Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
This verse is included here in order to explain why the residence of Heber and his wife Jael happened to be on Sisera's route of escape when he fled from the defeat at the river Kishon.  The Kenites normally occupied the territory south of the land of Judah, but, perhaps, being discouraged by a recent invasion of the Philistines, they are revealed in this verse to have moved northward beyond the tribal lands of Naphtali.  In their new home, they had evidently accommodated themselves to the supremacy of the Canaanites and were considered by Sisera to be his friends or allies.  As it turned out, however, Jael was passionately devoted to Israel.