Deborah prophesied.
Jael fulfilled the prophecy.
Post by Kayla Bach
With this week’s Come Follow Me lesson covering Judges chapter 4, we have the opportunity to study and then discuss Deborah and Jael in Sunday School and amongst friends and/or family members. We invite you to take this opportunity to use the examples of these two powerful scriptural figures to help people see how women can be authoritative leaders who use their agency in meaningful ways, which in turn can prepare them to understand the importance of Heavenly Mother. Additionally, by studying the exemplary traits these women possess, we can begin to identify traits of our Heavenly Mother.
Looking for resources to dive into your study of Deborah and Jael? Scroll down.
For Kids
- Girls Who Choose God: Stories of Courageous Women from the Bible by McArthur Krishna and Bethany Brady Spalding with illustrations by Kathleen Peterson. (Hardback and e-copies are available. Sold by Deseret Book.)
- The story of Deborah (includes mention of Jael) – From The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: video and short story with illustrations. Free to access and download.
For Adults
Introductory Resources
- Lesson Plan – Come Follow Me: Judges 2–4; 6–8; 13–16 “The Lord Raised Up a Deliverer” written by April Young-Bennett. Free to access and download.
- Women of the Old Testament written by Camille Fronk Olson, with artwork by Elspeth Young – This book, sold by Deseret Book, contains 20 pages of content on Deborah, as well as more information on the other prophetesses of the Bible. It provides background context of the time and place of the story as well as information about the scriptural text. At the time of this post, the ebook is on sale, though the hardcover is out of stock on Deseret Book’s website.
In-Depth Approaches to the Study of Deborah And Jael
- “The Struggle for Female Authority in Biblical and Mormon Theology” by Cory Crawford – This resource discusses scriptural women and spiritual authority, offering fascinating insights into a variety of women, including Jael (pgs. 21-22) and Deborah (pgs. 25-26, but also throughout the document). Free to access and download.
- Deborah’s Daughters: Gender politics and Biblical Interpretation by Joy A Schroeder – This book explores how the story of the Deborah (and Jael) has been told and interpreted at various points in history and by different groups. It is quite expensive, so this link will take you to a resource that will hopefully help you find it in a library.
As you read, look for Deborah and Jael’s strength, character traits, and spiritual authority. Though they are not perfect, we can learn much from them. What do they teach you about Heavenly Mother?
Note: This scriptural story contains violence in multiple forms. There are many different ways this violence can be read and interpreted, as is the case throughout scripture. We urge caution and thoughtful engagement in discussions and study surrounding the issue of violence in all scriptural texts including this one.
Additionally, please note that with all recommendations, we encourage thoughtful engagement. We do not wholeheartedly endorse nor necessarily agree with every aspect of the materials we recommend; rather, we propose them as meaningful avenues for further study and research.
