Deborah, a prophetess and judge, tells Barak to fight Sisera, commander of Jabin's army. Barak agrees only if Deborah goes with him. God routs Sisera's army, and a woman named Jael kills Sisera.
1 And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD , when Ehud was dead .
2 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 .
3 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 .
4 And Deborah , a prophetess , the wife of Lapidoth , she judged Israel at that time .
5 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 .
6 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 ?
7 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 .
8 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 .
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 .
10 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.
11 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 .
12 And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor .
13 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 .
14 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.
15 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 .
16 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 .
17 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 .
18 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 .
19 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.
20 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.
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 .
22 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 .
23 So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel .
24 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 .