Judges 4

1 After Ehud [a judge of Israel, from the tribe of Benjamin] died, the Israelites [sons of Jacob, descendants of Abraham] again did [continued to practice, added to their actions] evil [bad, morally wrong, wicked] in the sight [before the eyes, in the presence] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God, the supreme ruler]. word study 2 So the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] sold them into the hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] of Jabin [a Canaanite king] king of Canaan [the country where the Canaanites lived], who reigned [to advise or counsel, to rule as a king] in Hazor [a significant city in ancient Palestine]. The commander [leader or person in charge] of his forces [a large group of people or things, an army] was Sisera [a Canaanite general], who lived [to dwell, to remain] in Harosheth-hagoyim [a place in Palestine, meaning woodland, among the Gentiles]. word study 3 Then the Israelites [children of Israel, descendants of Jacob] cried out [with distress, in need] to the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God], because Jabin had nine hundred [900, a multitude of] chariots of iron [strong, harsh metal], and he had harshly [mightily, with force] oppressed [treated cruelly, dominated] the Israelites for twenty [a score of] years [a period of time, a long season]. word study 4 Now Deborah [a woman prophet, inspired by God], a prophetess [speaking God’s message], the wife [partner, companion] of Lappidoth [meaning torches], was judging [governing, vindicating] Israel [God’s chosen people] at that time [a specific occasion, a moment in history]. word study 5 And she would sit [under the palm tree, dwelling in its shade] under the Palm of Deborah [a prophetess and judge, a woman of wisdom] between Ramah [a city of battle] and Bethel [the house of God] in the hill country [mountainous region] of Ephraim [a tribe of Israel, doubly fruitful], where the Israelites [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] would go up [to ascend, to rise] to her for judgment [justice, righteous decision]. word study 6 She summoned [called forth, sent for] Barak [lightning] son of Abinoam [father of Barak, a leader in Israel] from Kedesh [a city of refuge, a place of safety] in Naphtali [a tribe of Israel, descended from Jacob’s son] and said to him, “Surely [certainly, without a doubt] the LORD [Yehovah], the God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] of Israel [the people of God, the chosen nation], is commanding [giving orders, instructing] you: ‘Go and march [draw near, approach] to Mount [a high place] Tabor [a mountain in Israel, a place of worship], taking [leading, bringing] with you [together with, in company with] ten thousand [a large number, a multitude] men [warriors, soldiers] of Naphtali [a tribe of Israel, descended from Jacob’s son] and Zebulun [a tribe of Israel, descended from Jacob’s son]. word study 7 And I will draw out [lure, summon] Sisera [general] the commander of Jabin’s army [forces, troops], his chariots [vehicles, cavalry], and his troops [multitude, crowd] to the River [brook, stream] Kishon, and I will deliver [give, hand over] him into your hand [power, control].’” word study 8 Barak said [uttered, spoke] to her, “If [on the condition that] you will go [walk, journey] with me [together, in company], I will go [proceed, march]; but if [in the event that] you will not [refuse to] go [accompany, follow] with me [together, in company], I will not [absolutely refuse to] go [march, proceed].” word study 9 “I will certainly go [definitely, without a doubt] with you,” Deborah replied, “but the road [journey, path] you are taking will bring you no honor [glory, recognition], because the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will be selling [giving, delivering] Sisera into the hand [power, control] of a woman [female, wife].” So Deborah got up [rose, stood] and went with Barak to Kedesh [a city in ancient Palestine, a holy place], word study 10 where he summoned [called to gather, assembled] Zebulun [a tribe of Israel, descended from Jacob] and Naphtali [a tribe of Israel, born to Bilhah]. Ten thousand [a multitude, a large number] men followed him, and Deborah [a prophetess, a leader] also went with [accompanied, together] him. word study 11 Now Heber [a Kenite, comrade] the Kenite had moved away [separated himself] from the Kenites, the descendants [sons] of Hobab [cherished, father-in-law] the father-in-law [relative by marriage] of Moses, and had pitched his tent [stretched out his dwelling] by the great tree [oak, terebinth] of Zaanannim, which [being] was near Kedesh. word study 12 When Sisera [a Canaanite king and general] was told [informed, declared to] that Barak [meaning lightning, a deliverer] son of Abinoam [an Israelite and Barak’s father] had gone up [ascended, risen] Mount [a hill] Tabor [a significant location in Palestine], word study 13 he summoned [called together, gathered] all nine hundred [a large multitude, 900] of his iron [strong, made of metal] chariots [vehicles, war-carriages] and all the men [people, warriors] with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim [the woodland of the Gentiles, a place of non-Hebrew people] to the River [brook, stream] Kishon [a significant location of Israelite victories]. word study 14 Then Deborah [a prophetess and judge] said to Barak, “Arise [stand up, rise to the occasion], for this is the day [a specific time, a moment of destiny] that the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] has delivered Sisera [the Canaanite general] into your hand [your power, your authority]. Has not the LORD [the sovereign God] gone before you [led the way, provided guidance]?” So Barak came down [descended, went down] from Mount Tabor [a mountain in Palestine] with ten thousand men [a large army, a numerous force] following him [after him, behind him]. word study 15 And in front of him the LORD [Yehovah, the divine Savior] routed [discomfited, threw into confusion] with the sword Sisera [the Canaanite general], all his charioteers [warriors, cavalry], and all his army [host, multitude]. Sisera abandoned [left, fled from] his chariot [vehicle, war-carriage] and fled [ran away quickly, escaped] on foot [by himself, without aid]. word study 16 Then Barak [pursued relentlessly] pursued the chariots [vehicles of war] and army [host of soldiers] as far as Harosheth-hagoyim [woodland of the Gentiles], and the whole [entire, all] army of Sisera [Canaanite king] fell [were defeated, came to an end] by the sword [edge of the sword, instrument of war]; not a single man [no one, none] was left [remained, survived]. word study 17 Meanwhile, Sisera [the Canaanite general] had fled [in swift retreat, on his feet] on foot to the tent [the dwelling place, abode] of Jael [the brave and cunning Kenite woman], the wife [the female partner, companion] of Heber [a comrade] the Kenite, because there was peace [shalom, completeness and wellness] between Jabin [the Canaanite king] king of Hazor [the significant city, stronghold] and the house [the family, household] of Heber the Kenite. word study 18 Jael [a brave Canaanite woman] went out to greet Sisera and said to him, “Come in, my lord [master, ruler]. Come in with me [to my tent, into my presence]. Do not be afraid [have no fear, do not tremble].” So he entered her tent [her dwelling place, the tabernacle], and she covered him with a blanket [a rug, a thick coverlet]. word study 19 Sisera said [spoke, uttered words] to her, “Please [I pray thee, kindly] give me a little [small amount, a few drops] water [liquid refreshment] to drink, for [because, since] I am thirsty [parched, dehydrated].” So she opened [unlocked, uncovered] a container [wineskin, leather bottle] of milk [nourishing liquid], gave him a drink, and covered [hid, concealed] him again. word study 20 “Stand [at attention, firmly] at the entrance [doorway] to the tent [tabernacle, dwelling place],” he said, “and if anyone [a man, any person] comes and asks you, ‘Is there [exists, is present] a man [male, individual] here [in this place, present]?’ say, ‘No [nothing, not present].’” word study 21 But as he lay sleeping [in a deep sleep] from exhaustion, Heber’s wife Jael [a brave Canaanite woman] took a tent peg [a nail, a small pointed piece of metal], grabbed a hammer [a tool for striking, an instrument for making holes], and went silently [softly, quietly] to Sisera. She drove the peg [the nail, the pointed metal] through his temple [the side of the head, above the ear] and into the ground [the earth, the land], and he died [passed away, came to his end, swooned and died]. word study 22 When Barak [pursuing, chasing] arrived in pursuit of Sisera, Jael [a brave Canaanite woman] went out to greet him and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man [the individual, the person] you are seeking [to find, to discover].” So he went in with her, and there lay Sisera [the Canaanite king] dead [lifeless, deceased], with a tent peg [a small, pointed piece of metal] through his temple [the side of the head, above the ear]. word study 23 On that day [when God intervened] God [Elohim, the supreme Ruler] subdued [humbled, brought down] Jabin [the king of Canaan] king of Canaan [the land of promise, the earthly inheritance] before [in the presence of, facing] the Israelites [the chosen people, descendants of Jacob]. word study 24 And the hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] of the Israelites [sons of Jacob, descendants of Abraham] grew stronger [prevailing, prospering] and stronger [more and more, increasingly] against Jabin [a Canaanite king] king of Canaan [the land of the Canaanites, modern-day Israel] until they destroyed [cut off, completely subdued] him. word study