Psalm 83 and the Women of the IDF
on Monday, December 8, 2025 by Bill SalusPsalm 83, written about three thousand years ago, foretells of a future war between an Arab confederacy and Israel. Their goal is the destruction of the Jewish state and the takeover of the Promised Land. The image displays the likely modern-day equivalents of the Arab confederacy.
The Psalmist petitions God to empower Israel to defeat this confederacy in the like manner of the successful historical Israelite campaigns found in Judges 4-8. This article will focus in on the two prominent women who played decisive roles in Judges 4-5. In so doing, we will reveal the possible connections between Israel’s military in Judges 4-5, roughly around 1200-1100 BCE, and today’s Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). Women were involved in Israel’s military both then and now.
The Psalm 83 Petition
“Do to them, (the Arab confederacy), as you did to the Midianites and as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River. They were destroyed at Endor, and their decaying corpses fertilized the soil. Let their mighty nobles die as Oreb and Zeeb did. Let all their princes die like Zebah and Zalmunna.” (Psalm 83:9-11, NLT; emphasis added)
The Psalmist’s expectation, in part, is that the Lord would deal with the Arabs, “as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River.” This draws attention to the historical accounts found in Judges 4-5. At that time the Canaanites had oppressed Israel for twenty years. Jabin was the Canaanite king and Sisera was his commander. Two important women were actively engaged in the defeat of the Canaanites, the deaths of Jabin and Sisera and the end of the prolonged oppression.
The Two Women of Judges 4-5
The two prominent women are Deborah the Israelite and Jael the Kenite. Deborah was a prophetess who was judging Israel at that time and Jael was a Gentile tent-dwelling nomad.
Deborah’s Role as Commander and Prophetess
“In Judges Chapter 4, Deborah’s role was that of a prophetess and judge who delivered Israel from Canaanite oppression by commanding military action, guiding General Barak, and prophesying the victory would go to a woman, (Jael) ultimately fulfilling her role as a powerful, divinely appointed leader in a time of crisis. She sent for Barak, instructed him to gather troops, and agreed to go with him to battle, boosting his confidence and ensuring God’s promise of victory.” (Google AI; emphasis added)
Deborah’s Biblical Account
Deborah, following instructions from the Lord, says to Barak;
“Call out 10,000 warriors from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun…And I, (the Lord), will call out Sisera, commander of Jabin’s army,… to the Kishon River. There I, (the Lord), will give you victory over him. Barak told her, “I will go, but only if you go with me.”” (Judges 4:6-8, NLT; abbreviated)
This passage above depicts Deborah as the leader of the military with Barak obeying her commands.
““Very well,” she (Deborah) replied, “I will go with you. But you will receive no honor in this venture, for the Lord’s victory over Sisera will be at the hands of a woman (Jael).” So Deborah went with Barak…”(Judges 9-10, NLT; abbreviated)
After assembling and deploying the troops;
“Then Deborah said to Barak, “Get ready! This is the day the Lord will give you victory over Sisera, for the Lord is marching ahead of you.” (Judges 4:14, NLT; abbreviated)
These verses portray Deborah as a prophetess and leader in the military campaign.
For her instrumental role in ending the Canaanite oppression, Deborah was from then on acknowledged as the “Mother of Israel,” as per Judges 5:7.
Jael’s Role as a Gentile Non-Conscript Volunteer Soldier
“Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, famously killed the Canaanite general Sisera by hammering a tent peg through his temple while he slept in her tent, fulfilling a prophecy by the Israelite judge Deborah that a woman would bring Sisera’s downfall. She offered him hospitality—milk and rest—before using a common domestic item, a tent peg and hammer, to kill him, later showing his body to the pursuing Israelite commander, Barak, leading to Israel’s victory.” (Google AI)
Jael’s Biblical Account
“Then Barak chased the (Canaanite) chariots and the enemy, killing all of (Canaanite commander) Sisera’s warriors. Meanwhile, Sisera ran to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because Heber’s family was on friendly terms… Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Come into my tent, sir… Don’t be afraid.” So he went into her tent, and she covered him with a blanket. He said. “I’m thirsty.” So she gave him some milk… “Stand at the door of the tent,” he told her. “If anybody comes and asks you if there is anyone here, say no.”But when Sisera fell asleep from exhaustion, Jael quietly crept up to him with a hammer and tent peg in her hand. Then she drove the tent peg through his temple and into the ground, and so he died.” (Judges 4:16-21, NLT Abbreviated)
This above passage presents Jael as a Gentile volunteer soldier for the Israeli army who was used by the Lord to kill an enemy commander and fulfill a prophecy.
“When Barak came looking for Sisera, Jael went out to meet him. She said, “Come, and I will show you the man you are looking for.” So he followed her into the tent and found Sisera lying there dead,…So on that day Israel saw God defeat Jabin, the Canaanite king. And from that time on Israel became stronger and stronger against King Jabin until they finally destroyed him.” (Judges 4:22-24, NLT Abbreviated)
Above, Jael reports her successful attack, as a good soldier should, to Israeli General Barak.
From that day forward Jael was highly esteemed for her military service.
“Most blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. May she be blessed above all women who live in tents.” (Judges 5:24)
Connecting Deborah and Jael with the Women of the IDF
“Women currently make up approximately 33% of all conscripted soldiers and over 20% of the combat forces in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). The percentage has been steadily increasing, particularly since the October 7, 2023, attacks.” (Google AI)
When it comes to ranking officers and senior commanders like was the case with Deborah, women also fulfill this description in today’s IDF.
“As of recent data from late 2024/early 2025, women comprise approximately 23-25% of the overall officer corps in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). In senior command roles, the percentage is closer to 10%.” (Google AI)
Fighting alongside the Jewish women in the IDF, there are also non-conscript Gentile volunteer soldiers and this includes Druze women. Druze men in Israel are drafted into the IDF, it’s compulsory, but for Druze women enlistment is voluntary.
(Image is from the article entitled, “Women now comprise third of IDF’s career officers” (Israel Hayom – 12/8/25) (Click HERE to read))
The Druze Connection with Jael the Kenite
The reason I bring up the Druze women in the IDF, is because like Jael the Kenite, the Druze also traditionally trace their origins back to the ancient Kenites. Below are a couple of quotes acknowledging this.
Jerusalem Post – The Druze in Israel: Preserving an ancient and modern alliance – opinion (August 7, 2024)
“Jethro (Moses’ father-in-law) was the Kenite leader that Moshe stayed with for ten years. Moses married Jethro’s daughter, Tzipora, and together with Jethro, built the strategy to lead the people from slavery to freedom. The Druze are descendants of the Kenite tribe.”
Below is a quote from Armstrong’s Institute of Biblical Archaeology.
“Children of Jethro: Spotlighting the Druze Community” (June, 2024)
“The Druze in Israel revere Jethro and consider him their forefather …. Descendants of Jethro seem to have been divided into two sections: There were those who became completely Jewish …. Others remained separate, led a nomadic type of existence and at times were only loosely associated with Israel. Jael (Yael), who slew the Canaanite military leader Sisera in the story of Barak and Deborah (Judges chapter 4), was the wife of Hebrew the Kenite who would have been a descendant of Jethro….The Druze are descendants of the Kenite tribe.”
Conclusion
Did the Lord direct the author of Psalm 83 to draw attention to Judges 4-5 in order to acknowledge that when Psalm 83 happens, women in the IDF will be involved in the conflict? In my estimation, this prophecy is already in process and the final fulfillment draws near.
If I’m correct, then it’s safe to strongly suggest, that as per Psalm 83, the women of Judges 4-5, Deborah and Jael, have a historical connection with the women in today’s IDF. Perhaps when Psalm 83 happens, the past roles of Deborah and Jael will inspire the women of the IDF similarly to a decisive victory over the Arab confederacy.
For more information on Psalm 83, pick up a copy of my book and DVD, entitled Psalm 83, The Missing Prophecy Revealed.
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