them. They did not mess with her.

When Jael realized Israel was about to be back on top, she did what she had to do to ally with them. As any badass, she took advantage of opportunities.

She did not hesitate and killed the Canaan army leader by savagely hammering a peg into his head while he slept.

Defeating the Canaanites

The Israelites did evil, so God punished them by making them slaves to the Canaanites. It is a prevalent theme of the Bible that you should not mess with God. The Israelites were cruelly oppressed for 20 years.

Enter Deborah, the prophet. Deborah commanded Barak to take 10,000 men up to Mount Tabor. She informed him that God would then deliver the Canaanite army to him and its leader Sisera.

Barak was nervous but said he would do it on the condition that Deborah went with him.

Of course, Deborah was going, but because of Barak's hesitation, she told him the glory of vanquishing Sisera would not go to him but to a woman.

The Israeli army, led by Deborah and Barak, went to Mount Tabor. Low and behold, Sisera and his army showed up. Deborah gave the order to charge, and they routed the Canaanite army.

The army utilized their high ground advantage to great effect. Not a single Canaanite escaped, except for Sisera as prophesized.

Meanwhile, Sisera was on the run. He ended up at a woman named Jael's house. She was home alone but invited him in. She knew Sisera and was cordial with him even though she was a Kenite.

She told him not to be afraid.

She gave him a blanket, and although he asked for water, she nicely gave him milk. She even agreed not to tell anyone who came by he was there.

The milk put Sisera fast asleep. Jael grabbed a tent peg and her hammer and lined the tent peg up with Sisera's temple. She reared back her hammer and, with one powerful blow, drove the peg through Sisera's temple.

(Jael and Sisera by Jacopo Amigoni/Wikimedia Commons)

Jael drove the peg with such force it crushed Sisera's skull and stuck in the ground. Sisera died instantly.

Motivations

Deborah was motivated to deliver the Israelites from slavery. She made the correct calls to make that happen after 20 years of servitude. After routing the Canaanite army, the Israelites freed themselves from Canaanite oppression at King Jabin's hands.

According to the New International Version of the Bible, Judges 4 concludes with, "And the hand of the Israelites pressed harder and harder against Jabin king of Canaan until they destroyed him."

Without Deborah, prophetess, and certified badass, it may not have been possible.

Jael's motivation to kill Sisera is a bit less clear. The nature of the alliance between Jael's household and the Canaanites is not explained. Jael may never have been fond of the Canaanites and saw an opportunity to end the alliance. Maybe Jael realized the Israelites were growing in power. She did not want to be their enemy. Perhaps Jael did not like the look on Sisera's face as he slept.

Regardless of her reasoning, Jael made the executive decision to end Sisera's life, and she did so brutally and efficiently. Jael used what she had on hand. She took out a military commander with a peg and a hammer.

The Song of Deborah

Judges 5 of the Bible is called "The Song of Deborah." It was the song sung by Deborah and Barak on the day of their victory. In the song, Deborah and Jael play important roles.

Before Deborah arose, no one in Israel would take up arms against the Canaanites. It was Deborah who inspired Israel to take up arms and fight. In the song, Deborah is called the mother of Israel.

Jael's contribution is not forgotten, and she is celebrated in the song, so much so that she is referred to as the most blessed of women.

The end of Judges 5 reveals that peace for 40 years followed after the Israelites defeated the Canaanites. Not only did Deborah and Jael bring Israel out of slavery, but their actions led to lasting peace.

Takeaways

Deborah and Jael were badass women from the distant past. They show that women in biblical times were leaders and difference-makers as far back as the 13th century BC, despite a patriarchal society.

In the bible, both Deborah and Jael are introduced as wives of their husbands. Still, their pivotal actions are remembered, not who they were married to.

Deborah and Jael’s contributions were so important that they were immortalized in the bible. They were two amazingly badass women.