< Judges 4 >
1 The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, when Ehud was dead.
And the sons of Israel again did the thing that was wicked in the sight of Yahweh, —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.
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 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 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 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, judged Israel at that time.
And, Deborah, a woman who was a prophetess, wife of Lapidoth, she, was judging 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 judgment.
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 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 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 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, 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 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 honor; for the LORD will sell Sisera into a woman’s hand.” Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.
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 Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh. Ten thousand men followed him; and Deborah went up with him.
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 children of Hobab, Moses’ brother-in-law, and had pitched his tent as far as the oak in Zaanannim, which is by Kedesh.
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 They told Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor.
And they told Sisera that Barak, son of Abinoam, had 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.
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 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.
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 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 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 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.
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 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.
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 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 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 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—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 He said to her, “Stand in the door of the tent, and if any man comes and inquires of you, and says, ‘Is there any man here?’ you shall say, ‘No.’”
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 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.
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 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 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 So God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel on that day.
Thus God subdued, on that day, Jabin king of Canaan, —before the sons 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 sons of Israel went on, waxing more and more heavy upon Jabin king of Canaan, —until they had cut off Jabin king of Canaan.