Bible Chapter Summary
Judges 4 Summary
Deborah, Barak, and the Defeat of Sisera
After Ehud's death Israel again does evil, and the LORD sells them to Jabin king of Canaan, whose commander Sisera oppresses them with nine hundred iron chariots. Deborah the prophetess, judging Israel, summons Barak to attack Sisera at the river Kishon, promising victory but foretelling that the honour will fall to a woman. The LORD routs Sisera's army, and he flees on foot to the tent of Jael, who lulls him with milk and then drives a tent peg through his temple as he sleeps. So God subdues Jabin king of Canaan before Israel.
Key themes
Key verses
Judges 4:4
“And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.”
Judges 4:9
“And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.”
Judges 4:21
“Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.”
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