Judges 4:4-11

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 4:4-9

The year of the redeemed at length came, when Israel was to be delivered out of the hands of Jabin, and restored again to their liberty, which we may suppose the northern tribes, that lay nearest to the oppressors and felt most the effects of his fury, did in a particular manner cry to God for. For the oppression of the poor, and the sighing of the needy, now will God arise. Now here we have, I. The preparation of the people for their deliverance, by the prophetic conduct and government of... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 4:10-16

Here, I. Barak beats up for volunteers, and soon has his quota of men ready, Jdg. 4:10. Deborah had appointed him to raise an army of 10,000 men (Jdg. 4:6), and so many he has presently at his feet, following him, and subject to his command. God is said to call us to his feet (Isa. 41:2), that is, into obedience to him. Some think it intimates that they were all footmen, and so the armies of the Jews generally were, which made the disproportion of strength between them and the enemy (who had... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 4:4

And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth ,.... Deborah was a name common to women with the eastern people, see Genesis 35:8 ; as Melissa, which is of the same signification with the Greeks, and both signify a "bee"; and to which Deborah answered in her industry, sagacity, and sweetness of temper to her friends, and sharpness to her enemies: she was a "prophetess", and foretold things to come, as the drawing of Sisera and his army to a certain place named by her, the victory that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 4:5

And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah ,.... Her dwelling house was under a palm tree, or rather she sat under one, in the open air, when the people came to her with their cases, and it was called from hence after her name; though some, as Abarbinel observes, think it was so called, because Deborah, the nurse of Rebekah, was buried here, and which was near Bethel, one of the places next mentioned, see Genesis 35:8 , between Ramah and Bethel in Mount Ephraim ; which places were in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 4:6

And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali ,.... So called to distinguish it from other places of the same name, this being in the tribe of Naphtali, and a city of refuge, Joshua 20:7 ; of which tribe and place Barak was, but who he and his father Abinoam were we have no other account; it seems clear from hence that he was not the husband of Deborah, as the Jews say, or they would have lived together; though, according to Ben Gersom, she lived separate from him,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 4:7

And I will draw unto thee ,.... Which are the words of the Lord by Deborah, as are the preceding, signifying, that by the secret and powerful influence of his providence he would so order things, and the circumstances of them; and so powerfully operate on the mind and heart of the Canaanitish general as to engage him to come to the river Kishon, Sisera the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots, and his multitude ; called the ancient river, the river Kishon, Judges 5:21 . According... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 4:8

And Barak said unto her ,.... To Deborah, after she had delivered the words of the Lord unto him: if thou wilt go with me, then I will go ; which showed faith hi the word of the Lord, for which he is commended, and a readiness to do the will of God, and courage to engage in such a work with a powerful adversary, and is therefore reckoned among the heroes for faith, Hebrews 11:32 , but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go ; which though it might discover some weakness... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 4:9

And she said, I will surely go with thee , She made no hesitation about it, but agreed at once to go with him for his encouragement; perceiving some degree of weakness in him, and yet an hearty and sincere inclination to engage in the work proposed, and that this might be no hinderance, she readily assents to it: adding: notwithstanding the journey thou takest ; the way or course he steered, the methods he took in insisting on it that she should go with him: shall not be for thine... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 4:10

And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh ,.... This he did either by the sound of a trumpet, as Ehud did, or by sending messengers to them to collect ten thousand men from among them, which they accordingly did, and came to him in Kedesh: and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet ; they following him up to Mount Tabor cheerfully and readily, being all footmen; for the Israelites had no cavalry, and yet got the victory over Sisera's army, which, according to Josephus F7 ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 4:11

Now Heber the Kenite ,.... A descendant of Kain, a principal man among the Midianites; the Targum calls him the Salmaean: which was of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses ; who came along with the children of Israel through the wilderness into the land of Canaan, and first settled about Jericho, and then removed into the wilderness of Judah, Judges 1:16 , had severed himself from the Kenites ; which dwelt in the said wilderness; to whom he belonged when this... read more

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