Judges 4:1-6

Listen to Judges 4:1-6

Deborah and Barak

1 1And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud died.
2 And the Lord 2sold them into the hand of 3Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in 4Hazor. The commander of his army was 5Sisera, who lived in 6Harosheth-hagoyim.
3 Then the people of Israel 7cried out to the Lord for help, for he had chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years.
4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time.
5 She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in 8the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment.
6 She sent and summoned 9Barak the son of Abinoam from 10Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, ā€œHas not the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you, ā€˜Go, gather your men at Mount 11Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun.

Judges 4:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 4

This chapter shows how that Israel sinning was delivered into the hands of Jabin king of Canaan, by whom they were oppressed twenty years, Jud 4:1-3; and that Deborah and Barak consulted together about their deliverance, Jud 4:4-9; and that Barak, encouraged by Deborah, gathered some forces and fought Sisera the captain of Jabin's army, whom he met, and obtained a victory over, Jud 4:10-15; who fleeing on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber, was received into it, and slain by her while asleep in it, Jud 4:16-22; which issued in a complete deliverance of the children of Israel, Jud 4:23,24.

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Cross References 12

  • 1. 4:1 See ch. 2:19
  • 2. 4:2 ch. 2:14
  • 3. 4:2 [Josh. 11:1, 10]
  • 4. 4:2 [Josh. 11:1, 10]
  • 5. 4:2 1 Sam. 12:9; Ps. 83:9
  • 6. 4:2 ver. 13, 16
  • 7. 4:3 See ch. 3:9
  • 8. 4:3 ver. 13; [ch. 1:19]
  • 9. 4:5 See Josh. 24:33
  • 10. 4:6 Heb. 11:32
  • 11. 4:6 Josh. 19:37
  • 12. 4:6 ch. 8:18
The Holy Bible, English Standard VersionĀ® (ESVĀ®) Ā© 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025