< Judges 4 >

1 And the sons of Israel again did the thing that was wicked in the sight of Yahweh, —when, Ehud, was dead. 2 So Yahweh sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor, —now, the prince of his host, was Sisera, and, he, dwelt in Harosheth of the nations. 3 And the sons of Israel made outcry unto Yahweh, —for he had, nine hundred chariots of iron, and, he, oppressed the sons of Israel heavily, twenty years. 4 And, Deborah, a woman who was a prophetess, wife of Lapidoth, she, was judging Israel, at that time: 5 she used to sit, therefore, under the palm-tree of Deborah, between Ramah and Bethel, in the hill country of Ephraim, —and the sons of Israel came up to her, for justice. 6 And she sent and called for Barak son of Abinoam, out of Kadesh-naphtali, —and said unto him—Hath not Yahweh God of Israel, commanded, —Come and draw towards Mount Tabor, and bring with thee—ten thousand men, of the sons of Naphtali, and of the sons of Zebulun; 7 and I will draw unto thee, unto the torrent of Kishon, Sisera, prince of the host of Jabin, with his chariots, and with his multitude, —and will deliver him into thy hand? 8 And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then will I go—but, if thou wilt not go with me, I will not go. 9 And she said—I will, go, with thee; only, it shall not be, thine own honour, that shall arise from the journey which thou art about to take, for, into the hand of a woman, will Yahweh sell Sisera. So Deborah arose, and went with Barak, towards Kadesh. 10 And Barak called together Zebulun and Naphtali, towards Kadesh, and there went up at his feet—ten thousand men, —and Deborah, went up with him. 11 Now, Heber the Kenite, had separated himself from the Kenites, even from the sons of Hobab, father-in-law of Moses, —and moved his tent as far as the oak of Zaanaim, which is near Kadesh. 12 And they told Sisera that Barak, son of Abinoam, had gone up to Mount Tabor. 13 So Sisera called together all his chariots—nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, —from Harosheth of the nations, unto the torrent of Kishon. 14 Then said Deborah unto Barak—Up! for, this, is the day on which Yahweh hath delivered Sisera into thy hand, hath not, Yahweh, gone forth before thee? So Barak went down from Mount Tabor, with ten thousand men after him. 15 And Yahweh put to flight Sisera and all the chariots and all the host, with the edge of the sword, before Barak, —so Sisera alighted from his chariot, and fled on foot. 16 Now, Barak, pursued the chariots, and the host, as far as Harosheth of the nations, —and all the host of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword, there was not left so much as one. 17 Now, Sisera, had fled on foot, unto the tent of Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between Jabin, king of Hazer, and the house of Heber the Kenite. 18 And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him: Turn aside, my lord, turn aside with me, do not fear. So he turned aside with her into the tent, and she threw over him a coverlet. 19 And he said unto her—Let me drink, I pray thee, a little water, for I am thirsty. So she opened the bottle of milk, and gave him to drink, and spread over him the coverlet. 20 And he said unto her, Stand at the entrance of the tent, —and it shall be, if any man come and ask thee and say—Is there here a man? that thou shalt say, There is not. 21 Then took Jael, wife of Heber, the tent-pin, and put the mallet in her hand, and went in unto him, softly, and smote the tent-pin into his temples, and it pierced through into the ground, —he being fast asleep and shrouded in darkness, and he died. 22 And lo! Barak—in pursuit of Sisera! So Jael went forth to meet him, and said unto him, Come and let me shew thee—the man whom thou art seeking. And he came in with her, and lo! Sisera—lying dead, with the tent-pin in his temples. 23 Thus God subdued, on that day, Jabin king of Canaan, —before the sons of Israel. 24 And the hand of the sons of Israel went on, waxing more and more heavy upon Jabin king of Canaan, —until they had cut off Jabin king of Canaan.

< Judges 4 >