“And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead.”
Hebrew, added , or continued to do evil .
“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.”
There was another Jabin, whom Joshua killed and burnt his city Hazor, Josh. 11:13 . That is in a wood, or strong place.
“And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.”
By the spirit of prophecy, resolving of controversies and declaring the will of God.
“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 revealed unto me by the spirit of prophecy.
“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.”
Cross references: : Ps. 83:9 , 10 Or, valley.
“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.”
Fearing his own weakness and his enemy’s power, he desireth the prophetess to go with him to assure him of God’s will from time to time.
“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.”
Or, he led after him 10,000 men.
“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.”
Or, posterity. Hebrew, from Cain. Meaning, that he possessed a great part of that country. Num. 10:29
“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.”
She still encourageth him to this enterprise by assuring him of God’s favor and aid.
“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.”
Whose ancestors were strangers, but worshipped the true God, and therefore were joined with Israel.
“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. and took: Heb. and put”
That is, the pin or stake, whereby it was fastened to the ground.
“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.”
So he saw that a woman had the honor, as Deborah prophesied.