I just found out from this great Artemisia Gentileschi site that she painted Jael killing Sisera from the story of Deborah as well as Judith and Holofernes. I never knew that, and Debra might not have known it either. Maybe I can add this info to the glossary.

The web page for the Sisera painting says "The act fulfilled the prediction of Deborah, prophetess and Israelite leader, who foresaw that a woman would slay Sisera."

I had thought it meant, and the commentary in my text agrees, that Barak wants Deborah to go with him to the battle and Deborah says ok, but then people will say Hashem delivered Sisera into the hands of a woman. Because if the woman is Jael and not Deborah, what difference does it make whether Deborah goes or not?

But Barak says I will only go to fight Sisera if you, Deborah, come along. And Deborah says "Indeed I will go with you --- but the path on which you have chosen to go will not be for your glory, for Hashem will have delivered Sisera into the hand of a woman."

I wish my book were interlinear, so I could see the English and Hebrew right on top of each other. You get a much better sense of the meaning of the Hebrew with an interlinear text. My Hebrew is not so great. Path and hand of a woman are clear, but the translation of words like "but" and "indeed" aren't always so straightforward. Also I don't know about "glory" since I don't see the word I know as glory, kvod, spelled kuf bet dalet.

I think what it means is this: Barak says I will only go if you go. That means no Deborah, no deal. It's never in question, of course she will go. Regardless of whether Deborah goes or not, regardless of the victory of Barak's army over Sisera's army, the victory will not be complete because Sisera will escape. The Canaanites will not be vanquished if their leader still lives. The true victory, the death of Sisera, will belong to a woman. To Jael. Deborah is not the woman she spoke of in her own prophecy.

That's prophecy for you. It never means what you think it means.