Lily Azerad-Goldman, B.F.A, Bookpleasures.com

The Triumph of Deborah is the third biblical saga authored by Eva Etzioni-Halevy. After regaling us with The Song of Hannah and The Garden of Ruth, The Triumph of Deborah truly sings the song of feminine leadership. Etzioni-Halevy’s rich imagination and descriptions as well as her use of effective details allow the reader to see, smell, feel, and bring to life Deborah’s biblical world.  Etzioni-Halevy’s storytelling is a creative banquet of art and skill, knowledge and passion. Her characters and conflicts help to hook the reader from page one.

Deborah lived in Ancient bucolic Israel in an era of intermittent hostilities between the Canaanites and the Israelites as narrated in the Book of Judges. Despite her charismatic personality and her popularity among her people, Deborah elicited jealousy on the part of her husband Lapidoh. There was also contempt on the part of her enemy, Sisra, the Commander in Chief of King Jabin’s Canaanite Army. Deborah’s husband gives her the book of divorcement because she will not take his counsel and Sisra, a chauvinist, refuses to talk to her as his equal. In her anger, she visualizes Sisra being killed by a woman.

And so, war was inevitable. Deborah summons Barak, an intrepid lusty youth, who had already proven himself in other skirmishes against the Canaanites. He demands as his only reward to taste Deborah’s private garden. Deborah discovers herself attracted to Barak but has second thoughts about disobeying the adultery commandment of the bible, even though her husband has cast her off.  The Israelites win this war, thanks to Barak and a miracle of nature, when the river bed, usually dry, overflowed with the hard rain causing the enemy to drown. As per Deborah’s prophecy, Sisra is killed by a woman, Jael of the Kenite tribe.

Etzioni-Halevy does not dwell too long on the horrors of war and shows how the Israelites killed only those who were armed to kill them.

Among the spoils of victory are Jabin’s 17- year old blond and beautiful daughter, Asherah, who was married to Sisra just before the start of the war, and her equally gorgeous half-sister, Nogath. Nogah is King Jabin’s daughter with an Israelite slave.

With exquisite details, Etzioni-Halevy delicately unfurls the lusty petals of the love triangle between Barak, Asherah and Nogath. After resisting him for a month of mourning for her husband, Asherah, an idol worshipper, becomes his wife, albeit a cold and vengeful one. Nogah falls in love with Barak . In her new freedom, Nogah becomes a scribe and records Barak's war strategies against the Canaanites as well as Deborah's prophesies and peace efforts. Eventually, her scroll will  be deposited with the Book of Judges for future reference.

While Nogah truly gives her heart to Barak, Asherah harbors murderous thoughts against her new husband.

Etzioni-Halevy weaves a tangled web of deceit and passionate love. The author really knows how to get our attention. Who will win his heart? Read this exciting novel. Deborah meanwhile has another premonition of war and seeks Barak and the Elders to make peace with the Canaanite new king, Sisra's brother, Mishma At the head of Barak and the Elders; she finally negotiates a short peace with the Canaanites. Will Deborah finally remedy her marital troubles as well? Read the book to find out.

The Triumph of Deborah is a hymn to Feminine leadership, which has a good chance of being repeated at the next elections in the US.  To quote Etzioni-Halevy:
“Men have the wisdom of the mind, but women have the wisdom of the heart. They are mothers of sons; therefore they understand how crucial it is to reach peace…”

Readers will not rest until they reach the last word of The Triumph of Deborah.