Sisera

1After Ehud died, the people of Israel did evil again. The LORD saw what they did.

And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead.

NoteEhud was a leader who helped Israel before this. His story is in chapter 3. In old Bibles, LORD in capital letters stands for God's own name.

2So the LORD handed them over to Jabin, a king in Canaan. He ruled in the city of Hazor. The leader of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth.

And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.

NoteCanaan was the land where Israel lived. Some cities there still had their own kings. Hazor was a big city with strong walls. The old words say the LORD "sold" Israel. That means he let this king rule over them.

3The people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help. Jabin had nine hundred iron chariots, which are strong war carts. For twenty years he treated Israel very harshly.

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

NoteA chariot was a small cart with two wheels, pulled by fast horses. Soldiers rode in it and shot arrows. Iron parts made it strong. Israel had no chariots at all.

4She was the wife of Lapidoth. At that time she led Israel and settled their arguments.

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

NoteA prophetess is a woman who tells people what God says. A judge in this book was a leader God chose. Judges helped their people and led them in battle. Deborah was a prophetess, someone who told people what God said.

5She sat under a palm tree called the Palm of Deborah. It stood between Ramah and Bethel, in the hills of Ephraim. The people of Israel came there to have her settle their problems.

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

NotePeople came to Deborah when they argued with each other. She listened and said who was right. There were no courts or police then.

6Deborah sent for Barak, the son of Abinoam, from Kedesh in Naphtali. She said, "The LORD, the God of Israel, has given you an order. Go and march to Mount Tabor. Take ten thousand men from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun.

And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and 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 children of Zebulun?

NoteIsrael was made of twelve big family groups called tribes. Naphtali and Zebulun were two of them. Mount Tabor is a tall, round hill. You can see it from far away.

7"God says, 'I will bring Sisera to you at the Kishon River. He is the leader of Jabin's army. I will bring his chariots and all his soldiers there too. And I will hand him over to you.'"

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

NoteThe Kishon is a river in a wide, flat valley. When heavy rain came, the ground there turned to thick mud.

8Barak said to her, "If you go with me, I will go. If you will not go with me, I will not go."

And 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.

NoteBarak wanted Deborah to come because she told him God's words. Having her along meant he would know what God said next.

9Deborah said, "I will surely go with you. But you will get no honor from this trip. The LORD will hand Sisera over to a woman." Then Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh.

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.

NoteHonor means the praise people give to the winner. Barak would win the fight, but someone else would get the praise.

10At Kedesh, Barak called for the men of Zebulun and Naphtali. Ten thousand men followed him, and Deborah went with him.

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

12Someone told Sisera that Barak, the son of Abinoam, had gone up Mount Tabor.

And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor.

13So Sisera called out all nine hundred of his iron chariots. He also called all the men who were with him. They came from Harosheth to the Kishon River.

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.

14Deborah said to Barak, "Get up! Today the LORD is handing Sisera over to you. The LORD has already gone out ahead of you." So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men behind him.

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? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.

Note"Gone out ahead of you" was a way of saying God leads. A leader marched in front of his soldiers.

15The LORD threw Sisera and his chariots and his whole army into panic. They fell before Barak and his swords. Sisera jumped down from his chariot and ran away on foot.

And the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet.

NoteThe old words say the LORD "discomfited" them. That means he made them scared and mixed up. Frightened soldiers run away instead of fighting.

16Barak chased the chariots and the army all the way to Harosheth. Sisera's whole army was killed by the sword. Not one man was left.

But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left.

17But Sisera ran on foot to the tent of Jael. She was the wife of Heber the Kenite. King Jabin of Hazor and Heber's family were at peace with each other.

Howbeit 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.

NoteAt peace means two groups had promised not to fight each other. That is why Sisera thought Jael's tent was a safe place.

18Jael went out to meet Sisera. She said, "Come in, sir. Come in here with me. Do not be afraid." So he went into her tent, and she covered him with a blanket.

And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle.

Note"My lord" was a polite way to speak to an important man, like saying sir. The blanket was a thick cloak or rug.

19He said to her, "Please give me a little water to drink. I am thirsty." She opened a leather bag of milk and gave him a drink. Then she covered him again.

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, and gave him drink, and covered him.

NotePeople had no glass bottles then. They carried water and milk in bags sewn from animal skin.

20He said to her, "Stand at the door of the tent. If anyone comes and asks you, 'Is there a man here?' say no."

Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.

21Sisera was worn out and fell fast asleep. Then Jael, Heber's wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer. She walked to him quietly. She drove the peg through the side of his head and into the ground. So he died.

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.

NoteA tent peg is a sharp wooden stake. You hammer it into the ground to hold the tent ropes tight. Women usually put up the tents, so Jael knew how to use these tools. The temple is the soft place on the side of your head.

22Barak came by, still chasing Sisera. Jael went out to meet him. She said, "Come, and I will show you the man you are looking for." He went into her tent. There lay Sisera, dead, with the tent peg through his head.

And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples.

19Kings came and fought. The kings of Canaan fought at Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo. But they carried away no silver.

The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.

NoteCanaan was the land where Israel lived. It had many small cities, and each one had its own king. Taanach and Megiddo were towns on a wide flat plain. Winners usually carried treasure home. These kings went home with nothing.

20The stars fought from the sky. From their paths they fought against Sisera.

They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.

NoteThis is picture language. The song says even the sky joined the fight.

21The Kishon River swept the enemy away. That old, old river, the Kishon. March on, my soul! Be strong.

The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.

NoteThe Kishon is a small river that floods fast in a storm. Mud and water swallowed the enemy's horses and carts.

22Then the horses' hooves pounded the ground. The strong horses galloped wildly.

Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones.

NoteThe enemy fought from carts pulled by fast horses.

23"Curse Meroz," said the angel of the LORD. "Curse the people who live there. They did not come to help the LORD fight the strong enemy."

Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.

NoteMeroz was a town near the fighting that sent no help. To curse someone is to wish bad things on them. It is the opposite of blessing them. An angel is a messenger sent by God.

24May Jael be blessed more than other women. She is the wife of Heber the Kenite. Bless her above all the women who live in tents.

Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.

NoteThe Kenites were a small group who moved around and lived in tents. To bless someone is to say good things about them. It means wishing them good.

25Sisera asked for water, and she gave him milk. She brought him thick, soured milk in a fine bowl.

He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.

NoteThick soured milk is a little like yogurt. It was a kind thing to give a tired guest. The fine bowl was the best dish she owned.

26She reached out her hand for a tent peg. Her right hand took the workman's hammer. She struck Sisera and crushed his head. She drove the peg through the side of his head.

She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.

NoteA tent peg is a sharp stake hammered into the ground. It holds the ropes that keep a tent standing. Jael lived in a tent, so she used pegs and a hammer often.

27He sank down at her feet. He fell and lay still. He sank down at her feet and fell. Where he sank down, there he fell dead.

At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.

28Sisera's mother looked out of her window. She called through the wooden screen, "Why is his chariot so late? Why do I not hear his wheels?"

The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots?

NoteA chariot is a light cart pulled by horses in battle. Sisera's mother is waiting at home for her son. The wooden screen is a window cover with small holes. She could look out without being seen.

29Her wisest women answered her. And she kept saying the same thing to herself:

Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,

30"They must be sharing out what they took. A girl or two for each soldier. Fine dyed cloth for Sisera. Beautiful cloth with sewn designs, for the neck of the winner."

Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil?

NoteAfter a battle, soldiers divided up everything they took. That included cloth, gold and even captured people. Cloth with color and sewn designs cost a lot back then.

31May all your enemies end like this, LORD. But may those who love you shine like the sun at its brightest. Then the land was at peace for forty years.

So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.

NoteForty years of peace means no war for a very long time.