After Moses led the people out of Egypt, and after Joshua led them into the promised land, the Israelites seemed to have troubles surrounding them all the time. They had to fight their enemies constantly, and many of them had even turned away from God.
God sent Israel "judges" to oversee the people, and guide them through this tough time. The judges were godly people who continually asked God the right thing to do.
One great judge of Israel was Deborah...
Deborah and her husband, Lapidoth lived in Mount Ephraim, under the "palm tree of Deborah." The Israelites often came to her and heard her judgment and wisdom. She must have been very wise and godly.
One day, Deborah spoke to a great military man named Barak. She told him that Israel should attack its enemy, Jabin the King of Hazor, and his powerful military leader, Sisera. Barak knew how God had blessed Deborah so he told her that he would not go to war, unless she agreed to go with him.
Deborah agreed, but before they left for war, she made one thing clear. God was going make the mighty leader, Sisera, die by the hand of a woman, not by Barak.
Barak gathered ten thousand men for the battle, and Sisera gathered all of his men, even nine hundred chariots of iron!
Once the battle started, it was clear that the Lord was with the Israelites. They defeated Sisera's army, but Sisera himself was escaping. He ran as fast as he could away from the battle, in order to save his own life.
Sisera must have thought he had finally escaped when he came to the tent of a woman named Jael. She told him to come in, and not to be scared - she would hide him.
Sisera quickly went in and hid under a blanket. The evil Sisera was exhausted and thirsty, so he begged Jael for a drink of water. Jael, instead, gave him a nice big drink of milk.
With a big glass of milk in his belly, hiding under a warm blanket, Sisera went right to sleep. That's when Jael quietly snuck in and killed the great and terrible leader, Sisera - the enemy of Israel.
When the mighty warrior, Barak arrived at the tent to finally fight his nemesis, he found that a little woman named Jael had already done it! Deborah's words were true, God did deliver Sisera to the hand of a woman!
Deborah and Barak celebrated the great victory that God had given them. They sang out in thanksgiving to the Lord!