Chapter 4

And the children of Israel again⁵⁵ did² evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead.¹

And the LORD sold⁴ them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned¹ in Hazor; the captain of whose host [was] Sisera, which dwelt⁶ in Harosheth of the Gentiles.

And the children of Israel cried⁴ unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed¹ the children of Israel.

And Deborah, a prophetess, ⁵⁰³¹ the wife of Lapidoth, she judged⁶ Israel at that time.

And she dwelt⁶ under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up⁴ to her for judgment.

And she sent⁴ and called⁴ Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, ⁵³²¹ and said⁴ unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded,¹⁴ [saying], Go³ and draw¹ toward mount Tabor, and take¹ with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?

And I will draw¹ unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver¹ him into thine hand.

And Barak said⁴ unto her, If thou wilt go⁴ with me, then I will go:¹ but if thou wilt not go⁴ with me, [then] I will not go.⁴

And she said,⁴ I will surely² go⁴ with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest⁶ shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell⁴ Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose,⁴ and went⁴ with Barak to Kedesh.

And Barak called⁵⁵ Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up⁴ with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up⁴ with him.

Now Heber the Kenite, [which was] of the children of Hobab the father in law⁶ of Moses, had severed¹² himself from the Kenites, and pitched⁴ his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which [is] by Kedesh.

And they shewed⁵⁵ Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up¹ to mount Tabor.

And Sisera gathered together⁵⁵ all his chariots, [even] nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that [were] with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon.

And Deborah said⁴ unto Barak, Up;³ for this [is] the day in which the LORD hath delivered¹ Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out¹ before thee? So Barak went down⁴ from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.

And the LORD discomfited⁴ Sisera, and all [his] chariots, and all [his] host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down⁴ off [his] chariot, and fled⁴ away on his feet.

But Barak pursued¹ after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell⁴ upon the edge of the sword; [and] there was not a man left.⁸

Howbeit Sisera fled away¹ 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.

And Jael went out⁴ to meet² Sisera, and said⁴ unto him, Turn in,³ my lord, turn in³ to me; fear⁴ not. And when he had turned in⁴ unto her into the tent, she covered¹⁷ him with a mantle.

And he said⁴ unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink;⁵⁴ for I am thirsty.¹ And she opened⁴ a bottle of milk, and gave him drink,⁵⁵ and covered¹⁷ him.

Again he said⁴ unto her, Stand³ in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come⁴ and enquire¹ of thee, and say,¹ Is there any man here? that thou shalt say,¹ No.

Then Jael Heber's wife took⁴ a nail of the tent, and took⁴ an hammer in her hand, and went⁴ softly unto him, and smote⁴ the nail into his temples, and fastened⁴ it into the ground: for he was fast asleep⁸ and weary.⁴ So he died.⁴

And, behold, as Barak pursued⁶ Sisera, Jael came out⁴ to meet² him, and said⁴ unto him, Come,³ and I will shew⁵⁵ thee the man whom thou seekest.¹⁸ And when he came⁴ into her [tent], behold, Sisera lay⁶ dead,⁵ and the nail [was] in his temples.

So God subdued⁵⁵ on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.

And the hand of the children of Israel prospered,^{4 1980 2} and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed⁵² Jabin king of Canaan.