< Judges 4 >

1 The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, when Ehud was dead.
And the children of Israel again did the evil in the eyes of the Lord, when Ehud was dead.
2 The LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth of the Gentiles.
And the Lord sold them into the hand of Yabin the king of Canaan, that reigned in Chazor; and the captain of his army was Sissera, who dwelt in Charosheth-hagoyim.
3 The children of Israel cried to the LORD, for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and he mightily oppressed the children of Israel for twenty years.
And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord; for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and he oppressed the children of Israel with might twenty years.
4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, judged Israel at that time.
And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, —she judged Israel at that time.
5 She lived under Deborah’s palm tree between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel came up to her for judgement.
And she held her sitting under the palm-tree of Deborah between Ramah and Beth-el on the mountain of Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.
6 She sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh Naphtali, and said to him, “Hasn’t the LORD, the God of Israel, commanded, ‘Go and lead the way to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?
And she sent and called Barak the son of Abino'am out of Kedesh-naphtali; and she said unto him, Behold, the Lord the God of Israel hath commanded, Go and lead on toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun.
7 I will draw to you, to the river Kishon, Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into your hand.’”
And I will draw unto thee, to the brook Kishon, Sissera, the captain of Yabin's army, and his chariots and his multitude; and I will give him up into thy hand.
8 Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.”
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 She said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the journey that you take won’t be for your honour; for the LORD will sell Sisera into a woman’s hand.” Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.
And she said, I will indeed go with thee; nevertheless it will not be for thy honor, on the way which thou goest; for into the hand of a woman will the Lord deliver Sissera; and Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.
10 Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh. Ten thousand men followed him; and Deborah went up with him.
And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh; and there went up in his train ten thousand men; also Deborah went up with him.
11 Now Heber the Kenite had separated himself from the Kenites, even from the children of Hobab, Moses’ brother-in-law, and had pitched his tent as far as the oak in Zaanannim, which is by Kedesh.
Now Cheber the Kenite had severed himself from the Kenites, from the children of Chobab the father-in-law of Moses; and he had pitched his tent as far as Elon-beza'anannim, which is near Kedesh.
12 They told Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor.
And they told Sissera that Barak the son of Abino'am was gone up to mount Tabor.
13 Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people who were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles, to the river Kishon.
And Sissera called together all his chariots, nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Charosheth-hagoyim unto the brook Kishon.
14 Deborah said to Barak, “Go; for this is the day in which the LORD has delivered Sisera into your hand. Hasn’t the LORD gone out before you?” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.
And Deborah said unto Barak, Up! for this is the day on which the Lord hath given Sissera into thy hand; behold, the Lord is gone out before thee: so Barak went down from mount Tabor, with ten thousand men after him.
15 The LORD confused Sisera, all his chariots, and all his army, with the edge of the sword before Barak. Sisera abandoned his chariot and fled away on his feet.
And the Lord confounded Sissera, and all his chariots, and all his army, with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sissera alighted from his chariot, and fled away on foot.
16 But Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth of the Gentiles; and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword. There was not a man left.
And Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the army, unto Charosheth-hagoyim: and all the army of Sissera fell by the edge of the sword; there was not left even one.
17 However 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.
But Sissera had fled away on foot to the tent of Ja'el the wife of Cheber the Kenite; for there was peace between Yabin the king of Chazor and the house of Cheber the Kenite.
18 Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, “Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; don’t be afraid.” He came in to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug.
And Ja'el went out to meet Sissera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in unto me, fear not: and he turned in unto her into the tent, and she covered him with a blanket.
19 He said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink; for I am thirsty.” She opened a container of milk, and gave him a drink, and covered him.
And he said unto her, Give me to drink, I pray thee, a little water; for I am thirsty: and she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him to drink, and covered him up.
20 He said to her, “Stand in the door of the tent, and if any man comes and enquires of you, and says, ‘Is there any man here?’ you shall say, ‘No.’”
And he said unto her, Stand at the door of the tent; and it shall be, that, when any man should come and ask of thee, and say, Is there any man here? thou shalt say, No.
21 Then Jael, Heber’s wife, took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him, and struck the pin into his temples, and it pierced through into the ground, for he was in a deep sleep; so he fainted and died.
And Ja'el the wife of Cheber took thereupon the nail of the tent, and placed a hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and struck the nail into his temple, and it became fastened in the ground; but he was fast asleep and weary; so he died.
22 Behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you seek.” He came to her; and behold, Sisera lay dead, and the tent peg was in his temples.
And, behold, Barak came in pursuit of Sissera, and Ja'el came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will show thee the man whom thou art seeking: and he came to her, and behold, Sissera was lying dead, with the nail in his temple.
23 So God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel on that day.
So did God humble on that day Yabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.
24 The hand of the children of Israel prevailed more and more against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.
And the hand of the children of Israel became constantly heavier upon Yabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Yabin the king of Canaan.

< Judges 4 >