Deborah

Again the Israelites did evil(A) in the eyes of the Lord,(B) now that Ehud(C) was dead. 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. 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.

Now Deborah,(I) a prophet,(J) the wife of Lappidoth, was leading[a] Israel at that time. 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. 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) 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)’”

Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.”

“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

  1. Judges 4:4 Traditionally judging
  2. Judges 4:11 Or father-in-law

Deborah and Barak

(A)And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud died. 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. 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.

Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. 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. 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. 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’?” 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.” 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.

Debora

När Ehud var död gjorde Israel åter det som var ont i Herrens ögon. (A) Då sålde Herren dem i den kananeiske kungen Jabins hand. Han regerade i Hasor,[a] och hans befälhavare var Sisera som bodde i Haroshet-Haggojim. Israels barn ropade till Herren, för Jabin hade niohundra järnbeslagna stridsvagnar och hade förtryckt Israel våldsamt i tjugo år.

Debora,[b] en profetissa, hustru till Lappidot, var domare i Israel vid den tiden. Hon brukade sitta under Deborapalmen mellan Rama och Betel i Efraims bergsbygd, och Israels barn kom upp till henne för att hon skulle skipa rätt. (B) Hon sände bud och kallade till sig Barak,[c] Abinoams son från Kedesh i Naftali, och sade till honom: ”Har inte Herren, Israels Gud, befallt: Dra upp på berget Tabor och ta med dig tiotusen man av Naftali och Sebulons stammar? För jag ska dra Sisera, Jabins befälhavare, med hans vagnar och folk till dig vid floden Kishon och ge honom i din hand.” Barak sade till henne: ”Om du går med mig så går jag, men går du inte med mig så går inte heller jag.” Då svarade hon: ”Ja, jag ska gå med dig, men då ska äran inte bli din på den väg du går, utan Herren ska sälja Sisera i en kvinnas hand.” Så reste sig Debora och gick med Barak till Kedesh. 10 Barak kallade samman Sebulon och Naftali till Kedesh, och tiotusen man följde honom dit upp. Debora gick också med honom.

11 (C) Men keniten Heber hade skilt sig från de övriga keniterna, från ättlingarna till Moses svåger Hobab,[d] och han hade sina tältplatser ända till terebinten i Saannim vid Kedesh.

12 När man berättade för Sisera att Barak, Abinoams son, hade dragit upp på berget Tabor, 13 samlade han alla sina stridsvagnar, niohundra järnbeslagna vagnar, och dessutom allt folk han hade från Haroshet-Haggojim till floden Kishon. 14 Men Debora sade till Barak: ”Bryt upp! Detta är dagen då Herren har gett Sisera i din hand. Se, Herren har dragit ut framför dig.” Så gick Barak ner från berget Tabor, och tiotusen man följde honom. 15 (D) Och Herren sände förvirring över Sisera och alla hans vagnar och hela hans här, så att de vek tillbaka för Baraks svärd. Sisera steg ner från sin vagn och flydde till fots. 16 Barak förföljde vagnarna och hären ända till Haroshet-Haggojim, och hela Siseras här föll för svärd. Inte en enda kom undan.

Jael dödar Sisera

17 Men Sisera hade flytt till fots till det tält som tillhörde Jael, hustru till keniten Heber, eftersom det rådde vänskap mellan kung Jabin i Hasor och keniten Hebers hus. 18 Jael kom Sisera till mötes och sade till honom: ”Kom in, min herre, kom in till mig, var inte rädd.” Då gick han in till henne i tältet, och hon lade ett täcke över honom. 19 Han sade till henne: ”Ge mig lite vatten att dricka, för jag är törstig”. Hon öppnade mjölkkärlet och gav honom att dricka och lade sedan över honom igen. 20 Han sade till henne: ”Ställ dig vid ingången till tältet. Och om någon kommer och frågar dig om det är någon här, så svara nej.” 21 Men Jael, Hebers hustru, grep en tältplugg och tog en hammare i handen. Därefter gick hon sakta fram till Sisera och slog pluggen genom hans tinning så att den gick ner i marken, för han låg i djup sömn, medtagen av trötthet. Och han dog.

22 Och se, då kom Barak jagande efter Sisera. Jael gick ut för att möta honom och sade: ”Kom, så ska jag visa dig mannen du söker.” Han kom in till henne, och se, där låg Sisera död med tältpluggen genom tinningen.

23 Så kuvade Gud den dagen Jabin, kungen i Kanaan, inför Israels barn. 24 Och israeliternas hand vilade allt tyngre på Jabin, kungen i Kanaan, tills de helt gjorde slut på honom.

Footnotes

  1. 4:2 Hasor   Den mäktigaste staden i dåtidens Kanaan (Jos 11:10), ca 1,5 mil norr om Galileiska sjön.
  2. 4:4f Debora   Betyder ”bi”. Hennes palm låg ca 1-2 mil norr om Jerusalem. Domare på 1200-talet f Kr.
  3. 4:6 Barak   Betyder ”blixt”. Nämns i Hebr 11:32 som en av trons hjältar.
  4. 4:11 svåger Hobab   Annan översättning: ”svärfar Hobab” (men jfr 4 Mos 10:29).

And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, when Ehud was dead.

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.

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.

And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.