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Deborah and Barak
4 And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD after Ehud died. And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. Then the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help, for he had 900 chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years.
Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment. She sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, “Has not the LORD, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun. And I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army, to meet you by the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops, and I will give him into your hand’?” Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” And she said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the LORD will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. And Barak called out Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh. And 10,000 men went up at his heels, and Deborah went up with him.
Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, the descendants 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.
When Sisera was told that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, Sisera called out all his chariots, 900 chariots of iron, and all the men who were with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon. And Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day in which the LORD has given Sisera into your hand. Does not the LORD go out before you?” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him. And the LORD routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army before Barak by the edge of the sword. And Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot. And Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left.
But Sisera fled away on foot 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. And Jael came out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Turn aside, my lord; turn aside to me; do not be afraid.” So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. And he said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.” So she opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink and covered him. And he said to her, “Stand at the opening of the tent, and if any man comes and asks you, ‘Is anyone here?’ say, ‘No.’” But Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand. Then she went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple until it went down into the ground while he was lying fast asleep from weariness. So he died. And behold, as Barak was pursuing Sisera, Jael went out to meet him and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.” So he went in to her tent, and there lay Sisera dead, with the tent peg in his temple.
So on that day God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan before the people of Israel. And the hand of the people of Israel pressed harder and harder against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.
(ESV)
Judges 4 Commentary
Judges 4 recounts how Israel once again turned from the Lord after Ehud’s death. In response, God allowed King Jabin of Canaan to oppress them for 20 years through his commander, Sisera, who led an army equipped with 900 iron chariots. When the Israelites cried out, God raised up Deborah, a prophetess and judge, to deliver God’s people. Deborah summoned Barak son of Abinoam from the city of Kedesh and told him to gather 10,000 men from Naphtali and Zebulun and go to Mount Tabor, where God would give them victory over Sisera. Hold that thought…
Mixed into this main story is the subplot of Heber the Kenite and his wife Jael. It is very important to note that the Kenites were nomadic people who lived within Israel’s territory. Over the sweep of the Old Testament, some supported Israel and some did not. This is critical to understanding the decision that Jael will make later. Heber’s clan settled in northern Israel and had vowed themselves as an ally to Jabin and the Canaanites. This mutual transaction most likely involved an oath and sacrifice. Under this oath, the Kenites were bound to treat all the king’s people with hospitality.
For whatever reason, Barak isn’t confident going to battle with Sisera, so he asks Deborah to come with him. She tells Barak that because of his decision, he will not be recognized as the hero, and the credit will go to a woman. When I initially read this story, I assumed she meant herself, but that is not the case. Barak attacks Sisera and defeats his army, however, Sisera escapes. Barak continues west, but Sisera flees east to the land of the Kenites, most likely because he knows they are bound by oath as allies. This is where it gets interesting.
Jael fulfills her obligation and welcomes Sisera into her home. She comforts him with milk and agrees to protect and hide him. However, after he falls asleep, she takes a tent peg and drives it into his skull! Wow! What can we take from this chapter?
Oh, The Irony
Barak’s Loss of Honor: In Judges 4, Barak was chosen by God to lead Israel’s army to victory. In a normal battle, the reader expects the military leader to claim the final victory by defeating the enemy commander. However, Deborah warned him that because of his lack of faith, the honor of killing Sisera would go to a woman (Judges 4:9). This is ironic because Barak leads the battle but does not complete the mission. Jael, a non-Israelite (Kenite) woman, completes it instead.
The Wordplay in Sisera’s Last Words: Sisera tells Jael that if someone (a man) comes looking for him and asks if a man is inside, she should say “no” (ʾāyin, meaning “nothing” or “no one”). This is ironic because when Barak finally arrives, Jael can truthfully show him that there is indeed no man inside. Sisera is dead.
The Final Scene: This story in Judges 4, which began as a clash between great military leaders, ends not with a dramatic battlefield duel, but with one dead man, one dishonored man, and one victorious woman! The contrast between expectations (Barak or Sisera achieving glory) and reality (Jael taking the victory) creates a deep irony that contradicts normative ancient roles.
“The effect is to enhance the impact, when it comes, of the revelation that Yahweh’s choice has fallen, not merely on a woman, nor even on an Israelite prophetess (as we were led to expect), but upon Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite!”
New International Commentary – Old Testament
Pay Attention To The Themes
The Deborah-Barak narrative, like the Ehud story, highlights how God rescues Israel while overturning human expectations. God’s plan will come to pass regardless of human free will. Barak, who hesitates and lacks faith, loses the honor of victory. As mentioned several times, that honor is given to Jael, a woman. This theme of divine reversal continues throughout Judges, foreshadowing later conflicts between negotiation and true faith (Jdg 6:7-10; 10:10-16) and reaching a climax in the Jephthah story (Jdg 10:6 – 12:7)
Additionally, the passage reinforces the portrayal of kingship as an oppressive foreign system used by God for discipline but fundamentally unsuitable for Israel. The book of Judges lays the groundwork for Israel’s eventual transition to a monarchy in 1 Samuel. While kingship itself is not inherently evil, Judges presents it as a flawed human institution, prone to abuse and often at odds with God’s intended leadership structure.
This theme will become central in the Gideon-Abimelech narrative (Jdg 6-9), and this tension culminates when Israel demands a king in 1 Samuel 8, and God warns that kings will exploit and oppress them.
Application
Israel’s battle against Sisera’s army was a massive feat, and that is most likely why Barak struggled with courage. Sisera had a massive army with the latest military equipment including cutting-edge weaponry and 900 iron chariots. On paper, Israel was completely overwhelmed. But the Lord had promised victory.
Today, we often allow fear to stop us from following through with God’s plan, even when it sounds impossible. God commands us to be courageous and to step forward in faith knowing that He will do the heavy lifting. No matter what battle we face, we can confidently trust God to lead us.
Another point to consider is that God will use all things – even the most unlikely of people – to fulfill His purpose and plan. Today, that person may be you! Do not overlook the opportunities the Holy Spirit is placing in front of you.
