Judg 4 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Judg 4:1-5:31: 4:1–5:31 The account of Deborah and Barak , given in both prose (ch 4 ) and poetry (ch 5 ), is the only large-scale military operation recorded against a major Canaanite foe after the initial conquest. Another king named Jabin , who also ruled in the city of Hazor , was defeated in an earlier battle against Joshua along with a vast northern coalition, and Hazor was burned (see Josh 11:1-15 ). Although Joshua 11 and Judges 4–5 have often been compared, there are too many differing details to consider them to be parallel records of the same battle. Instead, Jabin is probably a dynastic name; the name occurs in the Mari texts for an even earlier king of Hazor, around 1800 BC . 4:1 The opening of ch 4 provides chronological continuity with Ehud and reinforces the cyclical nature of Israel’s experience during this period.

Summary for Judg 4:1-5:31: 4:1–5:31 ^a The account of Deborah and Barak, given in both prose (ch 4 ^b) and poetry (ch 5 ^c), is the only large-scale military operation recorded against a major Canaanite foe after the initial conquest. Another king named Jabin, who also ruled in the city of Hazor, was defeated in an earlier battle against Joshua along with a vast northern coalition, and Hazor was burned (see Josh 11:1-15 ^d). Although Joshua 11 ^e and Judges 4–5 ^f have often been compared, there are too many differing details to consider them to be parallel records of the same battle. Instead, Jabin is probably a dynastic name; the name occurs in the Mari texts for an even earlier king of Hazor, around 1800 BC. 4:1 ^g The opening of ch 4 ^h provides chronological continuity with Ehud and reinforces the cyclical nature of Israel’s experience during this period.
4:2 ⁱ Hazor, located north of the Sea of Galilee, dominated the intersection of major trade routes running north–south and east–west. References to Hazor appear frequently in ancient Near Eastern documents, and the site has been extensively excavated. Its position as a one-time “capital of all [those] kingdoms” (Josh 11:10 ^j) is confirmed by history and archaeology.

• Harosheth-haggoyim (“Forest/Farmland of the Nations”) was possibly a staging area for the battle; its location and history are debated.
4:3 ^k Contemporary records confirm that armies like Sisera’s had large numbers of iron chariots. Such a force would have expected overwhelming victory over the lightly-armed Israelite infantry.
Summary for Judg 4:4-7: 4:4-7 ^l Deborah was a prophet (Hebrew ’ishah nebi’ah, “a woman, a female prophet”) who was judging (shoptah, a feminine verb; see study note on 2:16-19). She is the protagonist of this story, though much of the action surrounds her surrogate, Barak. Unlike most of the characters in the book of Judges, Deborah fulfilled both the judicial and the military functions implied by the label “judge.” As a prophet, she foreshadowed Samuel’s later work (1 Sam 7:15-17 ^m). Deborah called for a holy war in which the Lord would fight for his people (Judg 4:6-7 ⁿ; see study notes on Deut 1:30; 2 Chr 20:20-21).
4:6 ^o Though Barak appears in a list of Israelite heroes (Heb 11:32 ^p), Judges never gives him more than an equal place with Deborah.

• Mount Tabor was in the territory of Issachar, just north of the Jezreel Valley.
4:7 ^q The Kishon River, which runs northwest into the Mediterranean just north of Mount Carmel, formed the Jezreel Valley.
4:8 ^r The theme of the reluctant rescuer surfaces again with Gideon (6:15 ^s; cp. Exod 3:11 ^t).
4:9 ^u Honor for the victory would go to a woman, which meant a loss of face for Barak.

• This Kedesh appears to have been near Mount Tabor (cp. 4:6 ^v, 12 ^w), a different location than the Kedesh in Naphtali (4:6 ^x), which would have been too far north for the action described.
4:10 ^y The warriors came from Barak’s tribe of Naphtali and its southern neighbor, Zebulun.
4:11 ^z Kenites related to Moses’ father-in-law had settled in Judah (1:16 ^aa), in the southern desert (Exod 2:16-22 ^ab) near the Amalekites in the mountainous country near Moab (Num 24:21-22 ^ac). Part of the tribe had apparently migrated north and settled near the Sea of Galilee.
Summary for Judg 4:12-13: 4:12-13 ^ad Upon hearing of Barak’s muster of troops, Sisera fell into the trap set by the Lord. He headed for the Jezreel Valley with his chariots, marching along the Kishon River where wheeled vehicles could operate freely.
Summary for Judg 4:14-16: 4:14-16 ^ae Mount Tabor, with its forest cover, was a strategic location, and the rush down the hill must have surprised the unsuspecting Canaanites. The battle was won, however, because it was the Lord’s war, not because of human strategy and tactics.

• Nothing is said here about why the chariots were so ineffective; this awaits the poetic version of the account (5:21 ^af).
Summary for Judg 4:17-20: 4:17-20 ^ag Sisera felt that he was back in friendly circles (cp. 4:11 ^ah). A woman whose husband was absent would normally invite a man into her tent only for sex, but Sisera would have interpreted this invitation as an opportunity for safe haven. Jael did nothing to shake his confidence as she concealed and refreshed him.
4:19 ^ai The milk was probably the curds so favored by the Arabs (cp. “yogurt,” 5:25 ^aj); many believe that it is soporific.
Summary for Judg 4:21-22: 4:21-22 ^ak Jael completed what seems to have been her intention all along. There is a more graphic description of the event in 5:26-27 ^al.
4:23 ^am God defeated Jabin by orchestrating people and events.
4:24 ^an Sisera’s army was gone, but Jabin and his kingdom were subdued more gradually.