Israel
The following is excerpted from “400 Outstanding Women of the World and the Costumology of Their Time” by Minna Moscherosch Schmidt, published in 1933.
Deborah was a distinguished, eminent woman, far above her countrymen in understanding by reason of the spirit of God within her. She is the only female judge mentioned in Scripture.
The tribes came to her for judgment. Deborah made decisions not only in internal and domestic, but also, in national affairs.
Her position was unusual, in that she was a prophetess, and prophetic functions were given to none of the Judges before Samuel.
For twenty years the Canaanite King Jabin had oppressed the children of Israel in Palestine. Deborah called Barak to arms; ten thousand men were assembled at Mount Tabor. When Barak saw Jabin’s vast army, led by Sisera, he would have fled, had not Deborah ordered an immediate charge notwithstanding the hail storm that prevailed. Thus Jabin’s army was completely annihilated and Deborah is commemorated as the deliverer of Israel at Mount Tabor. The Rev. H. Milman in his History of the Jews says:
“Deborah’s hymn of triumph was worthy of the victory. This hymn has great historic as well as poetic value. It is the only description of the relation of the tribes to each other and of the state of society during the period of the Judges.” How beautiful is her character shown in the title she assumed for herself — the tender name of Mother.