Judges 4

And in order that it may not seem as if only one widow had fulfilled this inimitable work, it seems in no way doubtful that there were many others of equal or almost equal virtue, for good seed corn usually bears many ears filled with grains. Do not doubt, then, that that ancient seedtime was fruitful in the characters of many women. But as it would be tedious to include all, consider some, and especially Deborah, whose virtue Scripture records for us.For she showed not only that widows have no need of the help of a man, inasmuch as she, not at all restrained by the weakness of her sex, undertook to perform the duties of a man, and did even more than she had undertaken. And, at last, when the Jews were being ruled under the leadership of the judges, because they could not govern them with manly justice or defend them with manly strength, and so wars broke out on all sides, they chose Deborah, by whose judgment they might be ruled. And so one widow both ruled many thousands of men in peace and defended them from the enemy. There were many judges in Israel, but no woman before was a judge, as after Joshua there were many judges but none was a prophet. And I think that her judgeship has been narrated and her deeds described, that women should not be restrained from deeds of valor by the weakness of their sex. A widow, she governs the people; a widow, she leads armies; a widow, she chooses generals; a widow, she determines wars and orders triumphs. So, then, it is not nature which is answerable for the fault or which is liable to weakness. It is not sex but valor which makes strong.

Concerning Widows 8.43-46

4–9

Indeed, nothing—nothing, I repeat—is more potent than a good and prudent woman in molding a man and shaping his soul in whatever way she desires. For he will not bear with friends, or teachers, or magistrates in the same way as with his wife, when she admonishes and advises him. Her admonition, in fact, carries with it a kind of pleasure, because of his very great love of the one who is admonishing him. Moreover, I could mention many men, formerly harsh and stubborn, who have become more tractable by this means. She shares with him his table and couch, the procreating of his children, his spoken words and secret thoughts, his comings and goings, and a great many other things as well. She is devoted to him in all things and as closely bound to him as the body is fastened to the head. If she chances to be prudent and diligent, she will surpass and excel all in her solicitude for her husband.Therefore, I beseech women to carry this out in practice and to give their husbands only the proper advice. For, just as a woman has great power for good, so also she has it for evil. A woman destroyed Absalom; a woman destroyed Amnon; a woman would have destroyed Job; a woman saved Nabal from being murdered; a woman saved an entire nation. Furthermore, Deborah and Judith and innumerable other women directed the success of men who were generals. And that is why Paul said, “For how do you know, woman, whether you will save your husband?” In his day, too, we see Persis and Mary and Priscilla sharing in the apostle’s difficult trials. You also ought to imitate these women and mold the character of your husbands, not only by your words but also by your example.

Homilies on the Gospel of John 61

4–9

Because these nations have come as enemies against your people, let us hear what judgment the psalmist calls down upon them. “Deal with them as with Midian; as with Sisera.” You have read the book of Judges; this is that Midian whom Gideon defeated. “As with Sisera and Jabin.” Jabin and Sisera are the foes whom Deborah and Barak conquered. “At the torrent Kishon, who perished at Endor.” Deborah and Barak destroyed Sisera, the general of the army. So much for what Scripture says; learn now what it means. Lord, because they are so arrogant, because they have come with a mighty army, because their prince is Nebuchadnezzar the king of the Assyrians, because they are the forces of the sons of Lot, because they follow the example of the fallen angels, because in their pride they have claimed equality with you; for all these reasons, I beg of you to overpower them, not by a man but to their shame by a woman.“They became dung on the ground.” Who? Midian, Sisera and Jabin, these three became putrid on the ground like dung. The name Midian means “one who is negligent of judgment.” The warriors against your people are heedless of the judgment that is to come. Sisera is understood as “the vision of a horse.” Your people’s enemies are not of your flock or of your herd but are stallions that rage with madness over the fillies. Stallions are always ready for battle. “And Jabin.” Jabin means “discernment.” They who trust in their own wisdom and not in the glory of God rot on the ground like dung. They who were glorying in their army, whose king was the Assyrian, and who used to boast “I will scale the heavens,” not only fell down to earth but on the ground became dung.

Homilies on the Psalms 15 (ps 82)

And in time of peace there is no complaint, and no fault is found in this woman, whereas most of the judges were causes of no small sins to the people. But when the Canaanites, a people fierce in battle and rich in troops, successively joined them, showed a horrible disposition against the people of the Jews, this widow, before all others, made all the preparations for war. And to show that the needs of the household were not dependent on the public resources but rather that public duties were guided by the discipline of home life, she brings forth from her home her son as a leader of the army, that we may acknowledge that a widow can train a warrior; whom, as a mother, she taught, and, as judge, placed in command, as, being herself brave, she trained him, and, as a prophetess, sent to certain victory.

Concerning Widows 8.43-46

8–9

And lastly, her son Barak shows the chief part of the victory was in the hands of a woman when he said, “If you will not go with me I will not go, because I do not know on what day the Lord will send his angel with me.” How great, then, was the might of that woman to whom the leader of the army says, “If you will not go I will not go.” How great, I say, the fortitude of the widow who does not protect her son from dangers through motherly affection but rather with the zeal of a mother exhorts her son to go forth to victory, while saying that the decisive point of that victory is in the hand of a woman!

Concerning Widows 8.43-46

What, therefore, does the web of all this mystical history show us? The woman Jael, that foreigner about whom Deborah's prophecy said that victory would be had "through the hand of a woman," symbolizes the church, which was assembled from foreign nations. But Jael's name means "ascent," for truly there is no route whereby one may ascend into heaven except "through the church of the manifold wisdom of God." She, therefore, while ascending from the corporeal to the spiritual and from the earthly to the heavenly, killed Sisera, who, as we have already said above, symbolizes the man of carnal or animal vices, for Sisera's name means "vision of a horse," concerning which Scripture teaches: "Do not become like horses and mules, in which there is no understanding." She killed him with a stake, then, which is to say that she overthrew him by the power and cunning of the wood of the cross. Nor is it without reason that the stake is described as having pierced his jaws, for that mouth which spoke of carnal things and that doctrine which preferred the glory of the flesh, deceiving and persuading the human race, by secular wisdom and by the idolatry of comfort, to live for selfish delights and pleasure, that very mouth, I say, is pierced and penetrated by the wood of the cross, in as much as the "broad and easy way" of pleasure which is preached by philosophy has been exposed by Christ, who showed that the "way of our salvation is narrow and difficult." [Thus], Jael the church sent Sisera the king of vices to his everlasting sleep covered with skins, that is, lulled to sleep by the mortification of his members.

Homilies on Judges 5.5

21–22

So, then, Deborah foretold the event of the battle. Barak, as he was bidden, led forth the army; Jael carried off the triumph, for the prophecy of Deborah fought for her, who in a mystery revealed to us the rising of the church from among the Gentiles, for whom should be found a triumph over Sisera, that is, over the powers opposed to her. For us, then, the oracles of the prophets fought, for us those judgments and arms of the prophets won the victory. And for this reason it was not the people of the Jews but Jael who gained the victory over the enemy. Unhappy, then, was that people which could not follow up by the virtue of faith the enemy, whom it had put to flight. And so by their fault salvation came to the Gentiles; by Jewish sluggishness the victory was reserved for us.Jael then destroyed Sisera, whom however the band of Jewish veterans had put to flight under their brilliant leader, for this is the interpretation of the name of Barak; for often, as we read, the sayings and merits of the prophets procured heavenly aid for the fathers. But even at that time was victory being prepared over spiritual wickedness for those to whom it is said in the Gospel: “Come, you who are blessed of my Father, take possession of the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” So the commencement of the victory was from the fathers, its conclusion is in the church. But the church does not overcome the powers of the enemy with weapons of this world but with spiritual arms, “which are mighty through God to the destruction of strongholds and the high places of spiritual wickedness.” And Sisera’s thirst was quenched with a bowl of milk, because he was overcome by wisdom, for what is healthful for us as food is deadly and weakening to the power of the enemy. The weapons of the church are faith, the weapons of the church are prayer, which overcomes the enemy. And so according to this history a woman, that the minds of women might be stirred up, became a judge, a woman set all in order, a woman prophesied, a woman triumphed, and joining in the battle array taught men to war under a woman’s lead. But in a mystery it is the battle of faith and the victory of the church.

Concerning Widows 8.47-50

21–22

We read that when God wished it clearly understood that great deeds were done by him, they were done through a few or through the lowliest, lest the work of his heavenly hand be attributed to human strength. In this way the leader Sisera, before whom the Hebrew army trembled, was laid low by a woman.

The Governance of God 7.8