Judges 4:6-15

6 She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “The LORD, the God of Israel, commands you: ‘Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead them up to Mount Tabor.
7 I will lead Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.’ ”
8 Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.”
9 “Certainly I will go with you,” said Deborah. “But because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the LORD will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh.
10 There Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali, and ten thousand men went up under his command. Deborah also went up with him.
11 Now Heber the Kenite had left the other Kenites, the descendants of Hobab, Moses’ brother-in-law,[a] and pitched his tent by the great tree in Zaanannim near Kedesh.
12 When they told Sisera that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor,
13 Sisera summoned from Harosheth Haggoyim to the Kishon River all his men and his nine hundred chariots fitted with iron.
14 Then Deborah said to Barak, “Go! This is the day the LORD has given Sisera into your hands. Has not the LORD gone ahead of you?” So Barak went down Mount Tabor, with ten thousand men following him.
15 At Barak’s advance, the LORD routed Sisera and all his chariots and army by the sword, and Sisera got down from his chariot and fled on foot.

Judges 4:6-15 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 4

This chapter shows how that Israel sinning was delivered into the hands of Jabin king of Canaan, by whom they were oppressed twenty years, Jud 4:1-3; and that Deborah and Barak consulted together about their deliverance, Jud 4:4-9; and that Barak, encouraged by Deborah, gathered some forces and fought Sisera the captain of Jabin's army, whom he met, and obtained a victory over, Jud 4:10-15; who fleeing on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber, was received into it, and slain by her while asleep in it, Jud 4:16-22; which issued in a complete deliverance of the children of Israel, Jud 4:23,24.

Cross References 20

  • 1. Jdg 5:1,12,15; 1 Samuel 12:11; Hebrews 11:32
  • 2. S Joshua 12:22
  • 3. S Genesis 30:8
  • 4. Judges 5:18; Judges 6:35
  • 5. S Joshua 19:22
  • 6. S Joshua 11:1
  • 7. ver 13; Judges 5:21; 1 Kings 18:40; Psalms 83:9
  • 8. S Judges 1:2
  • 9. S Joshua 12:22; ver 21; Judges 2:14
  • 10. 2 Chronicles 36:23; Ezra 1:2; Isaiah 41:2; Isaiah 42:6; Isaiah 45:3; Isaiah 46:11; Isaiah 48:15; ver 14; Judges 5:15,18
  • 11. S Genesis 15:19; Judges 1:16
  • 12. Numbers 10:29
  • 13. Joshua 24:26; Judges 9:6
  • 14. Joshua 19:33
  • 15. S Joshua 19:22
  • 16. S Joshua 17:16; ver 3
  • 17. S ver 7; Judges 5:19
  • 18. S Judges 1:2
  • 19. Deuteronomy 9:3; 1 Samuel 8:20; 2 Samuel 5:24; Psalms 68:7
  • 20. S Joshua 10:10; Psalms 83:9-10

Footnotes 1

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