In Judges chapter 4, Deborah, the prophetess who led Israel, calls for Barak, who was a general in Israel's army. She told him that God would deliver Sisera, an enemy general into his hand.
But Barak said he would only go if she went with him. And in verse 9, '"Very well," Deborah said. "I will go with you. But because of the way you are going about this, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will hand Sisera over to a woman.
Sisera hear that Barak was coming after him, so he fled to a friend's tent. Jael, his friend's wife, greeted him, gave him mil, and covered him with a blanket. He told her to stand watch and hide him, but when he fell asleep, she drove a tent stake through his temple and killed him.
There are several interesting things about this story. I wonder about Heber, Jael's husband. I wonder why Jael decided to kill Sisera. It doesn't really say. The important thing is that the word of God that Deborah gave was fulfilled.
One might call this passage a story of feminine triumph. Or it could be described as feminine duplicity. I find myself respecting Jael's courage. Any woman, facing a warrior alone must have courage to face him down and kill him as she did.
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