Within the book of Judges, the figure of Deborah receives exceptional treatment in that her actions are presented first in a narrative, comprising chapter four, then in a poem, chapter five. Read together or separately, these chapters elicit scholarly interpretations aplenty. This article surveys recent research on the accounts of Deborah since 1990 by dividing the discussion into three sections: the two accounts as a single unit, Judges 4 alone, and Judges 5 alone. The first section discusses the function of these chapters within the book and their relationship with each other. The second section further subdivides according to the narrative elements of character or event, while the third section's divisions are based on common scholarly concerns like genre, dating, and structure.
Abela, A.2002`Two Short Studies on Judges 5', BT53.1: 133-37.
2.
Ackerman, S.1998Warrior, Dancer, Seductress, Queen: Women in Judges and Biblical Israel (ABRL;New York: Doubleday).
3.
2000 `What If Judges Had Been Written by a Philistine?', BI8: 33-41.
4.
2003`Digging Up Deborah: Recent Hebrew Bible Scholarship on Gender and the Contribution of Archaeology', NEA66.4: 172-84.
5.
Ahlström, G.W.1993The History of Ancient Palestine from the Palaeolithic Period to Alexander's Conquest (JSOTSup, 146;Sheffield : JSOT Press).
6.
Albright, W.F.1936`The Song of Deborah in the Light of Archaeology', BASOR62: 26-31.
7.
Alter, R.1992The World of Biblical Literature (New York: BasicBooks).
8.
Álvarez Barredo, M.1998a `El Cantico de Debora (Jue 5, 1-31): Prefiles literarios y teológicos', Verdad y Vida223: 327-70.
9.
1998b `Los Relatos Sobre Los Primeros Jueces (Jue 3,7-4): Enfoques literarios y teológicos', Antonianum73.3: 407-57.
10.
Amit, Y.1999a The Book of Judges: The Art of Editing ( Biblical Interpretation Series, 38; Leiden: E.J. Brill).
11.
1999 b Judges: Introduction and Commentary (Mikra Leyisra'el: A Bible Commentary for Israel; Jerusalem: The Magnes Press, The Hebrew University). [In Hebrew.]
12.
Asen, B.A.1997`Deborah, Barak and Bees: Apis Mellifera, Apiculture and Judges 4 and 5', ZAW 109: 514-33.
13.
Assis, E.2004`The Choice to Serve God and Assist His People: Rahab and Yael', Bib85: 82-90.
14.
2005 `The Hand of a Woman: Deborah and Yael (Judges 4)', JHS5: 1-12.
15.
2006`Man, Woman and God in Judg 4', SJOT20.1: 110-24.
16.
Auffret, P.2002`En ce jour-la Debora et Baraq chanterent: Etude structurelle de Jg 5, 2-31', SJOT16.1: 113-50.
17.
Bakon, S.2006`Deborah: Judges, Prophetess and Poet', JBQ34.2: 110-18.
18.
Bartelmus, R.1991`Forschung am Richterbuch seit Martin Noth', TRu56: 221-59.
19.
Bayley, R.1992`Which is the Best Commentary? 14. The Book of Judges' , ExpTim103.5: 136-38.
20.
Becker, U.1990Richterzeit und Königtum: Redaktionsgeschichtliche Studien zum Richterbuch (Berlin: W. de Gruyter).
21.
Becker-Spörl, S.1996`Krieg, Gewalt und die Rede von Gott im Deboralied (Ri 5)', BK51: 101-106.
22.
Becking, B., and M. Dijkstra (eds.) 1996On Reading Prophetic Texts: Gender-Specific and Related Studies in Memory of Fokkelien van Dijk-Hemmes ( Biblical Interpretation Series, 18; Leiden: E.J. Brill).
23.
Bellis, A.O.1994Helpmates, Harlots, and Heroes: Women's Stories in the Hebrew Bible (Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox Press).
24.
1995 `The Jael Enigma', Daughters of Sarah21.1: 19-20.
25.
Blessing, C.1995`Judge, Prophet, Mother: Learning from Deborah', Daughters of Sarah21.1: 34-37.
26.
Block, D.I.1994`Deborah among the Judges: The Perspective of the Hebrew Historian', in A.R. Millard, J.K. Hoffmeier and D.W. Baker (eds.), Faith, Tradition, and History: Old Testament Historiography in Its Near Eastern Context (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns): 229-53.
Boling, R.G.1975Judges: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary (AB, 6A;New York: Doubleday).
30.
Brenner, A.1993`A Triangle and a Rhombus in Narrative Structure: A Proposed Integrative Reading of Judges 4 and 5', in Brenner (ed.) 1993: 98-109.
31.
Brenner, A. (ed.) 1993A Feminist Companion to Judges (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press).
32.
Brettler, M.Z.2002The Book of Judges (OTR;London and New York: Routledge).
33.
Bronner, L.L.2004Stories of Biblical Mothers: Maternal Power in the Hebrew Bible (Dallas, TX: University Press of America).
34.
Brown, C.A.1992No Longer Be Silent: First Century Jewish Portraits of Biblical Women (Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox Press).
35.
Chalcraft, D.J.1990`Deviance and Legitimate Action in the Book of Judges' , in D.J.A. Clines, S.E. Fowl and S.E. Porter (eds.), The Bible in Three Dimensions ( JSOTSup, 87; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press): 177-201.
36.
Craig, K.M.2003`Judges in Recent Research', CBR1.2: 159-85.
37.
Diebner, B.-J.1995`Wann sang Deborah ihr Lied? Überlegungen zu zwei der ältesten Texte des TNK (Ri 4 und 5)', ACEBT14: 106-30.
38.
Dijk-Hemmes, F. van1992Sporen van vrouwenstudies in de Hebreeuwse bijbel (Utrechtse Theologische Reeks, 16; Utrecht: Universiteit Utrecht).
39.
1993`Mothers and a Mediator in the Song of Deborah', in Brenner (ed.) 1993: 110-14.
40.
Echols, C.L.2005`The Eclipse of God in the Song of Deborah (Judges 5): The Role of YHWH in the Light of Heroic Poetry', TynBul56.2: 149-52. [Dissertation Abstract]
41.
2008Tell Me, O Muse: The Song of Deborah (Judges 5) in the Light of Heroic Poetry (London: T&T Clark).
42.
Exum, J.C.2007`Feminist Criticism: Whose Interests are Being Served' , in G. A. Yee (ed.), Judges and Method: New Approaches in Biblical Studies ( Minneapolis, MN: Fortress, 2nd edn): 65-89.
43.
Fager, J.A.1993`Chaos and the Deborah Tradition', QR13.4: 17-30.
44.
Fewell, D.N.1992`Judges', in C.A. Newsom and S.H. Ringe (eds.), The Women's Bible Commentary (Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox Press): 67-77.
45.
Fewell, D.N., and D.M. Gunn1990`Controlling Perspectives: Women, Men, and the Authority of Violence in Judges 4 and 5', JAAR58.3: 389-411.
46.
Fokkelman, J.P.1995`The Song of Deborah and Barak: Its Prosodic Levels and Structure', in Wright, Freedman and Hurvitz (eds.) 1995 : 595-628.
47.
Franke, J.R. (ed.) 2005Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1-2 Samuel (ACCS OTIV; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press).
48.
Freedman, D.N. (ed.) 1992ABD (6 vols.; New York: Doubleday).
49.
Fritz, V.1997`Das Debora-Lied Ri 5 als Geschichtsquelle', in his Studien zur Literatur und Geschichte des alten Israel ( Stuttgarter Biblische Aufsatzbände, 22; Stuttgart: Katholisches Bibelwerk): 165-85.
50.
2006 `The Complex of Traditions in Judges 4 and 5 and the Religion of Pre-State Israel', in A.M. Maeir and P. De Miroschedji (eds.), " I Will Speak the Riddles of Ancient Times": Archaeological and Historical Studies in Honor of Amihai Mazar on the Occasion of His Sixtieth Birthday (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns ): 689-98.
51.
Frymer-Kensky, T.2001a `Deborah 2', in Meyers (ed.) 2001: 66-67.
52.
2001 b `Jael', in Meyers (ed.) 2001: 97-98.
53.
Goldingay, J.1995`Motherhood, Machismo, and the Purpose of Yahweh in Judges 4-5', Anvil12: 21-33.
Guest, P.D.1998`Can Judges Survive Without Sources? Challenging the Consensus' , JSOT78: 43-61.
56.
2005When Deborah Met Jael: Lesbian Biblical Hermeneutics (London: SCM Press).
57.
Guillaume, P.2000`Deborah and the Seven Tribes', BN101: 18-21.
58.
2004Waiting for Josiah: The Judges (JSOTSup , 385; London: T&T Clark).
59.
Gunn, D.2005Judges (BBC;Oxford: Blackwell).
60.
Halpern, B.1983`The Resourceful Israelite Historian: The Song of Deborah and Israelite Historiography', HTR76.4: 379-401.
61.
Hamlin, E.J.1990At Risk in the Promised Land: A Commentary on the Book of Judges (ITC;Grand Rapids: Eerdmans ).
62.
Hauser, A.J.1980`Judges 5: Parataxix in Hebrew Poetry', JBL99.1: 23-41.
63.
1987 `Two Songs of Victory: A Comparison of Exodus 15 and Judges 5', in E.R. Follis (ed.), Directions in Hebrew Poetry (JSOTSup, 40;Sheffield: JSOT Press): 265-84.
64.
1992`Sisera', in D.N. Freedman (ed.) 1992: VI, 52-53.
65.
Helyer, L.R.1998`Hero and Heroine Narratives in the Old Testament', SBJT2: 34-45.
66.
Hess, R.S.1999`Judges 1-5 and Its Translation', in S.E. Porter and R.S. Hess (eds.), Translating the Bible: Problems and Prospects (JSNTSup, 173; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press): 142-60.
67.
Houston, W.J.1997`Murder and Midrash: The Prose Appropriation of Poetic Material in the Hebrew Bible (Part II)', ZAW109: 534-48.
68.
Kaswalder, P.A.1993`Le tribù in Gdc 1,1-2,5 e in Gdc 4-5', Liber annuus43: 98-113.
69.
Kawashima, R.S.2001`From Song to Story: The Genesis of Narrative in Judges 4 and 5', Prooftexts21: 151-78.
70.
Klein, L.R.2003Deborah to Esther: Sexual Politics in the Hebrew Bible (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press ).
71.
Kooij, A. van der1996`On Male and Female Views in Judges 4 and 5', in Becking and Dijkstra (eds.) 1996: 135-52.
72.
Layton, S.C.1997`Ya`el in Judges 4: An Onomastic Rejoinder', ZAW109: 93-94.
73.
Levin, C.2003`Das Alter des Deboralieds', in C. Levin, Fortschreibungen: Gesammelte Studien zum Alten Testament (BZAW, 316; Berlin: W. de Gruyter): 124-41.
74.
Lindars, B.1995Judges 1-5: A New Translation and Commentary (Edinburgh : T&T Clark).
75.
Lowery, K.E.1992a `Barak', in D.N. Freedman (ed.) 1992: I, 608.
76.
1992 b `Jael', in D.N. Freedman (ed.) 1992: III, 610-11.
77.
1992 c `Lappidoth', in D.N. Freedman (ed.) 1992: IV, 233.
78.
Marais, J.1998Representation in Old Testament Narrative Texts (Biblical Interpretation Series, 36; Leiden: E.J. Brill).
79.
Margalit, B.1995`Observations on the Jael-Sisera Story (Judges 4-5)', in Wright, Freedman and Hurvitz (eds.) 1995: 629-41.
80.
Matthews, V.H.1991`Hospitality and Hostility in Judges 4', BTB21: 13-21.
81.
2004Judges and Ruth (NCaBC; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press).
82.
Matthews, V.H., and D.C. Benjamin1992`Jael: Host or Judge?', TBT30: 291-96.
83.
McCann, J.C.2002Judges (INT;Louisville, KY: John Knox Press).
84.
Meyers, C, (ed.) 2001Women in Scripture (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans ).
85.
Miller, G.P.1998`A Riposte Form in the Song of Deborah', in V.H. Matthews, B.M. Levinson and T. Frymer-Kensky (eds.), Gender and Law in the Hebrew Bible and the Ancient Near East ( London: T&T Clark International): 113-27.
86.
Moor, J.C. de1993`The Twelve Tribes in the Song of Deborah', VT43: 483-94.
87.
Moore, G.F.1895A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on Judges (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons).
88.
Na'aman, N.1990`Literary and Topographical Notes on the Battle of Kishon (Judges IV-V)', VT40.4: 423-36.
89.
1994 `The "Conquest of Canaan" in the Book of Joshua and in History' , in I. Finkelstein and N. Na'aman (eds.), From Nomadism to Monarchy: Archaeological and Historical Aspects of Early Israel ( Washington: Biblical Archaeology Society): 218-81.
90.
Neef, H.-D.1994`Deboraerzählung und Deboralied: Beobachtungen zum Verhältnis von Jdc. iv und v', VT44: 47-59.
91.
1995a `Der Stil des Deboraliedes (Ri 5)', ZAH8: 275-93.
92.
1995b `Meroz: Jdc 5, 23a', ZAW107: 118-22.
93.
2002Deboraerzählung und Deboralied: Studien zu Jdc 4,1-5,31 (Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag).
94.
Neville, R.C.1995`The Last Words of Sisera: A Libretto', Soundings78: 439-62.
95.
Niditch, S.2001`Judges', in J. Barton and J. Muddiman (eds.), The Oxford Bible Commentary (Oxford: Oxford University Press ): 176-91.
Niemann, H.M.2002`Taanach und Megiddo: Überlegungen zur Strukturell-historischen Situation zwischen Saul und Salomo', VT52.1: 93-102.
98.
O'Connell, R.H.1996The Rhetoric of the Book of Judges (VTSup , 63; Leiden: E.J. Brill).
99.
Ogden, G.S.1994`Poetry, Prose, and their Relationship: Some Reflections Based on Judges 4 and 5', in E.R. Wendland (ed.), Discourse Perspectives on Hebrew Poetry in the Scriptures (Reading andNew York: United Bible Societies): 111-30.
100.
Olson, D.T.1998`The Book of Judges: Introduction, Commentary, and Reflections', in L.E. Keck (ed.), The New Interpreter's Bible Volume II (Nashville: Abingdon Press): 721-888.
101.
Patella, M.2006`Seers' Corner: Women of Mystery', TBT44.2: 94-97.
102.
Petersen, J.2004Reading Women's Stories: Female Characters in the Hebrew Bible (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press).
103.
Rakel, C.1999` "I will Sing a New Song to My God": Some Remarks on the Intertextuality of Judith 16.1-17', in Brenner (ed.) 1993: 27-47.
104.
Reis, P.T.2005`Uncovering Jael and Sisera: A New Reading', SJOT19: 24-47.
Sakenfeld, K.D.1997`Deborah, Jael, and Sisera's Mother: Reading the Scriptures in Cross-Cultural Context', in J.D. Douglass and J.F. Kay (eds.), Women, Gender, and Christian Community (Louisville, KY : Westminster/John Knox Press): 13-22.
107.
2008`Whose Text Is It?', JBL127.1: 5-18.
108.
Sasaki, T.2001The Concept of War in the Book of Judges: A Strategical Evaluation of the Wars of Gideon, Deborah, Samson, and Abimelech ( Tokyo: Gakujutsu Tosho Shuppan-Sha).
109.
Scherer, A.2005`Der Rhythmus der Schlacht: Die poetische Sprachgestalt von Jdc 5, 19-22', ZAW117.4: 529-42.
110.
Schloen, J.D.1993`Caravans, Kenites, and Casus belli: Enmity and Alliance in the Song of Deborah', CBQ55.1: 18-38.
Schulte, H.1990`Richter 5: Das Debora-Lied: Versuch einer Deutung', in E. Blum, C. Macholz and E.W. Stegemann (eds.), Die Hebräische Bibel und ihre zweifache Nachgeschichte: Festschrift für Rolf Rendtorff zum 65. Geburtstag (Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag): 177-91.
113.
Soggin, J.A.1981Judges: A Commentary (OTL;Philadelphia: Westminster Press).
114.
Sweeney, M.A.1997`Davidic Polemics in the Book of Judges', VT47.4: 517-29.
115.
Vincent, M.A.2000`The Song of Deborah: A Structural and Literary Consideration' , JSOT91: 61-82.
116.
Waltisberg, M.Z.1999`Zum Alter der Sprache des Deboraliedes Ri 5', ZAH12: 218-32.
117.
Watts, J.W.1992Psalm and Story: Inset Hymns in Hebrew Narrative (JSOTSup, 139;Sheffield: JSOT Press).
118.
Weitzman, S.1997Song and Story in Biblical Narrative: The History of a Literary Convention in Ancient Israel (Bloomington andIndianapolis: Indiana University Press).
119.
White, S.A.1992`In the Steps of Jael and Deborah: Judith as Heroine', in J.C. VanderKam (ed.), "No One Spoke Ill of Her": Essays on Judith (Atlanta: Scholars Press): 5-16.
120.
Wijk-Bos, J.W.H. van1991Reformed and Feminist: A Challenge to the Church (Louisville, KY: Westminster/ John Knox Press).
121.
Williams, J.G.1991`The Structure of Judges 2.6-16.31', JSOT49: 77-86.
122.
Wilson, B.E.2006`Pugnacious Precursors and the Bearer of Peace: Jael, Judith, and Mary in Luke 1:42', CBQ68.3: 436-56.
123.
Wolde, E. van1995`Ya`el in Judges 4', ZAW107: 240-46.
124.
1996`Deborah and Ya`el in Judges 4', in Becking and Dijkstra (eds.) 1996: 283-95.
125.
Wong, G.T.K.2006The Compositional Strategy of the Book of Judges: An Inductive, Rhetorical Study (VTSup, 111;Leiden: E.J. Brill).
126.
2007 `Song of Deborah as Polemic', Bib88.1: 1-22.
127.
Wright, D.P., D.N. Freedman and A. Hurvitz (eds.) 1995Pomegranates and Golden Bells: Studies in Biblical, Jewish, and Near Eastern Ritual, Law, and Literature in Honor of Jacob Milgrom (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns).
128.
Yee, G.A.1992`By the Hand of a Woman: The Metaphor of the Woman Warrior in Judges 4', Semeia61: 99-132.
129.
Younger, K.L.1991`Heads! Tails! Or the Whole Coin?!', in W.W. Hallo and B.F. Batto (eds.), Scripture in Context IV: The Biblical Canon in Comparative Perspective (Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen Press): 109-46.
