Jueces 4
Nueva Biblia Viva
Débora
4 Después de la muerte de Aod, el pueblo de Israel volvió a pecar contra el Señor, 2 por lo que el Señor los entregó en manos de Jabín, rey de Jazor en Canaán. El comandante de su ejército era Sísara, que vivía en Jaroset Goyim, 3 y tenía novecientos carros de hierro. Durante veinte años hizo que la vida fuera insoportable para los israelitas. Finalmente, Israel rogó a Dios que le diera ayuda.
4 El caudillo que gobernaba a Israel en aquel tiempo fue Débora, una profetisa, esposa de Lapidot. 5 Ella celebraba audiencias en un lugar que ahora se conoce con el nombre de Palmera de Débora, entre Ramá y Betel, en la región montañosa de Efraín. Los israelitas acudían a ella para que decidiera sus querellas.
6 Un día citó a Barac, hijo de Abinoán, que vivía en Cedes, en la tierra de Neftalí y le dijo:
―El Señor Dios de Israel te manda que movilices diez mil hombres de las tribus de Neftalí y Zabulón. 7 Llévalos hasta el monte Tabor, para ofrecer batalla a Jabín y a su poderoso ejército con todos sus carros, que están al mando del general Sísara. El Señor dice: “Yo los conduciré hasta el río Quisón, y allí los derrotarás”.
8 ―Iré si tú vas conmigo —le dijo Barac.
9 ―Muy bien —contestó ella—, iré contigo, pero te advierto que el honor de vencer a Sísara será de una mujer y no tuyo.
Entonces ella fue con él a Cedes.
10 Cuando Barac convocó a los hombres de Zabulón y Neftalí para movilizarse hacia Cedes, se presentaron diez mil voluntarios. Y Débora fue con ellos. 11 (Héber el quenita, descendiente de Hobab el suegro de Moisés, se había apartado del clan de los quenitas y había estado viviendo junto a la encina de Zanayin, cerca de Cedes).
12 Cuando el general Sísara supo que Barac estaba acampado en el monte Tabor, 13 marchó con todo su ejército, incluyendo novecientos carros de hierro, y marchó desde Jaroset Goyin hasta el arroyo Quisón.
14 Débora le dijo a Barac:
―Ahora es el momento de entrar en acción. El Señor nos dirige, y ha entregado a Sísara en tus manos.
Entonces Barac lanzó a sus diez mil hombres a la batalla por las laderas del monte Tabor.
15 El Señor hizo que el pánico cundiera entre el enemigo, tanto entre los soldados como en los que conducían los carros, y Sísara saltó de su carro y escapó corriendo. 16 Barac y sus hombres persiguieron a sus enemigos y a los carros hasta Jaroset Goyin, hasta que todo el ejército de Sísara fue destruido. Ni un solo hombre quedó vivo. 17 Mientras tanto, Sísara había escapado a refugiarse en la tienda de Jael, esposa de Héber el quenita, porque había un pacto de ayuda mutua entre el rey Jabín de Jazor y el clan de Héber.
18 Jael salió a encontrar a Sísara y le dijo:
―Entra en mi tienda, señor. Estarás a salvo bajo nuestra protección. No tengas miedo.
Él entró en la tienda y ella lo cubrió con una frazada.
19 ―Dame un poco de agua —dijo él—, porque tengo mucha sed.
Ella le dio leche y lo volvió a cubrir.
20 ―Ponte en la puerta de la tienda —le pidió él a ella— y si alguien viene buscándome, dile que no hay nadie aquí.
21 Entonces Jael tomó una aguda estaca de tienda y un mazo, y acercándose silenciosamente a donde él dormía profundamente a causa del cansancio, le clavó la estaca en las sienes, le atravesó la cabeza y se la encajó en el suelo, y así murió.
22 Cuando Barac llegó buscando a Sísara, Jael salió a encontrarlo y le dijo: «Ven y te mostraré al hombre que estás buscando». Ella lo condujo dentro de la tienda y encontró a Sísara muerto, con la estaca atravesada en las sienes.
23 Ese día el Señor subyugó al rey Jabín, rey cananeo, ante Israel. 24 Desde ese día en adelante Israel se fortaleció cada vez más contra el rey Jabín, hasta que él y todo su pueblo fueron destruidos.
Judges 4
English Standard Version
Deborah and Barak
4 (A)And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud died. 2 And the Lord (B)sold them into the hand of (C)Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in (D)Hazor. The commander of his army was (E)Sisera, who lived in (F)Harosheth-hagoyim. 3 Then the people of Israel (G)cried out to the Lord for help, for he had (H)900 chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years.
4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. 5 She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in (I)the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment. 6 She sent and summoned (J)Barak the son of Abinoam from (K)Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, “Has not the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, gather your men at Mount (L)Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun. 7 And I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin's army, to meet you by (M)the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops, (N)and I will give him into your hand’?” 8 Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” 9 And she said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will (O)sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. 10 And Barak called out (P)Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh. And 10,000 men went up at his heels, and Deborah went up with him.
11 Now Heber (Q)the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, the descendants of (R)Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in (S)Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh.
12 When Sisera was told that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, 13 Sisera called out all his chariots, (T)900 chariots of iron, and all the men who were with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon. 14 And Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day in which (U)the Lord has given Sisera into your hand. (V)Does not the Lord go out before you?” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him. 15 (W)And the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army before Barak by the edge of the sword. And Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot. 16 And Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left.
17 But Sisera fled away on foot 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. 18 And Jael came out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Turn aside, my lord; turn aside to me; do not be afraid.” So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. 19 And he said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.” So she opened (X)a skin of milk and gave him a drink and covered him. 20 And he said to her, “Stand at the opening of the tent, and if any man comes and asks you, ‘Is anyone here?’ say, ‘No.’” 21 But Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand. Then she went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple until it went down into the ground while he was lying fast asleep from weariness. So he died. 22 And behold, as Barak was pursuing Sisera, Jael went out to meet him and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.” So he went in to her tent, and there lay Sisera dead, with the tent peg in his temple.
23 (Y)So on that day God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan before the people of Israel. 24 And the hand of the people of Israel pressed harder and harder against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.
Judges 4
New International Version
Deborah
4 Again the Israelites did evil(A) in the eyes of the Lord,(B) now that Ehud(C) was dead. 2 So the Lord sold them(D) into the hands of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor.(E) Sisera,(F) the commander of his army, was based in Harosheth Haggoyim. 3 Because he had nine hundred chariots fitted with iron(G) and had cruelly oppressed(H) the Israelites for twenty years, they cried to the Lord for help.
4 Now Deborah,(I) a prophet,(J) the wife of Lappidoth, was leading[a] Israel at that time. 5 She held court(K) under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah(L) and Bethel(M) in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided. 6 She sent for Barak son of Abinoam(N) from Kedesh(O) in Naphtali and said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: ‘Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali(P) and Zebulun(Q) and lead them up to Mount Tabor.(R) 7 I will lead Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s(S) army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River(T) and give him into your hands.(U)’”
8 Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.”
9 “Certainly I will go with you,” said Deborah. “But because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh.(V) 10 There Barak summoned(W) Zebulun and Naphtali, and ten thousand men went up under his command. Deborah also went up with him.
11 Now Heber the Kenite had left the other Kenites,(X) the descendants of Hobab,(Y) Moses’ brother-in-law,[b] and pitched his tent by the great tree(Z) in Zaanannim(AA) near Kedesh.
12 When they told Sisera that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor,(AB) 13 Sisera summoned from Harosheth Haggoyim to the Kishon River(AC) all his men and his nine hundred chariots fitted with iron.(AD)
14 Then Deborah said to Barak, “Go! This is the day the Lord has given Sisera into your hands.(AE) Has not the Lord gone ahead(AF) of you?” So Barak went down Mount Tabor, with ten thousand men following him. 15 At Barak’s advance, the Lord routed(AG) Sisera and all his chariots and army by the sword, and Sisera got down from his chariot and fled on foot.
16 Barak pursued the chariots and army as far as Harosheth Haggoyim, and all Sisera’s troops fell by the sword; not a man was left.(AH) 17 Sisera, meanwhile, fled on foot to the tent of Jael,(AI) the wife of Heber the Kenite,(AJ) because there was an alliance between Jabin king of Hazor(AK) and the family of Heber the Kenite.
18 Jael(AL) went out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Come, my lord, come right in. Don’t be afraid.” So he entered her tent, and she covered him with a blanket.
19 “I’m thirsty,” he said. “Please give me some water.” She opened a skin of milk,(AM) gave him a drink, and covered him up.
20 “Stand in the doorway of the tent,” he told her. “If someone comes by and asks you, ‘Is anyone in there?’ say ‘No.’”
21 But Jael,(AN) Heber’s wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep,(AO) exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died.(AP)
22 Just then Barak came by in pursuit of Sisera, and Jael(AQ) went out to meet him. “Come,” she said, “I will show you the man you’re looking for.” So he went in with her, and there lay Sisera with the tent peg through his temple—dead.(AR)
23 On that day God subdued(AS) Jabin(AT) king of Canaan before the Israelites. 24 And the hand of the Israelites pressed harder and harder against Jabin king of Canaan until they destroyed him.(AU)
Footnotes
- Judges 4:4 Traditionally judging
- Judges 4:11 Or father-in-law
Judges 4
King James Version
4 And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, when Ehud was dead.
2 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.
3 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.
4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
5 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.
6 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?
7 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.
8 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.
9 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.
10 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.
11 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.
12 And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor.
13 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.
14 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.
15 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.
16 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.
17 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.
18 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.
19 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.
20 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.
21 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.
22 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.
23 So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.
24 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.
Judges 4
New English Translation
Deborah Summons Barak
4 The Israelites again did evil in the Lord’s sight[a] after Ehud’s death. 2 The Lord turned them over to[b] King Jabin of Canaan, who ruled in Hazor.[c] The general of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth Haggoyim.[d] 3 The Israelites cried out for help to the Lord, because Sisera[e] had 900 chariots with iron-rimmed wheels,[f] and he cruelly[g] oppressed the Israelites for twenty years.
4 Now Deborah, a prophetess,[h] wife of Lappidoth, was[i] leading[j] Israel at that time. 5 She would sit[k] under the Date Palm Tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the Ephraimite hill country. The Israelites would come up to her to have their disputes settled.[l]
6 She summoned[m] Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali. She said to him, “Is it not true that the Lord God of Israel is commanding you? Go, march to Mount Tabor! Take with you 10,000 men from Naphtali and Zebulun. 7 I will bring Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army, to you at the Kishon River, along with his chariots and huge army.[n] I will hand him over to you.” 8 Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go. But if you do not go with me, I will not go.” 9 She said, “I will indeed go with you. But you will not gain fame[o] on the expedition you are undertaking,[p] for the Lord will turn Sisera over to a woman.”[q] Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh. 10 Barak summoned men from Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh, and 10,000 men followed him;[r] Deborah went up with him as well. 11 Now Heber the Kenite had moved away[s] from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab, Moses’ father-in-law. He lived[t] near the great tree in Zaanannim near Kedesh.
12 When Sisera heard[u] that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, 13 he[v] ordered[w] all his chariotry—900 chariots with iron-rimmed wheels—and all the troops he had with him to go from Harosheth Haggoyim to the Kishon River. 14 Deborah said to Barak, “Spring into action,[x] for this is the day the Lord is handing Sisera over to you![y] Has the Lord not taken the lead?”[z] So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him. 15 The Lord routed[aa] Sisera, all his chariotry, and all his army with the edge of the sword.[ab] Sisera jumped out of[ac] his chariot and ran away on foot. 16 Now Barak chased the chariots and the army all the way to Harosheth Haggoyim. Sisera’s whole army died[ad] by the edge of the sword; not even one survived![ae]
17 Now Sisera ran away on foot to the tent of Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite, for King Jabin of Hazor and the family of Heber the Kenite had made a peace treaty.[af] 18 Jael came out to welcome Sisera. She said to him, “Stop and rest,[ag] my lord. Stop and rest with me. Don’t be afraid.” So Sisera[ah] stopped to rest in her tent, and she put a blanket over him. 19 He said to her, “Give me a little water to drink, because I’m thirsty.” She opened a goatskin container of milk and gave him some milk to drink. Then she covered him up again. 20 He said to her, “Stand watch at the entrance to the tent. If anyone comes along and asks you, ‘Is there a man here?’ say, ‘No.’” 21 Then Jael wife of Heber took a tent peg in one hand and a hammer in the other.[ai] She crept up on him, drove the tent peg through his temple into the ground[aj] while he was asleep from exhaustion,[ak] and he died. 22 Now Barak was chasing Sisera. Jael went out to welcome him. She said to him, “Come here and I will show you the man you are searching for.” He went with her into the tent,[al] and there he saw Sisera sprawled out dead[am] with the tent peg through his temple.
23 That day God humiliated King Jabin of Canaan before the Israelites. 24 Israel’s power continued to overwhelm[an] King Jabin of Canaan until they did away with[ao] him.[ap]
Footnotes
- Judges 4:1 tn Heb “did evil in the eyes of the Lord.”
- Judges 4:2 tn Heb “the Lord sold them into the hands of.”
- Judges 4:2 tn Or “King Jabin of Hazor, a Canaanite ruler.”
- Judges 4:2 tn Or “Harosheth of the Pagan Nations”; cf. KJV “Harosheth of the Gentiles.” “Haroshet” may mean “Forest [area]” or be a reference to some sort of carving.
- Judges 4:3 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Sisera) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Judges 4:3 tn Regarding the translation “chariots with iron-rimmed wheels,” see Y. Yadin, The Art of Warfare in Biblical Lands, 255, and the article by R. Drews, “The ‘Chariots of Iron’ of Joshua and Judges,” JSOT 45 (1989): 15-23.
- Judges 4:3 tn Heb “with strength.”
- Judges 4:4 tn Heb “ a woman, a prophetess.” In Hebrew idiom the generic “woman” sometimes precedes the more specific designation. See GKC 437-38 §135.b.
- Judges 4:4 tn Heb “she was.” The pronoun refers back to the nominative absolute “Deborah.” Hebrew style sometimes employs such resumptive pronouns when lengthy qualifiers separate the subject from the verb.
- Judges 4:4 tn Or “judging.”
- Judges 4:5 tn That is, “consider legal disputes.”
- Judges 4:5 tn Heb “for judgment.”
- Judges 4:6 tn Heb “sent and summoned.”
- Judges 4:7 tn Heb “horde”; “multitude.”
- Judges 4:9 tn Or “honor.”
- Judges 4:9 tn Heb “on [account of (?)] the way which you are walking.” Another option is to translate, “due to the way you are going about this.” In this case direct reference is made to Barak’s hesitancy as the reason for his loss of glory.
- Judges 4:9 tn Heb “for into the hands of a woman the Lord will sell Sisera.”
- Judges 4:10 tn Heb “went up at his feet.”
- Judges 4:11 tn Or “separated.”
- Judges 4:11 tn Heb “pitched his tent.”
- Judges 4:12 tn Heb “and they told Sisera.”
- Judges 4:13 tn Heb “Sisera.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
- Judges 4:13 tn Or “summoned.”
- Judges 4:14 tn Heb “Arise!”
- Judges 4:14 tn The verb form (a Hebrew perfect, indicating completed action from the standpoint of the speaker) emphasizes the certainty of the event. Though it had not yet taken place, the Lord speaks of it as a “done deal.”
- Judges 4:14 tn Heb “Has the Lord not gone out before you?”
- Judges 4:15 tn Or “caused to panic.”
- Judges 4:15 tn The Hebrew text also includes the phrase “before Barak.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
- Judges 4:15 tn Heb “got down from.”
- Judges 4:16 tn Heb “fell.”
- Judges 4:16 tn Heb “was left.”
- Judges 4:17 tn Heb “for there was peace between.”
- Judges 4:18 tn Heb “Turn aside” (also a second time later in this verse).
- Judges 4:18 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Sisera) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Judges 4:21 tn Heb “took a tent peg and put a hammer in her hand.”
- Judges 4:21 tn Heb “and it went into the ground.”
- Judges 4:21 tn Heb “and exhausted.” Another option is to understand this as a reference to the result of the fatal blow. In this case, the phrase could be translated, “and he breathed his last.”
- Judges 4:22 tn Heb “he went to her.”
- Judges 4:22 tn Heb “fallen, dead.”
- Judges 4:24 tn Heb “The hand of the Israelites became more and more severe against.”
- Judges 4:24 tn Heb “cut off.”
- Judges 4:24 tn Heb “Jabin king of Canaan.” The proper name and title have been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
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