Debbora and Barac deliver Israel from Jabin and Sisara, Jahal killeth
Sisara.
4:1. And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord
after the death of Aod:
4:2. And the Lord delivered them up into the hands of Jabin, king of
Chanaan, who reigned in Asor: and he had a general of his army named
Sisara, and he dwelt in Haroseth of the Gentiles.
4:3. And the children of Israel cried to the Lord: for he had nine
hundred chariots set with scythes and for twenty years had grievously
oppressed them.
4:4. And there was at that time Debbora, a prophetess, the wife of
Lapidoth, who judged the people.
4:5. And she sat under a palm tree, which was called by her name,
between Rama and Bethel, in Mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel
came up to her for all judgment.
4:6. And she sent and called Barac, the Son of Abinoem, out of Cedes,
in Nephthali: and she said to him: The Lord God of Israel hath
commanded thee: Go, and lead an army to Mount Thabor, and thou shalt
take with thee ten thousand fighting men of the children of Nephthali,
and of the children of Zabulon:
4:7. And I will bring unto thee in the place of the torrent Cison,
Sisara, the general of Jabin’s army, and his chariots, and all his
multitude, and will deliver them into thy hand.
4:8. And Barac said to her: If thou wilt come with me, I will go: if
thou wilt not come with me, I will not go.
4:9. She said to him: I will go, indeed, with thee, but at this time
the victory shall not be attributed to thee, because Sisara shall be
delivered into the hand of a woman. Debbora therefore arose, and went
with Barac to Cedes.
4:10. And he called unto him Zabulon and Nephthali, and went up with
ten thousand fighting men, having Debbora in his company.
4:11. Now Haber, the Cinite, had some time before departed from the
rest of the Cinites, his brethren, the sons of Hobab, the kinsman of
Moses: and had pitched his tents unto the valley, which is called
Sennim, and was near Cedes.
4:12. And it was told Sisara, that Barac, the son of Abinoem, was gone
up to Mount Thabor:
4:13. And he gathered together his nine hundred chariots armed with
scythes, and all his army, from Haroseth of the Gentiles, to the
torrent Cison.
4:14. And Debbora said to Barac: Arise, for this is the day wherein the
Lord hath delivered Sisara into thy hands: behold, he is thy leader.
And Barac went down from Mount Thabor, and ten thousand fighting men
with him.
4:15. And the Lord struck a terror into Sisara, and all his chariots,
and all his multitude, with the edge of the sword, at the sight of
Barac; insomuch, that Sisara leaping down from off his chariot, fled
away on foot,
4:16. And Barac pursued after the fleeing chariots, and the army, unto
Haroseth of the Gentiles; and all the multitude of the enemies was
utterly destroyed.
4:17. But Sisara fleeing, came to the tent of Jahel, the wife of Haber,
the Cinite, for there was peace between Jabin, the king of Asor, and
the house of Haber, the Cinite.
4:18. And Jahel went forth to meet Sisara, and said to him: Come in to
me, my lord; come in, fear not. He went into her tent, and being
covered by her with a cloak,
4:19. Said to her: Give me, I beseech thee, a little water, for I am
very thirsty. She opened a bottle of milk, and gave him to drink, and
covered him.
4:20. And Sisara said to her: Stand before the door of the tent, and
when any shall come and inquire of thee, saying: Is there any man here?
thou shalt say: There is none.
4:21. So Jahel, Haber’s wife, took a nail of the tent, and taking also
a hammer: and going in softly, and with silence, she put the nail upon
the temples of his head, and striking it with the hammer, drove it
through his brain fast into the ground: and so passing from deep sleep
to death, he fainted away and died.
4:22. And behold, Barac came pursuing after Sisara: and Jahel went out
to meet him, and said to him: Come, and I will shew thee the man whom
thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, he saw Sisara lying dead,
and the nail fastened in his temples.
4:23. So God that day humbled Jabin, the king of Chanaan, before the
children of Israel:
4:24. Who grew daily stronger, and with a mighty hand overpowered
Jabin, king of Chanaan, till they quite destroyed him.