Judges4
New American Standard
1Then the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, after Ehud died.
2So the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; and the commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim.
3The sons of Israel cried out to the Lord; for he had nine hundred iron chariots, and he oppressed the sons of Israel severely for twenty years.
4Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time.
5She used to sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel went up to her for judgment.
6Now she sent word and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali, and said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, has indeed commanded, ‘Go and march to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the sons of Naphtali and from the sons of Zebulun.
7I will draw out to you Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his many troops to the river Kishon, and I will hand him over to you.’”
8Then Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.”
9She said, “I will certainly go with you; however, the fame shall not be yours on the journey that you are about to take, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh.
10Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh, and ten thousand men went up with him; Deborah also went up with him.
11Now Heber the Kenite had separated himself from the Kenites, from the sons of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh.
12Then they told Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor.
13Sisera summoned all his chariots, nine hundred iron chariots, and all the people who were with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon.
14Then Deborah said to Barak, “Arise! For this is the day on which the Lord has handed Sisera over to you; behold, the Lord has gone out before you.” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him.
15And the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera got down from his chariot and fled on foot.
16But Barak pursued the chariots and the army as far as Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not even one was left.
17Now Sisera fled on foot to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite, because there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.
18And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, “Turn aside, my master, turn aside to me! Do not be afraid.” So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug.
19And he said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.” So she opened a leather bottle of milk and gave him a drink; then she covered him.
20And he said to her, “Stand in the doorway of the tent, and it shall be if anyone comes and inquires of you, and says, ‘Is there anyone here?’ that you shall say, ‘No.’”
21But Jael, Heber’s wife, took a tent peg and a hammer in her hand, and went secretly to him and drove the peg into his temple, and it went through into the ground; for he was sound asleep and exhausted. So he died.
22And behold, while Barak was pursuing Sisera, Jael came out to meet him and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.” So he entered with her, and behold, Sisera was lying dead with the tent peg in his temple.
23So God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan on that day before the sons of Israel.
24And the hand of the sons of Israel pressed harder and harder upon Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had eliminated Jabin the king of Canaan.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Judges 4.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Israel again revolts, and is oppressed by Jabin. (1–3). Deborah concerts their deliverance with Barak. (4–9). Sisera defeated. (10–16). Sisera put to death by Jael. (17–24).
vv1-3
The land had rest for eighty years, which should have confirmed them in their religion; but it made them secure, and indulge their lusts. Thus the prosperity of fools destroys them. Jabin and his general Sisera, mightily oppressed Israel. This enemy was nearer than any of the former. Israel cried unto the Lord, when distress drove them to him, and they saw no other way of relief. Those who slight God in prosperity, will find themselves under a necessity of seeking him in trouble.
vv4-9
Deborah was a prophetess; one instructed in Divine knowledge by the inspiration of the Spirit of God. She judged Israel as God's mouth to them; correcting abuses, and redressing grievances. By God's direction, she ordered Barak to raise an army, and engage Jabin's forces. Barak insisted much upon her presence. Deborah promised to go with him. She would not send him where she would not go herself. Those who in God's name call others to their duty, should be ready to assist them in it. Barak values the satisfaction of his mind, and the good success of his enterprise, more than mere honour.
vv10-16
Siser's confidence was chiefly in his chariots. But if we have ground to hope that God goes before us, we may go on with courage and cheerfulness. Be not dismayed at the difficulties thou meetest with in resisting Satan, in serving God, or suffering for him; for is not the Lord gone before thee? Follow him then fully. Barak went down, though upon the plain the iron chariots would have advantage against him: he quitted the mountain in dependence on the Divine power; for in the Lord alone is the salvation of his people, Jer 3:23. He was not deceived in his confidence. When God goes before us in our spiritual conflicts, we must bestir ourselves; and when, by his grace, he gives us some success against the enemies of our souls, we must improve it by watchfulness and resolution.
Key Words
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
יָסַף: to add or augment (often adverbial, to continue to do a thing)
עָשָׂה: to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
רַע: bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)
עַיִן: an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
אֵהוּד: Ehud, the name of two or three Israelites
מוּת: to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill
מָכַר: to sell, literally (as merchandise, a daughter in marriage, into slavery), or figuratively (to surrender)
יָד: a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),
Cross References
Judges 4The poetic celebration of Sisera's death by the hand of Jael, fulfilling Deborah's prophecy.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
An earlier Jabin king of Hazor was defeated by Joshua, who then burned Hazor.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Barak is listed in the New Testament Hall of Faith for his victory over Jabin's army.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
The psalmist prays for God to do to enemies as He did to Sisera and Jabin.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Deborah's song celebrates the river Kishon sweeping away the defeated hosts of Sisera.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Establishes the background of the Kenites, descendants of Moses' father-in-law.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Deborah's song reveals a supernatural panic as 'the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.'
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Deborah's song describes Sisera asking for water and Jael giving him milk in a lordly dish.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Samuel's sermon recalls how God sold Israel into the hand of Sisera for forgetting Him.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Huldah the prophetess, like Deborah, was a female leader consulted for divine judgment in Israel.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Miriam the prophetess provides an earlier precedent for women designated with prophetic leadership roles.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallels the concept of the Lord 'going out before' His army to guarantee victory.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallels the ancient view that dying at the hand of a woman was a dishonor.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Identifies Hobab, the relative of Moses, as the ancestor of Heber the Kenite.
Supported by Matthew Poole
God uses the weak things of the world (a woman with a tent nail) to confound the mighty.
Supported by Matthew Henry