And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead. Ver. 1. _And the children of Israel again did evil._] After fourscore years of peace and rest. Jdg 3:30 The sedentary life is most subject to diseases: standing waters soon putrify. It is hard and happy not to g... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 2. _And the Lord sold them._] As Judges 2:14. It must not be troublesome to us to hear the same things often: _Verba toties rep... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 3. _He mightily oppressed the children of Israel._] See Judges 4:2. In the Canaanites the same wickedness prospereth that is punished in Isra... [ Continue Reading ]
And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. Ver. 4. _The wife of Lapidoth._] Or, A woman of Lapidoth, _a_ or a woman of lights, - so some render it, taking the word appellatively, - so called either because _concinnabat ellychnia,_ she made lights for the sanctu... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 5. _And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah._] Or, She sat under the palm tree, as the Septuagint and Vulgate render it. The kings of Persia sat... [ Continue Reading ]
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? Ver. 6. _And she sent and c... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 7. And I will draw unto thee … Sisera.] _Verbis pelliciam,_ I will persuade, I will incline his heart. “ _Ducunt volentem fata, nolen... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 8. _If thou wilt go with me._] He is famous for his faith, Heb 11:32-33 and yet here he showeth some unbelief. Let us be faithful in weakness, though but weak in faith, and... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 9. _Shall not be for thine honour._] Because a weak woman shall share... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 10. _And he went up with ten thousand men at his feet._] They followed him κατα παδας, in due order, and, as it were, treading in his steps. _See Trapp on "_ Jdg 4:6... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 11. _Had severed himself from the Kenites._] Who dwelt in the wilderness of Judah. Jdg 1:16 Why he... [ Continue Reading ]
And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor. Ver. 12. _And they showed Sisera._] It was brought unto him either by public rumour, “ _Sine vano publica fama,_ ” or else by intelligencers employed for the purpose: _Habent enim Principes suos coricaeos._ Mount Tab... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 13. _Unto the river of Kishon._] "That ancient river," Jdg 5:21 famous afterwards for the slaughter of the Baal... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 14. _Is not the Lord gone out before thee?_] As general of the army: yea, h... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 15. _And the Lord discomfited Sisera._] Or, Terrified, as the vulgar Latin hath it, perhaps by thunder... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 16. _There was not a man left._] Heb., Unto one. _Ne ignifer quidem relictus est,_ as the Latin proverb hath it,... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 17. _For there was peace,_] _i.e., _ _Non erant simultates aut bella inter illos,_ _a_ there was no open hostility: or... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 18. _Turn in, my lord, turn in to me._] Fair words make fools fain: _Vide cui fidas._ Jael is commended by Deborah fo... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 19. _And she opened a bottle of milk._] _Ut esset potus suavior, et induceret illi somnum,_ saith Vatablus; that she might mend his liquo... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 20. _That thou shalt say, No._] An officious lie is held a peccadillo; but God's children are such as will not lie. Isa 6... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 21. _Took a nail of the tent._] Which was long and strong enough for her... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 22. _Sisera lay dead._] By the hand of woman, which those warr... [ Continue Reading ]
So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel. Ver. 23. _So God subdued on that day Jabin._] By the death of his general and destruction of his forces. See Judges 4:16 .... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 24. _Until they had destroyed Jabin._] So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord. Read the Church's prayer, Psalms 83:9,10; - "Do unto them as to Siser... [ Continue Reading ]