[1] The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of
Yahweh, when Ehud was dead. [2] Yahweh sold them into the hand of Jabin
king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera,
who lived in Harosheth of the Gentiles. [3] The children of Israel cried to
Yahweh: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he
mightily oppressed the children of Israel. [4] Now Deborah, a prophetess,
the wife of Lappidoth, she judged Israel at that time. [5] She lived under
the palm-tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill-country of
Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. [6] She
sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh-naphtali, and said
to him, Hasn`t Yahweh, the God of Israel, commanded, [saying], Go and draw
to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men of the children of
Naphtali and of the children 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. [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. [9] She said, I will surely go with you:
notwithstanding, the journey that you take shall not be for your honor; for
Yahweh will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. Deborah arose, and went
with Barak to Kedesh. [10] Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to
Kedesh; and there went up ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up
with him. [11] Now Heber the Kenite had separated himself from the Kenites,
even from the children of Hobab the brother-in-law of Moses, and had
pitched his tent as far as the oak in Zaanannim, which is by Kedesh. [12]
They told Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was 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. [14] Deborah said to Barak, Up; for this is
the day in which Yahweh has delivered Sisera into your hand; hasn`t Yahweh
gone out before you? So Barak went down from Mount Tabor, and ten thousand
men after him. [15] Yahweh confused Sisera, and all his chariots, and all
his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera alighted from
his chariot, and fled away on his feet. [16] But Barak pursued after the
chariots, and after the host, to Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the
host of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; there was not a man left.
[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. [18] Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said
to him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; don`t be afraid. He turned in to
her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. [19] He said to her,
Please give me a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. She opened a
bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him. [20] He said to her,
Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man does come and
inquire of you, and say, Is there any man here? that you shall say, No.
[21] Then Jael Heber`s wife took a tent-pin, 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 swooned and
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-pin was in his temples.
[23] So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the
children 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.
