JUDGES CHAPTER 4 King Jabin oppresses Israel; his captain-general was Sisera, JUDGES 4:1. The prophetess Deborah from the Lord commands Barak to go out against him; promiseth victory; she herself marcheth with him, JUDGES 4:4:14. Sissera's host is beaten; he flees: Jael hides him in her tent, and wh... [ Continue Reading ]
KING OF CANAAN, i.e. of the land where the most of the Canaanites, strictly so called, now dwelt, which seems to be in thee northern part of Canaan. This seems to be of the posterity of that Jabin, whom Joshua slew, JOSHUA 11:10 who watched all opportunities to recover his ancient possessions, and t... [ Continue Reading ]
More than the former tyrants; partly from his malice and hatred against the Israelites; and principally from God's just judgement, the growing punishment being most suitable to their aggravated wickedness.... [ Continue Reading ]
As there were men prophets, so there were also women prophetesses, as Miriam, EXODUS 15:2, Huldah, 2 KINGS 22:14, and divers others; but the word _prophets_ or _prophetesses_ is very ambiguous in both Testaments; sometimes being used of persons extraordinarily inspired by God, and endowed with a pow... [ Continue Reading ]
To have their suits and causes determined by her sentence.... [ Continue Reading ]
SHE SENT AND CALLED BARAK, by virtue of that power which God had given her, and the people owned in her. KEDESH-NAPHTALI; so called, to distinguish it from other places of that name, one in Judah, JOSHUA 15:23, and another in Issachar, 1 CHRONICLES 6:72. HATH NOT THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL COMMANDED? i.... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL DRAW UNTO THEE, by my secret and powerful providence, ordering and overruling his inclinations that way.... [ Continue Reading ]
His offer to go with her shows the truth of his faith, for which he is praised, HEBREWS 11:32; but his refusal to go without her shows the weakness of his faith, that he could not trust God's bare word, as he ought to have done, without the pledge of the presence of his prophetess, whom he thought G... [ Continue Reading ]
NOTWITHSTANDING THE JOURNEY, Heb. _the way_, i.e. the course or practice, as the _way_ is taken, NUMBERS 22:32. A WOMAN; either, 1. Jael; or rather, 2. Deborah, who being, as it were, the judge and chief commandress of the army, the honour of the victory would be ascribed to her. But for Jael, her... [ Continue Reading ]
AT HIS FEET, i.e. who followed him or his footsteps; possibly he intimates that they were all footmen, the Israelites neither now having, nor otherwise allowed to have, a multitude of horses; and so this is emphatically added, to signify by what contemptible means God overthrew Sisera's great host,... [ Continue Reading ]
HEBER; the husband of Jael, JUDGES 4:17. THE KENITE; of whom see NUMBERS 24:21,22 JUD 1:16. _Hobab_; called also _Jethro_. See NUMBERS 10:29. _From the Kenites_; from the rest of his brethren, who lived in the wilderness of Judah, JUDGES 1:16; which removal is here mentioned, lest any should wonder... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY, i.e. his people dwelling there, or his spies; or, _he was told_, this being an impersonal speech.... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
UP, Heb. _arise_, delay not, fall to thy work. _Gone out before thee_, to wit, as General of thine army, to fight for thee: see JUDGES 5:20 2 SAMUEL 5:24. BARAK WENT DOWN FROM MOUNT TABOR he doth not make use of the advantage which he had of the hill, where he might have been out of the reach of his... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD DISCOMFITED SISERA, with great terror and noise, as the word signifies, EXODUS 14:24 JOSHUA 10:10 1SA 10, most probably with thunder, and lightning, and hailstones, or other such instruments of destruction poured upon them from heaven, as is sufficiently implied, JUDGES 5:20. WITH THE EDGE... [ Continue Reading ]
To wit, in the field; for there were some who fled away, as Sisera did.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THE TENT OF JAEL; for women had their tents apart from their husbands, GENESIS 24:67, GENESIS 31:33. And here he thought to lurk more securely than in her husband's tent. THERE WAS PEACE; not a league or covenant of friendship, which they were forbidden to make with that cursed people, but only a... [ Continue Reading ]
FEAR NOT: this was a promise of security, and therefore she cannot be excused from dissimulation and treachery in the manner, though the substance of her act was lawful and worthy.... [ Continue Reading ]
GAVE HIM MILK TO DRINK; either because she had not water in her tent, and pretended fear of discovery or some inconvenience if she went out to fetch it; or as a signification of greater respect; or as a likely mean to cast him into a sleep, which she desired and designed; to which end possibly she m... [ Continue Reading ]
He speaks imperiously to her; but it is observable, that she gives him no promise to do so, nor makes him any answer; possibly because though she knew her design upon him was warrantable, yet she had proceeded too far in using dissimulation therein.... [ Continue Reading ]
A NAIL OF THE TENT; wherewith they used to fasten the tent, which consequently was long and sharp, being headed with iron: these weapons she chooseth, either, 1. Because she had no better weapons at hand, this being only the woman's tent, where arms use not to be kept, and these people being wholly... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]