Judges 4:4,5

Deborah, a prophetess, &c.— Like Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, Deborah was enriched with the gifts of heaven, necessary to instruct, to direct, and to govern: besides which, God excited her by the Holy Spirit to declare his will to the people, as appears by the following part of this history. Her name signifies a Bee, which has been given by other nations to illustrious women; as among the Greeks, the nymph said to be the nurse of Jove, is called Melissa, and the wife of Periander, king of Corinth, had the same name. See Witsii Miscel. Sac. tom. 1: lib. 1: cap. 23. The Hebrew renders it doubtful whether she was the wife of Lapidoth, or a woman of Lapidoth, but the first is the most common opinion. She judged Israel at that time; i.e. had the supreme authority: well known to be divinely inspired, she was respected as such, and the people submitted to her judgment. She dwelt under the psalm-tree of Deborah; or, as the LXX and Vulgate understand it, She sat under the palm-tree which was called by her name, where she administered justice. Calmet says, that it may be rendered a forest of palms.