Deborah' Song: The Song of Deborah is a rare treasure in the OT, an ancient epic poem embedded in a narrative. While it shares this nearly unique character with a handful of other such texts (Exod. 15:1–18; Deut. 32:1–43; Isa. 38:10–20; Jonah 2:2–9), there is wide agreement that it is the oldest literary witness to early Israelite life and faith. Some scholars believe that it, or part of it, is contemporaneous with the events themselves, while others suggest that it was composed within a generation of the events it celebrates. That which makes the Song such a jewel also makes it difficult to interpret. Its language is frequently archaic and at times, for various reasons, unintelligible; hence the great variations between translations that are available.

The Song gives us a glimpse into the …