Judges 4

Deborah, the Woman Judge Who Ran Things

1 After Ehud died, Israel went right back to doing evil in the Lord’s sight.

2 So the Lord let them get pressed by King Jabin of Canaan, who ruled in Hazor. His top dog in the army was Sisera, who ran things out of Harosheth-hagoyim.

3 Israel cried out to God because Sisera had 900 iron chariots and kept Israel on lock for 20 years, treating them real bad.

4 Now at that time, there was a woman named Deborah running the show. She was a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, and she judged Israel.

5 She used to sit under a palm tree, called the Palm of Deborah, between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim. The people came to her for advice and judgment.

Deborah Sends Barak to War

6 Deborah called for a man named Barak, son of Abinoam, from Kedesh in Naphtali. She told him, “Did not the Lord God of Israel command you to take 10,000 men from Naphtali and Zebulun and go up to Mount Tabor?”

7 “God said He is going to bring Sisera, his chariots, and his whole crew to the Kishon River and hand them over to you.”

8 Barak said, “I will go if you go with me. But if you do not ride with me, I am not going.”

9 Deborah told him, “Bet, I will go, but just know this: You are not going to get the glory for this win. The Lord is going to hand Sisera over to a woman.” So Deborah rolled out with Barak to Kedesh.

10 Barak called the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh. He rolled up with 10,000 soldiers, and Deborah went with him.

Jael, the Unexpected Hero

11 Now Heber the Kenite had dipped out from the other Kenites (descendants of Hobab, Moses’ in-law). He set up his tent near the oak tree in Zaanannim, close to Kedesh.

12 When Sisera found out Barak had moved up to Mount Tabor…

13 Sisera got all his chariots, 900 iron ones, and all his soldiers together. They moved from Harosheth-hagoyim to the Kishon River.

14 Deborah told Barak, “It is time! Get up! This the day the Lord is going to give Sisera into your hands. The Lord going out in front of you!” So Barak came down Mount Tabor with his 10,000 soldiers.

15 The Lord made Sisera’s whole army panic, even Sisera jumped out his chariot and ran away on foot.

16 Barak chased the chariots and the army all the way to Harosheth-hagoyim. Not one of Sisera’s soldiers was left alive.

Sisera Gets Taken Out by A Woman

17 Sisera ran on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because there was peace between King Jabin of Hazor and Heber’s family.

18 Jael stepped out and told Sisera, “Come here, sir. Do not be scared.” So he went in the tent, and she covered him with a blanket.

19 Sisera told her, “Please give me some water, I am thirsty.” She gave him some milk and tucked him back in.

20 He told her, “Stand at the door. If anybody comes asking if there is a man in here, tell them no.”

21 But Jael, Heber’s wife, grabbed a tent peg and a hammer, and while Sisera was knocked out asleep, she crept up on him and drove the peg straight through his head into the ground. And that is how he died.

God Brings Victory

22 Then Barak showed up looking for Sisera, and Jael came out saying, “Come see the man you looking for.” He went inside and saw Sisera laid out dead with a tent peg through his head.

23 That day, God humbled King Jabin of Canaan right in front of Israel.

24 Israel kept putting pressure on King Jabin until they finally took him out completely.