4

and showing great hatred to them because of their former victories.*

And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth,f she judged Israel at that time; being a woman of eminent holiness, prudence, and acquaintance with the law, she determined causes 5 and controversies. And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah, between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim; she sat there to administer justice; and the children of Israel 6 came up to her for judgment. And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali; so called, to distinguish it from another city of that name; Barak had probably distinguished himself by some exploit; and she said unto him, Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded,‡ [saying,] Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the chil7 dren of Zebulun? And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon, by my secret but powerful providence, Sisera the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand; though thou hast but fer, and he has many, yet I assure thee of success; and his coming to Kishon, which river ran at the foot of Tabor, shall be 8 a sign to confirm thy faith. And yet it seemed to waver, for Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, [then] I will not go; he was unwilling to venture without her presence, counsel, and prayers. 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: with heroic courage she went with him to his city to raise forces, and, by her presence, roused and animated his men.

10

And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh, where he proclaimed God's intention and his own commission; and he went up to mount Tabor with ten thousand men at his feet; some from the other tribes joined him or followed him, but they were all foot soldiers, and a contemptible handful in comparison with Jabin's chariots and army and Deborah went up with 11 him. Now Heber the Kenite, [which was] of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which [is] by Kedesh. This is mentioned here to make way for the story at the close of the chapter. They had removed from the wilderness of Judah, (see ch. i. 16.) for what reason does

This was peculiarly grievous to Israel. because Harosheth was in the middle of the tribe of Naphtali; no wonder then they cried unto the Lord.

Some think this was the name of her country, not of her husband, as no name of a man in Hebrew ends in oth.

Perhaps in some vision, or by an angel appearing to her; see chap. v. 23.

not appear, to the plain near Kedesh, where they dwelt in tents, 12 under the protection of that city. And they (not the Kenites,

but some other persons) showed Sisera that Barak the son of 13 Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor. And Sisera gathered together 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; a vast multitude, with which they thought to surround, or shut up and starve Barak and his men in the mountains: they never thought he 14 would dare to come down and attack them in the plain. And

Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this [is] the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand is not the LORD gone out before thee, as general, to fight for thee against thine enemies? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him, strong in faith, and trusting in 15 God; therefore the apostle celebrates him, Heb. xi. 32. And the LORD discomfited Sisera, probably with thunder, lightnings hailstones, and the like, as appears from the next chapter, and all [his] chariots, and all [his] host with the edge of the sword before Barak; they were broken and dispersed, trampled upon by their own horses, and cut to pieces by their own chariots ; so that Sisera lighted down off [his] chariot, and fled away on 16 his feet. But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host unto Harosheth of the Gentiles, to the very gates of their own city; and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; [and] there was not a man left in the field, to make resistance; so complete was the victory, that the Psalmist, when praying against the enemies of the church, refers to it, Psalm lxxxiii. 9, 10.

17

Howbeit, Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite. Heber's was a considerable family, like Abraham's; the women had tents for themselves; and Sisera thought no search would be made for him there: for [there was] peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite, a cessation of hostility, because they were a peaceable people, and laid no claim to the land, being 18 only sojourners. And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not; standing at her tent door, she saw him flying and invited him in, and at that time probably had no intention of doing him an injury. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she cov19 ered him with a mantle, a rug, or blanket, to conceal him. And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk with the cream on it, or butter, as appears, ch. v. 25. and gave him drink, and covered him; which showed her respect, and in

These chariots were armed with scythes at the axletrees, which would make a prodigious slaughter among the footmen. Such were used among the ancient Britons.

20 creased his confidence in her. Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be when any man doth come and inquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No. She did not promise this; and seeing him fast asleep, a sudden thought darted into her mind, that she had a fair opportunity of avenging Israel, of rewarding their kindness to her and her ancestors, and destroying a tyrannical 21 oppressor; and she did so. Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, a stake or spike, by which the tent was fastened to the ground, perhaps pointed with iron, 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. This was an evident breach of the laws of hospitality, and an action not to be imitated by us; how far she was to be excused in the sight of God by some secret impulse on her mind, he is the only judge. 22 And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will show thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her [tent,] behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail [was] in his temples. Thus he saw Deborah's prophecy, v. 9. fulfilled, and that Sisera 23 fell by the hand of a woman. So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel, who pur24 sued their victory. And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan and his forces, his people and city, which was the utter ruin of his kingdom: so that we no more hear of any king öf Canaan, nor were they able to oppress Israel any more.

1.

"T

REFLECTIONS.

HE corruption of Israel during the long peace they enjoyed, should be a caution to us. They had rest sixty. years; but abused their peace, forgot God, and grew proud and wanton. Let us fear, lest this should be our case; and be careful; lest our peace and plenty make us thoughtless and giddy, and lead us to neglect God and our duty: if it does so, we must ex⚫pect that he will raise us up troubles and enemies; we shall forfeit his protection and care, and expose ourselves to every evil and danger. Let us pray that when the church has rest it may be edified.

2. How easily can God disappoint men in those very things in which they place their confidence! What a figure does Sisera make with nine hundred chariots, and as JOSEPHUS says, three hundred thousand horsemen ! Undoubtedly he looked with contempt on the poor Israelites, because they were on foot: but he

was glad to fly on foot himself, after he had seen the destruction of his forces. Thus can God, with infinite ease, disappoint those hopes which are formed without him, and contrary to his will; nay, Who ever trusted in any earthly thing without disappointment? What a figure on the other hand, does this mighty general make in Jael's tent, when nailed to the ground! the stout hearted fall into a deep everlasting sleep; he dies, in this contemptible manner, by the hand of a woman. What an affecting lesson of the vanity of human greatness, and the uncertainty of human life! Danger is often near, when least expected, and where we imagine the greatest security to be; let not the strong man glory in his strength.

3. When we are engaged in work which is pleasing to God, we should be courageous and cheerful. Un, says Deborah, is not the Lord gone out before thee? If we have a divine warrant for what we do, we need not be afraid of any enemy nor any danger. Greater is he that is with us, than all those who are against us. Let us adhere to God and our duty, and pursue it with the greatest zeal; and may his promise animate us to resolution and dispatch in all the work we have to do, especially in the work of religion; then may we boldly say, The Lord is our helper, therefore will we not fear.

CHAP. V. 1-18.

This chapter contains the song of Deborah, one of the finest pieces of poetry any where to be found. It was then usual to celebrate victories by triumphant songs, to engage attention, to help the memory, and to convey instruction. This opens with beautiful grandeur.

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TH

HEN sang Deborah and Barak* the son of Abinoam on that day, saying, Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, for punishing their enemies for all the wrong they have done to them, when the people willingly offered themselves, cheerfully came together to some grand festival to cele8 brate this victory, and give God the glory of it. Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes, and know that the God of Israel is superior to your idols, and able to deliver and defend his people; I, [even] I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing [praise] to the Lord GOD of Israel. LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, then thou didst great wonders, destroyedst Sihon and Og; then the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water; a poetical phrase to express the great con

Deborah the prophetess composed the song, and Barak, as chief commander, ordered it to be sung in the assembly of the elders, and afterward to be dispersed among the people.

sternation they were in. She then mentions a more ancient afi 5 pearance of God, at Sinai ; when The mountains melted from before the LORD, [even] that Sinai from before the Lord God of Israel. The following verses describe the melan6 choly condition they were in before this time; In the days of Shamgar the son of Arnath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways; there was no trading or travelling by reason of Jabin's forces, 7 who robbed and plundered all they met. [The inhabitants of] the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, were obliged to fly to fortified towns, and leave the ground uncultivated, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel, a firophetess, 8 to instruct and take care of them with tender affection. They chose new gods; then [was] war in the gates; the enemy pursued them to the very gates, and put a stop to the courts of justice, which were held there was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel? They were either disarmed, as 1 Sam. xiii. 19, 22. or they were so dispirited as not 9 to use them. My heart [is] toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people; I feel great esteem for the chief leaders of Zebulun and Naphtali, who by there example animated others. Bless ye the LORD, who 10 excited them to do so. Speak, ye that ride on white asses, governors and persons of rank, who rode on beautiful asses, which were large, handsome, and valuable creatures: and ye that sit in judgment; judges who sit in the gate, and merchants and travellers who walk by the way; let the highest and the lowest of the people, who all dwell now in safety, speak to the Lord, and 11 speak to one another of his wondrous works. [They that are delivered] from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, shepherds, who could not water their flocks without showers of arrows from enemies hid in the rocks or thickets; there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, [even] the righteous acts [toward the inhábitants] of his villages in Israel; not the acts of Deborah or Barak, but of Jehovah, the author of all: then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates, where justice, equity, and regularity are maintained; 12 they shall go out and come in without danger. Awake, awake, Deborah awake, awake, utter a song; she stirs up herself to celebrate this great deliverance with all her powers; and calls upon Barak, saying, Arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam, thou who hast led those captive to the house of God, (where this victory was celebrated) who had 13 led Israel captive. Then he made him that remaineth, the small remains of oppressed Israel, to have dominion over the nobles among the people, the heathen their adversaries: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty; she assisted by her counsel and encouragement, and therefore shared in