Deborah

When first reading Judges 4, Deborah appears to be an exception to the head/helper role assignments God set up for men and women in Genesis 2. However, when you read further, you can see that  Deborah herself was careful to maintain God's intended roles. First, while verse 4 says Deborah "was leading Israel at that time," the NIV footnote points out that "judging" is another word that could be used. The next verse backs up that idea: "She held court under the Palm of Deborah...and the Israelites came to her to have their disputes decided."

When Deborah relayed a message from God to Barak to defeat Sisera and Jabin's army, and he answers that he will not go unless she goes with him, Deborah replies "Very well, I will go with you. But because of the way you are going about this, the honor will not be yours, for the LORD will hand Sisera over to a woman." So she chides him for not better fulfilling his headship role in this situation. Later when Sisera gathered the troops to attack, she did not step into the commanding role over Israel's army but encouraged Barak: "Go! This is the day the LORD has given Sisera into your hands. Has not the LORD gone ahead of you?"

The People's Bible sums it up well: "God gave her the insight to know that male leadership in Israel had hit a low. No man, not even Barak, would receive the accolades of the general public after victory. Deborah delivered this message from God. She could have done so as a feminist eager to make Barak look like a fool. Yet a person searches in vain for an edge in Deborah's words. Deborah, like Jesus, had it in her heart to do the heavenly Father's will...In a selfless way she complemented Barak and brought him carefully to do his part in their joint endeavor. This man-woman team bears study in our day as we strive to uphold God-pleasing relationships across genders in church and society. God is pleased when men show selfless leadership. The Lord is equally pleased when women, like Deborah, selflessly do their part to enable men and women to do God's will together."