Judges 4

King James Version

Full text for Judges Chapter 4

1¶ And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead.

2And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host [was] Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.

3And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.

4¶ And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.

5And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

6And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, [saying], Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?

7And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.

8And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, [then] I will not go.

9And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.

10¶ And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him.

11Now Heber the Kenite, [which was] of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which [is] by Kedesh.

12And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor.

13And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, [even] nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that [were] with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon.

14And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this [is] the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.

15And the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all [his] chariots, and all [his] host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off [his] chariot, and fled away on his feet.

16But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; [and] there was not a man left.

17¶ Howbeit 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.

18And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle.

19And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him.

20Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.

21Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.

22And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her [tent], behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail [was] in his temples.

23So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.

24And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

After Ehud's death, the children of Israel again did evil, leading to their oppression by Jabin, King of Canaan, and his captain Sisera, for twenty years. Deborah, a prophetess and judge, commanded Barak to lead Israel's army against Sisera. Though Barak achieved victory in battle, Sisera fled and was ultimately killed by Jael, a Kenite woman, fulfilling Deborah's prophecy that the honor would go to a woman. Thus, the LORD subdued Jabin before Israel.

Medium Summary

Following Ehud's death, the children of Israel reverted to evil, resulting in their oppression by Jabin, King of Canaan, and his formidable captain, Sisera, for two decades. In response to Israel's cry, Deborah, a prophetess and judge, arose to lead. She summoned Barak, commanding him to gather ten thousand men to confront Sisera at Mount Tabor, assuring him of the LORD's deliverance. Barak agreed to go only if Deborah accompanied him, to which she assented, prophesying that the glory of the victory would fall to a woman. The LORD discomfited Sisera's army at the River Kishon, causing Sisera to flee on foot. He sought refuge in the tent of Jael, a Kenite woman, who, after offering him hospitality, drove a tent nail through his temples while he slept, thus killing him. Barak arrived to find Sisera dead, confirming Deborah's prophecy and marking a significant victory for Israel.

Long Summary

Upon the death of Ehud, the children of Israel once more engaged in practices displeasing to the LORD, leading to divine judgment. Consequently, the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin, king of Canaan, whose powerful military captain, Sisera, possessed nine hundred chariots of iron. For twenty years, Sisera mightily oppressed the children of Israel, prompting them to cry out to the LORD for deliverance. At this time, Deborah, a prophetess and judge, held authority in Israel, and the people came to her for counsel. She sent for Barak, instructing him, by the LORD's command, to gather ten thousand men from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun and draw them to Mount Tabor to engage Sisera. Deborah assured Barak that the LORD would draw Sisera and his forces to the River Kishon and deliver them into his hand. Barak, however, expressed reluctance to go unless Deborah accompanied him. Deborah agreed to go but prophesied that the honor of the journey would not be for Barak, as the LORD would deliver Sisera into the hand of a woman. Barak then summoned his forces, and Deborah went with him. When Sisera was informed of Barak's movement, he gathered his entire army and chariots at the River Kishon. Deborah then urged Barak to advance, declaring that the day had come for the LORD to deliver Sisera. The LORD discomfited Sisera's entire host before Barak, causing Sisera to alight from his chariot and flee on foot. Barak pursued the fleeing army, utterly destroying them. Sisera, seeking refuge, fled to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, with whom King Jabin had a covenant of peace. Jael welcomed Sisera, offered him milk, and covered him. While he slept, exhausted, Jael took a tent nail and a hammer and drove the nail through his temples, killing him. When Barak arrived in pursuit, Jael revealed Sisera's dead body, fulfilling Deborah's prophecy. On that day, God subdued Jabin, king of Canaan, before the children of Israel, and their hand continued to prevail against him until his destruction.

Core Concepts

  • Divine Judgment and DeliveranceIsrael's repeated disobedience leads to oppression by Jabin and Sisera, but their cry to the LORD prompts divine intervention through Deborah and Barak, illustrating a cycle of sin, oppression, and redemption.
  • Prophetic LeadershipDeborah serves as a prophetess and judge, demonstrating spiritual and judicial authority in Israel. She receives and delivers the LORD's commands, guiding Barak and the nation towards victory.
  • Barak's HesitationBarak's willingness to engage Sisera is contingent on Deborah's presence, revealing a human need for assurance despite a divine command. This hesitation leads to Deborah's prophecy that the honor of the victory would go to a woman.
  • The Role of WomenDeborah, as a judge and prophetess, and Jael, as the instrument of Sisera's death, highlight the significant and unexpected roles women play in the LORD's plan of deliverance. Jael's decisive action secures the final victory.
  • The LORD's DiscomfitureThe battle's outcome is directly attributed to the LORD, who 'discomfited' Sisera's army, causing chaos and defeat. This emphasizes divine intervention as the true source of Israel's military success.
  • Treachery and HospitalityJael offers Sisera hospitality and refuge, yet she ultimately betrays him by killing him while he sleeps. This act, though a breach of custom, is presented as divinely ordained for Israel's liberation.