CHAPTER 4. BARAK AND DEBORAH. This chapter demonstrates how Israel again sinned and were delivered into the hands of Jabin, king of Canaan, by whom they were oppressed for twenty years. Excavations at Hazor have resulted in evidence of a Jabin who was king there, although not necessarily this one.... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER 4. BARAK AND DEBORAH. This chapter demonstrates how Israel again sinned and were delivered into the hands of Jabin, king of Canaan, by whom they were oppressed for twenty years. Excavations at Hazor have resulted in evidence of a Jabin who was king there, although not necessarily this one.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And Yahweh sold them, into the hand of Jabin, king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor, the captain of whose host was Sisera, who dwelt in Harosheth of the Nations.' Hazor was an important city state in northern Canaan which had great influence over its neighbours (Joshua 11:1; Joshua 11:10). Archaeol... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, for he had nine hundred chariots of iron, and he mightily oppressed the children of Israel for twenty years.' They once again recognised that Yahweh alone could help them in a situation like this and began to turn from their idols and to seek Him once a... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, she judged Israel at that time.' Deborah is one of three prophetesses mentioned in the Old Testament, two of whom were powerful figures. The others were Miriam (Exodus 15:20) and Huldah (2 Kings 22:14). Deborah means ‘a bee' and was a relatively co... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And she stationed herself under the palm tree of Deborah, between Ramah and Bethel, in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment.' When local justice failed, or cases were too complicated, or inter-tribal, or needed special discernment, the people would com... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And she sent and called Barak, the son of Abinoam, out of Kedesh-naphtali. And said to him, “Has not Yahweh, the God of Israel commanded? Go, and draw toward Mount Tabor, and take with you ten eleph men of the children of Naphtali, and of the children of Zebulun.” ' The Spirit of Yahweh was at wo... [ Continue Reading ]
“ And I will draw to you, to the river Kishon, Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his large body of fighting men, and I will deliver him into your hand.” These were the words of their battle general, Yahweh. Once Sisera heard of their gathering on Mount Tabor, in what was cl... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And 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.' Barak was a warleader, not a prophet. He considered the ten units he would have with him on Mount Tabor and he considered the nine units of chariots, and the further large army of fight... [ Continue Reading ]
Judges 4:9 A ‘And she said, “I will surely go with you. Except that now the journey you take will not be for your honour, for Yahweh will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Deborah's confidence in Yahweh was total and she unhesitatingly agreed. But as a result of his unwillingness to trust God... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh. And there went up ten eleph of men at his feet, and Deborah went up with him.' Zebulun and Naphtali responded to his call and sent him the ten units of fighting men that he asked for. All knew what this meant. The die was cast. They would... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ Now Heber, the Kenite, had separated himself from the Kenites, even from the children of Hobab, the brother-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far as the oak in Zaanannim, which is by Kedesh.' The purpose of this verse is to explain why Heber was where he was when the later events occurr... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they told Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor.' “THEY” is general. There were many Canaanites who would not look happily on an Israelite rebellion. It would suit them for Sisera to learn of it immediately. ‘Barak is out to cause trouble and has gathered some fightin... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people who were with him from Harosheth of the Nations, to the river Kishon.' Sisera was taking no chances, and this was to be a massive show of strength to prevent such incidents happening again. He ca... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And Deborah said to Barak, “Up, for this is the day in which Yahweh has delivered Sisera into your hand. Is not Yahweh gone out before you?” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor, and ten eleph men after him.' The Canaanite army were gathered at the river Kishon, not expecting an attack. After all... [ Continue Reading ]
Judges 4:15 a ‘And Yahweh discomfited Sisera and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak.' It was a total rout. Without iron accoutrements to hinder them, and more lightly armed, and fired by the belief that Yahweh had done this, the Israelites could cope with t... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, as far as Harosheth of the Nations. And all the host of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword and there was not a man left.' Some of the chariots were able to get themselves clear of the mud and escape, which was the only thing now on their... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ However, Sisera fled away on his feet, to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. For there was peace between Jabin, the king of Hazor, and the house of Heber the Kenite.' Before going into detail the writer summarised what was to happen, and humiliates Sisera. ‘He fled away on his feet'.... [ Continue Reading ]
Judges 4:18 a ‘And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, ‘Turn in, my lord, turn in to me. Do not be afraid.' Jael went out to meet him. She would see the hunted look of the fugitive and realise what had happened. She would also know how important a man he was for the wellbeing of the Can... [ Continue Reading ]
Judges 4:19 A ‘And he said to her, “Give me, I pray you, a little water to drink, for I am parched.” It should be noted that up to this stage she had not offered hospitality. Perhaps he should have taken a hint from that. To hide a male fugitive in your tent might be one thing, to feed him there a... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And he said to her, “Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man shall come and enquire of you, and say, Is there any man here? That you will say, no.” If Jael is to be criticised for dishonesty, what about Sisera? He wanted her not only to lie for him, but also to do so in a way... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ Then Jael, Heber's wife, took a tent-pin, and took a mallet in her hand, and went quietly to him, and smote the pin into his temples, and it pierced through into the ground. For he was in a deep sleep. So he swooned and died.' It was because he had gone to sleep that she was able to do this. Usin... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man who you are looking for.” And he came to her, and behold, Sisera lay dead, and the tent-pin was in his temples.' Barak, probably accompanied by some of his men, was on Sisera's tra... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ So God subdued on that day Jabin, the king of Canaan, before the children, of Israel.' Jabin's efforts through his standing army had been thwarted, and instead it was he who had been subdued. His general was dead, his army decimated. It was something from which he would never recover. Note the us... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And the hand of the children of Israel prevailed more and more against Jabin, the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin, the king of Canaan.' Having commenced successfully Barak did not let up. Gradually with his men he broke Jabin's power base and eventually destroyed the king himself.... [ Continue Reading ]