Judges 4:3

Verse

Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, because Jabin had nine hundred chariots of iron, and he had harshly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years.

American Standard Version (1901)

And the children of Israel cried unto Jehovah: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.

Bible in Basic English

Then the children of Israel made prayer to the Lord; for he had nine hundred iron war-carriages, and for twenty years he was very cruel to the children of Israel.

Free Bible Version

The Israelites cried out to the Lord to help them, for Sisera had nine hundred iron chariots and he cruelly mistreated them for twenty years.

Geneva Bible 1599

Then the children of Israel cryed vnto the Lord: (for he had nine hundreth charets of yron, and twentie yeeres he had vexed the children of Israel very sore)

King James (Authorized) Version

And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.

Translation for Translators

Sisera’s army had 900 chariots. For 20 years he oppressed the Israelis. Then they pleaded to Yahweh to help them.

Unlocked Literal Bible

The people of Israel called out to Yahweh for help, because Sisera had nine hundred iron chariots and he oppressed the people of Israel with force for twenty years.

Noah Webster Bible

And the children of Israel cried to the LORD; for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.

World English Bible

The children of Israel cried to Yahweh, for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and he mightily oppressed the children of Israel for twenty years.

Young's Literal Translation

and the sons of Israel cry unto Jehovah, for he hath nine hundred chariots of iron, and he hath oppressed the sons of Israel mightily twenty years.

Context

Deborah and Barak

²So the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his forces was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim.³Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, because Jabin had nine hundred chariots of iron, and he had harshly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years.

Sermons

The Power of the Holy Spirit

J.C. Ryle

What Happened?

K.P. Yohannan

Summary

This verse introduces Deborah, a prophetess and judge in Israel, who summoned Barak to lead the Israelite army against the oppressive Canaanite king, Jabin. It highlights the role of women in leadership and the importance of following God's commands through His chosen vessels. Deborah's obedience to God's instructions and Barak's willingness to heed her call demonstrate the power of faith and unity in carrying out God's plans. The verse sets the stage for the upcoming battle and victory that will ultimately bring deliverance to the Israelites from their enemies.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord,.... Because of their hard bondage, and begged deliverance from it, being brought to a sense of their sins, and humbled for them: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; the same with the , chariots which carried scythes at the side of them, fastened to the orbs of the wheels (x), and were on both sides; and in some stood out ten cubits (y) which running furiously among the infantry, cut them to pieces in a terrible manner; of which Cyrus had in his army at first but an hundred, afterwards increased to three hundred (z); and yet here a petty prince of Canaan had nine hundred of them; and which Josephus (a) has increased, beyond all belief, to the number of three thousand; which struck great terror into the Israelites, and who therefore durst not attempt to shake off his yoke, but cried to the Lord for help: and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel; as they increased their sins, and repeated their revolts, the Lord increased their oppressions, and continued them the longer; the first was only eight years, the next eighteen, and this twenty, and which was a very heavy one; the other being foreign princes that oppressed them, but this a Canaanitish king, an implacable enemy, and who doubtless used them the more severely for what they had done to his ancestors, killed his father or grandfather, burnt the city of Hazor, and destroyed the inhabitants of it in Joshua's time; and the servitude was the harder, and the more intolerable to the Israelites, that they were under a people whose land had been given them to possess, and whom they had expelled, and now were become subject to them. (x) Vid. Suidam in voce (y) Curtius, l. 4. c. 9, 12, 15. Liv. Hist. l. 37. c. 41. (z) Xenophon. Cyropaedia, l. 6. c. 13. (a) Antiqu. l. 5. c. 5. sect. 1.