The book of Judges lays special stress upon the significance of Deborah, who, in addition to judging or delivering the Israelites, acted in the capacity of a prophetess (see 4:4). After twenty years of repeated attacks inflicted on her people by Sisera, commander-in-chief of the armies of Jabin, king of Hazor, whose territory lay in the far north of Canaan, Deborah's most memorable work began.
Under her brave and incisive leadership careful plans were made for the destruction of the Canaanite forces. Not only did she enlist the competent aid of Barak, the son of Abinoam, to muster the armies of Israel, but she also called upon Jael, the wife of Heber and another stanch Amazon like herself, to hold a key position in her plan.
Deborah convinced Barak that God would be with him and would ensure the success of their cause; and she readily agreed to accompany him into battle (see Judg. 4:9). She called upon him to recruit ten thousand men from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulon, which were situated between her own headquarters near Bethel and those of the Canaanites at Hazor to the north of the Sea of Galilee. Moreover she assured Barak, doubtless through her prophetic inspiration, that the decisive battle which she envisaged would be held in the immediate vicinity of the river Kishon, which to this day flows through the Plain of Esdraelon into the Mediterranean close to the modern seaport of Haifa. And with reference to Sisera, the Canaanite commander, Deborah said to Barak, "I will deliver him into thine hand" (Judg. 4:7).
