“And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead.”
Aod. Samgar is passed over, either because he was only a private man, who performed a feat of valour like Jahel, (chap. v. 6.; Salien) or because his government was so short and limited. Hence we need not wonder that he could not put a stop to the ravages of the Chanaanites, nor to the disorders of the people.
“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.”
Asor. Josue defeated the king of this country, Josue xi. 8. But some of his successors had contrived to raise themselves again to power. His dominion probably extended only over the tribes of Nephthali, Zabulon, and Issachar, while Debbora judged in Mount Ephraim, and Samgar in Juda. — He dwelt. It is not clear whether Jabin or Sisara dwelt in Haroseth, but most probably it was the latter, ver. 13. This city was on the northern banks of the Semechonite lake, (Calmet) surrounded with “woods,” as the Hebrew word signifies; (Vatable) though Bonfrere explains it “a shop, foundry, or arsenal,” as if the arms and chariots were made and kept here. A mixture of different idolatrous nations dwelt in it.
“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.”
Scythes. Hebrew, “chariots of iron.” (Calmet)
“And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.”
Lapidoth, signifies “lamps,” and Barac, “thunder;” which has given rise to various conjectures, as if they were the same person. St. Ambrose thinks that Debbora was a widow at this time, and the mother of Barac. But St. Jerome says there is no proof of either. Others suppose that the excellence of the gift of prophecy would not permit her to cohabit with her husband. It is not unusual for women to possess this gift. Mary, the sister of Moses, Holda, the blessed Virgin, the daughter of St. Philip, &c., were prophetesses. The devil most commonly chose women to explain his oracles. — Judged. Many deny that this word is taken in the same latitude here, as when it is applied to men. The Jews exclude women from government, and Athalia was only a tyrant. The Roman laws will not admit women to exercise the right of judicature. But the text, as it is explained by the Fathers in general, will not permit us to refuse the prerogatives of a judge to Debbora. Her authority was not merely voluntary, in consequence of the people’s high opinion of her, as many would believe, with Salien, Worthington, &c., (Haydock) but she gave decisions which were binding on the Israelites; and she seems to have continued in the exercise of her functions along with Barac, after the victory which they gained over Sisara. The government of the latter was perhaps limited to the tribes which he had rescued from slavery. (Calmet) — He is guided by her counsel, as Christian princes ought to be by their spiritual superiors. (Origen) (Worthington)
“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.”
Name. Hebrew, “she dwelt (or sat to judge) under the palm-tree of Debbora.” “The oak of weeping,” allon Bacuth, under which Debbora, the nurse of Rebecca, was interred, was also near Bethel, Genesis xxxv. 8. (Haydock) — This city was on the confines of the tribes of Ephraim and of Benjamin, over which Debbora chiefly exercised her authority; and here she was consulted by the people. (Calmet)
“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?”
Cedes. There was another city of this name in Juda. (Haydock) — Barac was of the tribe of Nephthali. (Calmet) — The Lord, &c. Protestants translate, “hath not the Lord?” &c., as if the will of God had been notified to him before. We find that he makes some demur, ver. 8. (Haydock) — Thabor. A city of this name was also built at the foot or on the top of the mountain, and belonged to Zabulon. It is attributed to the Levites, 1 Paralipomenon vi. 77. The mountain rises in the midst of a vast plain, to the height of 30 stadia, (Josephus, Jewish Wars iv. 2.; St. Jerome in Osee v. 1,) or above 3000 paces, “which make a league, or an hour’s walk.” It is inaccessible on the northern side. There was a platform two-thirds as broad, at the top, where Polybius says a fortified city stood. Antiochus took possession of this strong-place, and Josephus repaired the fortifications, to keep the country in subjection. It is commonly supposed the Jesus Christ was transfigured on this once delightful mountain, which is now a desert. During the crusades, there was an episcopal city and a Benedictine monastery here. (Calmet)
“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.”
Hand. Cison flows through a luxuriant vale or champaign country, on the south of Mount Thabor, whence Barac came rushing down the rocks and precipices upon the army of Sisara, chap. v. 15. (Calmet) — This general was delivered into the hand of Barac, to be routed, though he was afterwards slain by the hand of Jahel, ver. 9., and 21. (Haydock)
“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.”
Not go. Septuagint and St. Augustine (q. 26,) add, “because I know not when the Lord will send his angel to grant me success.” St. Paul (Hebrews xi. 32,) praises the faith of Barac, so that he spoke thus out of prudence, that the people, seeing (Calmet) their revered prophetess in his company, (Haydock) might not condemn the undertaking as too rash and perilous. He therefore entreats her, in this earnest manner, to come with him, and point out the time when he must attack the enemy.
“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.”
Thee. Protestants, “the journey that thou takest, shall not be for thine honour, for the Lord shall sell Sisara,” &c. It is certain, however, that Barac acquired great commendations on this occasion: but if he had not been accompanied by Debbora, he would not have shared the glory of the victory with her and another woman. (Haydock) — Some suppose that Debbora speaks of herself; others explain her words of Jahel. They may both be right. (Menochius) — Cedes. Here the Israelites took the generous resolution to throw off the yoke, and marched to seize the fort of Thabor. This motion gave the alarm to Jabin, who sent his general to besiege them, and to occupy the passages of the Cison, chap. v. 18.
“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.”
Valley. Hebrew elon, may denote also, (Septuagint) “a wood of oaks,” (Calmet) or a plain. (Haydock) — Haber probably left the first settlement of the Cinites near Engaddi, when his brethren went (Calmet) into the southern parts of the tribe of Juda, chap. i. 16. This is mentioned, that we might know how his wife came to be in those parts, ver. 17, &c. Whether he had given information to Jabin of these movements, as he was at peace with him, we cannot assert; but his being mentioned in this place, might seem to insinuate as much. Hebrew, ver. 12, “they told or shewed Sisara,” &c. His wife, at least, did not prove unfaithful to Israel. (Haydock)
“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. together: Heb. by cry, or, proclamation”
Cison. Part of this torrent falls into the Mediterranean, and part into the sea of Tiberias. It rises from Mount Thabor, (which is about two hours’ walk, south-west of Nazareth) and from Gelboa, &c. (Menochius) — Here Sisara displayed his immense army, if we may credit Josephus, Jonathan, &c. But the Scripture only specifies 900 chariots of iron. (Calmet) — Whence, however, we may conclude that his horse and foot would be very formidable. Yet all were presently routed by the small company of Barac, who had God for his leader, ver. 14. (Haydock)
“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.”
Terror. The most dreadful storms of thunder, lightning, &c., (chap. v. 20,) discomfited the enemy, while the sword of Barac (Calmet) dealt death around, so that Sisara and all his army presently turned their backs, (Haydock) and the general himself being stricken with a panic, leapt from his chariot, as if he thought his horses did not run fast enough. Thus Homer represents two Trojans abandoning their chariots, to escape the fury of Diomed and of Achilles. (Iliad v., and xx.)
“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. a man: Heb. unto one”
Multitude. Josephus allots Sisara the same number of horse and foot as he did to Jabin, whom Josue defeated and slew, chap. xi. 4. But instead of 20,000 chariots, he only gives Sisara 3000, which number appears to be far too great, and unauthorized by the Scripture. (Haydock)
“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.”
Tent. The women had separate tents from their husbands. Haber, it seems, was from home, and was not molested by the Chanaanites. He continued neuter during this war. What then must we think of the conduct of his wife? Commentators generally justify her, as the Scripture gives her great commendations, and as the family of the Cinites enjoyed the religion and privileges of the Israelites. Hence this portion of it could not make a league with the enemy of God’s people, to the detriment of the latter; and if they did, they were bound to break it as soon, at least, as God manifested his will, that the enemy should be destroyed. Jahel might however deserve the praise of fortitude, which the Scripture gives her, and yet mingle some human imperfection in her manner of acting. She seems to speak with fraud, and to betray the sacred rights of hospitality; and it is doubtful whether Haber himself could renounce the alliance with Jabin, (particularly if they had taken mutual oaths to observe it, as was then customary) without informing him of his resolution. Fides, quando promititur, etiam hosti servanda est. (St. Augustine, ep. i. ad Bonif.) See Grotius, Jur. iii. 19. (Calmet) — Yet, if she told a lie, it was only an officious one, (Menochius) such as Sisara desired should be told for his safety, ver. 20. (Haydock) — It is lawful to use stratagems against an enemy. (Salien, in the year of the world 2741.) See Josue ii., and viii. 4. Debbora pronounces the name of Jahel to be most blessed, (chap. v. 24,) which shews that she was inspired by God to kill Sisara. If we consider her action in any other light, it will certainly appear very shocking, as Rahab could not escape the accusation of treason towards her country by any other means. Aod, Judith, &c., who washed their hands in the blood of sinners, (Psalm lvii. 11,) would undoubtedly have been condemned at any merely human tribunal, which would not admit the plea of inspiration. (Haydock) — Besides this secret impulse, Jahel might be acquainted with the prediction of Debbora, (ver. 9,) and with the miraculous victory which encouraged her to destroy the common enemy, (Abulensis, Josephus, &c.; Tirinus) the only remnant of an immense army. (Haydock) — The peace which subsisted between her family and the Chanaanites, was a forced one, (Tirinus) and perhaps consisted only in the former being allowed to live quietly (Du Hamel) in the midst of these idolaters, whose manners they abhorred; (Haydock) while the Israelites, though at a greater distance, were so severely treated even when they were so weak as to adore the idols (Tirinus) of their oppressors. Thus the divine Providence was pleased to reward virtue, and to punish infidelity. (Haydock) — The Fathers consider Debbora as a figure of the Synagogue, which begins the attack against the empire of the devil, while the victory is reserved for the Christian Church, represented by Jahel, a woman living among the Israelites, though of a different nation, and engrafted, as it were, like the wild olive on the good olive tree. She [the Christian Church] gains strength in the midst of persecutions, and, armed with the cross of Christ, destroys the captain of the worldly empire. (Origen, hom v.; St. Augustine, contra Faust. xii. 31, &c.) (Calmet) — Jahel was also a figure of the blessed Virgin, who crushed the serpent’s head. (Worthington) [Genesis iii. 15]
“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. mantle: or, rug, or, blanket”
Cloak, or rough hairy bed coverlet. Hebrew Semica, occurs no where else. (Calmet)
“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.”
Milk, out of a shew of greater civility. The Rabbins say the milk was sour, which is conformable to the manners of the oriental nations. Valle remarks, that the Arabs still give the preference to it. The bottle in which it was kept was made of leather, (utrem) and the milk was like cream, chap. v. 25. Some think that wine was not then used in this family, as the Rechabites, descendants of the Cinites, always refrained from it, Jeremias xxxv. But it is not certain that they did at this time, nor that they sprang from this branch of the family.
“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”
Tent. Such nails were used to fasten down the skins, of which the tent was composed. (Calmet) — This resembled a stake, though Josephus says it was made of iron. (Menochius) — And died. Thus he met a more ignoble fate, which would be more hateful to a warrior. Abimelech ordered his armour-bearer to kill him, that it might not be said that he had fallen by the hand of a woman, chap. ix. 54. Extreme fatigue, and the will of Providence, caused Sisara to fall asleep so soon. How many, like him, like down in health, and rise no more! (Haydock)
“So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.”
Humbled Jabin, though he was not present in this battle. The Israelites followed up the victory, and presently brought their late oppressor to ruin, that all might confess, none could resist their power, when God was propitious to them; as, on the other hand, the most feeble state was able to reduce them to servitude, when they proved rebellious. (Haydock)