THIS MIGHT SURPRISE YOU
The answer
Deborah. Judges 4:4-5 calls her a prophet who was judging Israel, and the Israelites came to her for judgment. She is the only judge in the book shown settling people's disputes.
Why it’s interesting
The same scholars point to the abuse of unnamed women in the book, such as Jephthah's daughter, and to sexist readings of Delilah. Judges stands out for how many women it shows, in how many roles.
Scholarly consensus
Learn the Bible.
Not just the stories, but the history, authorship, and scholarship behind it.