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Year 9

The song of Deborah

I can explain the story of Deborah the judge and prophetess and explain different Christian perspectives on the impact of this.

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New
New
Year 9

The song of Deborah

I can explain the story of Deborah the judge and prophetess and explain different Christian perspectives on the impact of this.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Deborah was an important judge and prophetess in ancient Israel who lead her people to a military victory.
  2. The story of Deborah can impact how women are viewed within religions.
  3. The story of Deborah can inform debates around female leadership and roles within religion.
  4. There can be different perspectives on the impact of the story of Deborah due to the lens through which it is viewed.

Keywords

  • Complementarian - a view that men and women are equal in the eyes of God but have distinct, complementary roles in church and family

  • Egalitarian - a belief in the equality of men and women in all roles, including leadership in the church and family, with no gender-based restrictions

  • Judge - a leader in ancient Israel raised by God to deliver the people from oppression and guide them spiritually, often with military leadership

  • Prophetess - a female prophet, someone who speaks on behalf of God, delivering prophecy and guidance, like Deborah in the Old Testament

Common misconception

All Christians view the song of Deborah as a supporting text for female leadership in religion.

There are different views on the leadership of women in religion; two examples are complementarian and egalitarian. These views will impact therefore how someone may view the song of Deborah in relation to supporting female leadership in religion.


To help you plan your year 9 religious education lesson on: The song of Deborah, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Deborah is one of five prophetesses mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible. Other prophetesses can be studied as case studies: Miriam, Huldah, Noadia and Isaiah’s wife.
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Equipment

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Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
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Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Using the discipline of __________, we can look at types of text and interpretations of them which can then lead to different meanings being accepted.
Correct answer: theology
social science
philosophy
Q2.
The story of the first sin is known as .
Correct Answer: The Fall, the fall, the Fall
Q3.
Some sources blame __________ for the first sin entering the world.
Correct answer: Eve
Adam
the serpent
Q4.
The idea of 'original sin' was developed by .
Correct Answer: Augustine, augustine, St Augustine
Q5.
Many Roman Catholic Christians read the story of Eve in a __________ way.
Correct answer: symbolic
literal
philosophical
sociological
Q6.
Most Quakers interpret Eve's story in a symbolic way because they believe that humans were 'created in image'
Correct Answer: God's, Gods, god's, gods

6 Questions

Q1.
The story of Deborah is told in the Old Testament part of the Bible, in the Book of ...
Correct answer: Judges.
Job.
Genesis.
Exodus.
Q2.
Deborah ruled __________ for many years.
Correct answer: Israel
Egypt
Jordan
Q3.
Deborah was unique as she was both a woman and also a .
Correct Answer: prophetess, Prophetess
Q4.
In the Israelites' battle against an enemy army, the final blow of the battle was delivered by ...
Sisera.
Correct answer: Jael.
Gideon.
Samson.
Barak.
Q5.
A view would be that while men and women as equal in the eyes of God, they have different roles that complement each other.
Correct Answer: complementarian, Complementarian
Q6.
An view would be that men and women are equal in all roles.
Correct Answer: egalitarian, Egalitarian

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