I give you Deborah and Jael.
“Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. She held court…and the Israelites came to her to have their disputes decided.” STOP. First of all, I am struck that a woman is in a position of authority for the first time mentioned. Awesome. I am also struck by the casual reference to this. Up until now, every (male) leader’s mention is accompanied with generous verse on how God had chosen him. Suddenly, Deborah. But o.k., I kinda love the casual nature of this, as if to say it’s no big deal.
Anyway, she sends for Barak (yep!) and directs him to lead an army against Sisera, who had “cruelly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years.” He says he’ll go but only if she’ll go with him. No explanation why. She says o.k., but if I go with you, then the honor will go to me, a woman. I find this a fascinating dynamic. That is, indeed, what happens, but as every man in Sisera’s army goes down, Sisera flees. Now we come to Jael.
Jael invites Sisera to her tent offering relief and promising protection. But once he’s asleep she “picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground and he died.” O—M—G!!
Barak comes looking for Sisera. Jael says, here, I’ll show you the man you’re looking for.”
What followed was The Song of Deborah, singing praises of her and Jael.
“Then the land had peace forty years.”
Man, oh, man, these women are amazing. Strong, decisive, and revered by their people.
Confession #58: Here are two early models for women as wise leaders. Why have we suffered from so much historical misogyny and oppression when so early on the template is in place to trust females in action, decision-making and, shall we say, problem-solving?
Confession #59: Not sure I would ever have what it takes to lead an army or drive a tent peg through a sleeping man’s head, but I’ve surprised myself before!
Lingering question: Was Jael’s act a killing or murder, hmmm? See Jan. 29 entry. Weigh in now. Polls will be open for two more days.
“Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. She held court…and the Israelites came to her to have their disputes decided.” STOP. First of all, I am struck that a woman is in a position of authority for the first time mentioned. Awesome. I am also struck by the casual reference to this. Up until now, every (male) leader’s mention is accompanied with generous verse on how God had chosen him. Suddenly, Deborah. But o.k., I kinda love the casual nature of this, as if to say it’s no big deal.
Anyway, she sends for Barak (yep!) and directs him to lead an army against Sisera, who had “cruelly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years.” He says he’ll go but only if she’ll go with him. No explanation why. She says o.k., but if I go with you, then the honor will go to me, a woman. I find this a fascinating dynamic. That is, indeed, what happens, but as every man in Sisera’s army goes down, Sisera flees. Now we come to Jael.
Jael invites Sisera to her tent offering relief and promising protection. But once he’s asleep she “picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground and he died.” O—M—G!!
Barak comes looking for Sisera. Jael says, here, I’ll show you the man you’re looking for.”
What followed was The Song of Deborah, singing praises of her and Jael.
“Then the land had peace forty years.”
Man, oh, man, these women are amazing. Strong, decisive, and revered by their people.
Confession #58: Here are two early models for women as wise leaders. Why have we suffered from so much historical misogyny and oppression when so early on the template is in place to trust females in action, decision-making and, shall we say, problem-solving?
Confession #59: Not sure I would ever have what it takes to lead an army or drive a tent peg through a sleeping man’s head, but I’ve surprised myself before!
Lingering question: Was Jael’s act a killing or murder, hmmm? See Jan. 29 entry. Weigh in now. Polls will be open for two more days.
1 comments:
Sisera was obviously an enemy combatant, so anything goes.
b-
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