Keraia
Judges 4

Judges 4:3

Deborah and Barak · Judges 4:1–16
Read Judges 4

Translations

Modern
Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, because Jabin had nine hundred chariots of iron, and he had harshly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years.
Traditional
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.
Literal
And the sons of Israel cried out to YHWH, for nine hundred chariots of iron were unto him, and he oppressed the sons of Israel harshly twenty years.
Latin
Clamaveruntque filii Israël ad Dominum: nongentos enim habebat falcatos currus, et per viginti annos vehementer oppresserat eos.

Original

Hebrew
English
Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, because Jabin had nine hundred chariots of iron, and he had harshly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years.

Notes

Judges 4:3

Historical records show that armies like Sisera's had many iron chariots. They expected to easily defeat the lightly armed Israelite foot soldiers.

Judges 4:1–5:31

The story of Deborah and Barak, found in both prose (Judges 4) and poetry (Judges 5), describes a major military operation against a significant Canaanite enemy after the initial conquest. Another king named Jabin, who also ruled in Hazor, was defeated earlier by Joshua along with a large northern alliance, and Hazor was burned (see Joshua 11:1–15). Although Joshua 11 and Judges 4–5 are often compared, they have too many differences to be considered accounts of the same battle. Instead, Jabin is likely a dynastic name; it appears in the Mari texts for an even earlier king of Hazor, around 1800 BC.

Theme notes and profiles

Deborah

Events

People

Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes

Glossary

Armageddon Asher (Tribe) Barak Deborah Family Life and Relations Harosheth-Haggoyim Hazor Ironsmith Jabin Judges, Book of Kishon Minerals and Metals Mount Tabor Sisera Song of Deborah Tribe of Naphtali Valley of Jezreel Woman

Topics

Afflictions Made Beneficial in Leading Us to Seek God in Prayer Armies were Composed of War Chariots Canaanites: Defeat the Israelites Chariots used in War by The: Canaanites Iron: First Recorded Use of Chariot Iron: Made Into: Chariots Israel: Under the Judges: People Again do Evil and are Put Under Bonds to the King of Syria for Twenty Years Prayer: Answered: Sisera The Jews: All Other Nations: Oppressed