Deborah and Barak

1After Ehud (I will give thanks) died, the Israelites (God prevails) again did evil in the sight of the LORD {YHWH}. 2So the LORD {YHWH} sold them into the hand of Jabin (whom God observes) king of Canaan (lowland), who reigned in Hazor (castle). The commander of his forces was Sisera (battle array), who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim (woodland) (nations). 3Then the Israelites (God prevails) cried out to the LORD {YHWH}, because Jabin had nine hundred chariots of iron, and he had harshly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years.

4Now Deborah (bee), a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth (torches), was judging Israel (he wrestles with God) at that time. 5And she would sit under the Palm of Deborah (bee) between Ramah (hill) and Bethel (house of God) in the hill country of Ephraim (doubly fruitful), where the Israelites (God prevails) would go up to her for judgment.

6She summoned Barak (lightning) son of Abinoam (my father is delight) from Kedesh (holy place) in Naphtali (wrestling) and said to him, “Surely the LORD, the God {YHWH Elohe} of Israel (he wrestles with God), is commanding you: ‘Go and march to Mount Tabor (mound), taking with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun (exalted). 7And I will draw out Sisera (battle array) the commander of Jabin’s (whom God observes) army, his chariots, and his troops to the River Kishon (winding), and I will deliver him into your hand.’”

8Barak (lightning) said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.”

9“I will certainly go with you,” Deborah replied, “but the road you are taking will bring you no honor, because the LORD {YHWH} will be selling Sisera (battle array) into the hand of a woman.” So Deborah (bee) got up and went with Barak (lightning) to Kedesh (holy place), 10where he (lightning) summoned Zebulun (exalted) and Naphtali (wrestling) (holy place). Ten thousand men followed him, and Deborah (bee) also went with him.

11Now Heber (comrade) the Kenite (smiths) had moved away from the Kenites (possession), the descendants of Hobab (cherished) the father-in-law (brother-in-law)a of Moses (drawn out), and had pitched his tent by the great tree of Zaanannim (removings), which was near Kedesh (holy place).

12When Sisera (battle array) was told that Barak (lightning) son of Abinoam (my father is delight) had gone up Mount Tabor (mound), 13he (battle array) summoned all nine hundred of his iron chariots and all the men with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim (woodland) (nations) to the River Kishon (winding).

14Then Deborah (bee) said to Barak (lightning), “Arise, for this is the day that the LORD {YHWH} has delivered Sisera (battle array) into your hand. Has not the LORD gone before you?”

So Barak came down from Mount Tabor (mound) with ten thousand men following him. 15And in front of him (lightning) the LORD {YHWH} routed with the sword Sisera (battle array), all his charioteers, and all his army. Sisera abandoned his chariot and fled on foot.

16Then Barak (lightning) pursued the chariots and army as far as Harosheth-hagoyim (woodland) (nations), and the whole army of Sisera (battle array) fell by the sword; not a single man was left.

Jael Kills Sisera

17Meanwhile, Sisera (battle array) had fled on foot to the tent of Jael (mountain goat), the wife of Heber (comrade) the Kenite (smiths), because there was peace between Jabin (whom God observes) king of Hazor (castle) and the house of Heber the Kenite. 18Jael (mountain goat) went out to greet Sisera (battle array) and said to him, “Come in, my lord. Come in with me. Do not be afraid.” So he entered her tent, and she covered him with a blanket.

19Sisera said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.” So she opened a container of milk, gave him a drink, and covered him again.

20“Stand at the entrance to the tent,” he said, “and if anyone comes and asks you, ‘Is there a man here?’ say, ‘No.’”

21But as he lay sleeping from exhaustion, Heber’s (comrade) wife Jael (mountain goat) took a tent peg, grabbed a hammer, and went silently to Sisera. She drove the peg through his temple and into the ground, and he died.

22When Barak (lightning) arrived in pursuit of Sisera (battle array), Jael (mountain goat) went out to greet him and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man you are seeking.” So he went in with her, and there lay Sisera dead, with a tent peg through his temple.

23On that day God {Elohim} subdued Jabin (whom God observes) king of Canaan (lowland) before the Israelites (God prevails). 24And the hand of the Israelites (God prevails) grew stronger and stronger against Jabin (whom God observes) king of Canaan (lowland) until they destroyed him.