Judg. 4 King Jabin oppresses Israel; his captain-general was Sisera, Judg. 4:1–3. The prophetess Deborah from the Lord commands Barak to go out against him; promiseth victory; she herself marcheth with him, Judg. 4:4–14.

King of Canaan, i.e. of the land where the most of the Canaanites, strictly so called, now dwelt, which seems to be in thee northern part of Canaan. This seems to be of the posterity of that Jabin, whom Joshua slew, Josh.

More than the former tyrants; partly from his malice and hatred against the Israelites; and principally from God’s just judgement, the growing punishment being most suitable to their aggravated wickedness.

As there were men prophets, so there were also women prophetesses, as Miriam, Ex. 15:2, Huldah, 2 Kings 22:14, and divers others; but the word prophets or prophetesses is very ambiguous in both Testaments; sometimes being used of persons extraordinarily inspired by God, and endowed with a power of…

To have their suits and causes determined by her sentence.

She sent and called Barak, by virtue of that power which God had given her, and the people owned in her. Kedesh-naphtali; so called, to distinguish it from other places of that name, one in Judah, Josh. 15:23, and another in Issachar, 1 Chron. 6:72. Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded? i.e.

I will draw unto thee, by my secret and powerful providence, ordering and overruling his inclinations that way.

His offer to go with her shows the truth of his faith, for which he is praised, Heb. 11:32; but his refusal to go without her shows the weakness of his faith, that he could not trust God’s bare word, as he ought to have done, without the pledge of the presence of his prophetess, whom he thought God…

Notwithstanding the journey, Heb. the way, i.e. the course or practice, as the way is taken, Num. 22:32. A woman; either, 1. Jael; or rather, 2. Deborah, who being, as it were, the judge and chief commandress of the army, the honour of the victory would be ascribed to her.

At his feet, i.e. who followed him or his footsteps; possibly he intimates that they were all footmen, the Israelites neither now having, nor otherwise allowed to have, a multitude of horses; and so this is emphatically added, to signify by what contemptible means God overthrew Sisera’s great host,…

Heber; the husband of Jael, Judg. 4:17. The Kenite; of whom see Num. 24:21–22, Judg. 1:16. Hobab; called also Jethro. See Num. 10:29. From the Kenites; from the rest of his brethren, who lived in the wilderness of Judah, Judg.

They, i.e. his people dwelling there, or his spies; or, he was told, this being an impersonal speech.

Up, Heb. arise, delay not, fall to thy work. Gone out before thee, to wit, as General of thine army, to fight for thee: see Judg. 5:20, 2 Sam. 5:24. Barak went down from Mount Tabor he doth not make use of the advantage which he had of the hill, where he might have been out of the reach of his iron…

The Lord discomfited Sisera, with great terror and noise, as the word signifies, Ex. 14:24, Josh. 10:10, 1 Sam. 10:0, most probably with thunder, and lightning, and hailstones, or other such instruments of destruction poured upon them from heaven, as is sufficiently implied, Judg. 5:20.

To wit, in the field; for there were some who fled away, as Sisera did.

To the tent of Jael; for women had their tents apart from their husbands, Gen. 24:67, Gen. 31:33. And here he thought to lurk more securely than in her husband’s tent.

Fear not: this was a promise of security, and therefore she cannot be excused from dissimulation and treachery in the manner, though the substance of her act was lawful and worthy.

Gave him milk to drink; either because she had not water in her tent, and pretended fear of discovery or some inconvenience if she went out to fetch it; or as a signification of greater respect; or as a likely mean to cast him into a sleep, which she desired and designed; to which end possibly she…

He speaks imperiously to her; but it is observable, that she gives him no promise to do so, nor makes him any answer; possibly because though she knew her design upon him was warrantable, yet she had proceeded too far in using dissimulation therein.

A nail of the tent; wherewith they used to fasten the tent, which consequently was long and sharp, being headed with iron: these weapons she chooseth, either, 1.