DEBORAH was a prophet, the fourth judge of ancient Israel and a military leader. She gave messages from God and settled legal disputes for the people while sitting under a palm tree in Ephraim. She called herself a "mother in Israel" because of her nurturing and protective leadership over the tribes. Deborah told the Israelite general Barak that God wanted him to take 10,000 men to Mount Tabor to fight Sisera's army. Barak agreed to go only if Deborah went with him. She agreed, but prophesied that the honor of defeating Sisera would go to a woman. Israel won the battle, and Sisera was eventually killed by Jael, a courageous woman who lived in a tent, fulfilling Deborah's prophecy.