וַיֹּסִפוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לַעֲשׂוֹת הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי ה' וְאֵהוּד מֵת

The children of Israel continued to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, and Ehud was dead. After the death of Ehud, whose actions affected several tribes, a new enemy arose against Israel, this time from within its own land:

וַיִּמְכְּרֵם ה' בְּיַד יָבִין מֶלֶךְ כְּנַעַן אֲשֶׁר מָלַךְ בְּחָצוֹר וְשַׂר צְבָאוֹ סִיסְרָא וְהוּא יוֹשֵׁב בַּחֲרֹשֶׁת הַגּוֹיִם

The Lord delivered them into the hand of Yavin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hatzor, one of the large cities of his kingdom in the Upper Galilee; the captain of his guard was Sisera, and he lived in Haroshet Goyim, a place where kings of other nations [goyim] apparently reigned as well.

וַיִּצְעֲקוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל ה' כִּי תְּשַׁע מֵאוֹת רֶכֶב בַּרְזֶל לוֹ וְהוּא לָחַץ אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּחָזְקָה עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה

The children of Israel cried out to the Lord, for he, Sisera, had nine hundred chariots of iron, and he oppressed the children of Israel harshly for twenty years.

וּדְבוֹרָה אִשָּׁה נְבִיאָה אֵשֶׁת לַפִּידוֹת הִיא שֹׁפְטָה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּעֵת הַהִיא

Deborah was a prophetess, the wife of Lapidot; Lapidot may be the real name of Deborah’s husband, or an epithet. And she was judging Israel at that time.

וְהִיא יוֹשֶׁבֶת תַּחַת תֹּמֶר דְּבוֹרָה בֵּין הָרָמָה וּבֵין בֵּית אֵל בְּהַר אֶפְרָיִם וַיַּעֲלוּ אֵלֶיהָ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לַמִּשְׁפָּט

She was sitting in judgment and leading the people from beneath a palm tree that eventually became known as the date palm of Deborah, which was between Rama and Beit El in the highlands of Ephraim. As a woman, she did not want the masses to enter her home, so she established her seat of authority outdoors, under a palm tree. The verse notes that this informal environment did not impair Deborah’s leadership or authority; and the children of Israel went up to her for judgment. In addition to her general leadership of the people, Deborah adjudicated interpersonal disputes, as was historically customary for other leaders of Israel.

וַתִּשְׁלַח וַתִּקְרָא לְבָרָק בֶּן אֲבִינֹעַם מקֶּדֶשׁ נַפְתָּלִי וַתֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו הֲלֹא צִוָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵךְ וּמָשַׁכְתָּ בְּהַר תָּבוֹר וְלָקַחְתָּ עִמְּךָ עֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים אִישׁ מִבְּנֵי נַפְתָּלִי וּמִבְּנֵי זְבֻלוּן

She sent and called Barak son of Avinoam from the city of Kedesh Naftali, and said to him: Has not the Lord, God of Israel, commanded, saying: Go and draw men toward Mount Tavor, and take with you ten thousand men from the children of Naphtali and from the children of Zebulun? As the northern tribes of Israel, Zebulun and Naphtali were living under the authority of King Yavin and bore the brunt of his oppression. Barak, a military figure from the tribe of Naphtali, was therefore commanded to raise a large army from those tribes.

וּמָשַׁכְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ אֶל נַחַל קִישׁוֹן אֶת סִיסְרָא שַׂר צְבָא יָבִין וְאֶת רִכְבּוֹ וְאֶת הֲמוֹנוֹ וּנְתַתִּיהוּ בְּיָדֶךָ

I will draw toward you, to the Kishon Stream, Sisera, commander of Yavin’s army, his chariots and his horde, and they will arrive there to wage war against you. You will descend from Mount Tavor to Kishon, and near the stream you will commence battle against Sisera. And I will deliver him into your hand. It is possible that the battle was prearranged for a time and place that would allow both infantry and chariots to maneuver with ease.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ בָּרָק אִם תֵּלְכִי עִמִּי וְהָלָכְתִּי וְאִם לֹא תֵלְכִי עִמִּי לֹא אֵלֵךְ

Barak said to her: If you go with me to war, then I will go, but if you do not go with me, I will not go. Barak did not need Deborah as a warrior; rather, he wanted the reassuring presence of Israel’s leader.

וַתֹּאמֶר הָלֹךְ אֵלֵךְ עִמָּךְ אֶפֶס כִּי לֹא תִהְיֶה תִּפְאַרְתְּךָ עַל הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ כִּי בְיַד אִשָּׁה יִמְכֹּר ה' אֶת סִיסְרָא וַתָּקָם דְּבוֹרָה וַתֵּלֶךְ עִם בָּרָק קֶדְשָׁה

She, Deborah, said to Barak: I will go with you, per you request; however, your own honor and glory will not be on the path that you are walking, for the Lord will dispatch Sisera by the hand of a woman. Ultimately, God will orchestrate events so that Sisera will be killed by a woman, and not by you. You will not earn the renown of a great hero, as you have hinged your willingness to do battle on my presence beside you. Consequently, neither you nor your men will remove the head of your enemy. Deborah rose and went with Barak to Kedesh.

וַיַּזְעֵק בָּרָק אֶת זְבוּלֻן וְאֶת נַפְתָּלִי קֶדְשָׁה וַיַּעַל בְּרַגְלָיו עֲשֶׂרֶת אַלְפֵי אִישׁ וַתַּעַל עִמּוֹ דְּבוֹרָה

Barak mustered the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali together at Kedesh; he brought up with him ten thousand men, foot soldiers, and Deborah went up with him.

וְחֶבֶר הַקֵּינִי נִפְרָד מִקַּיִן מִבְּנֵי חֹבָב חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה וַיֵּט אָהֳלוֹ עַד אֵלוֹן בְּצַעֲנַנִּים אֲשֶׁר אֶת קֶדֶשׁ

The verse provides additional information that will become relevant later: Hever, a man from the Kenite family, had separated from the Kenites; he was from the children of Hovav, father-in-law of Moses. The Kenites, who were descendants of Hovav, lived among the Israelites, although they did not possess their own inheritance in the land. Initially, they lived in the area of Jericho, after which most of them moved to the Judean desert. One of their members, Hever, separated from the rest of his tribe and wandered northward. And he, Hever, pitched his tent at Elon Betzaananim, on the border of Naphtali, which is near Kedesh.

וַיַּגִּדוּ לְסִיסְרָא כִּי עָלָה בָּרָק בֶּן אֲבִינֹעַם הַר תָּבוֹר

They told Sisera that Barak son of Avinoam had gone up Mount Tavor.

וַיַּזְעֵק סִיסְרָא אֶת כָּל רִכְבּוֹ תְּשַׁע מֵאוֹת רֶכֶב בַּרְזֶל וְאֶת כָּל הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ מֵחֲרֹשֶׁת הַגּוֹיִם אֶל נַחַל קִישׁוֹן

Sisera mobilized all his chariots, nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people who were with him from Haroshet Goyim, to the Kishon Stream. Sisera’s chariots gave him a tactical advantage. He therefore assumed that he could overpower any infantry corps that might stand against him.

וַתֹּאמֶר דְּבֹרָה אֶל בָּרָק קוּם כִּי זֶה הַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר נָתַן ה' אֶת סִיסְרָא בְּיָדֶךָ הֲלֹא ה' יָצָא לְפָנֶיךָ וַיֵּרֶד בָּרָק מֵהַר תָּבוֹר וַעֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים אִישׁ אַחֲרָיו

Deborah said to Barak: Rise, engage Sisera in battle, as this is the day on which the Lord has delivered Sisera into your hand; hasn’t the Lord gone out before you? Deborah, who was standing on the mountain, instructed Barak that the propitious time for battle had arrived. Barak descended from Mount Tavor, with ten thousand men after him.

וַיָּהָם ה' אֶת סִיסְרָא וְאֶת כָּל הָרֶכֶב וְאֶת כָּל הַמַּחֲנֶה לְפִי חֶרֶב לִפְנֵי בָרָק וַיֵּרֶד סִיסְרָא מֵעַל הַמֶּרְכָּבָה וַיָּנָס בְּרַגְלָיו

The Lord confounded Sisera, all his chariots, and his entire camp by the sword before Barak; Sisera got down from his chariot, which was of no further use. Remaining in his trapped chariot would only increase the likelihood that he would be killed, as his chariot provided no defense against attack, and attempting to maneuver the chariot would make it even more difficult for Sisera to protect himself. And Sisera fled on foot. All his men had fled, and therefore Sisera could not remain. Fearing for his safety, out of necessity he ran on foot like a common soldier.

וּבָרָק רָדַף אַחֲרֵי הָרֶכֶב וְאַחֲרֵי הַמַּחֲנֶה עַד חֲרֹשֶׁת הַגּוֹיִם וַיִּפֹּל כָּל מַחֲנֵה סִיסְרָא לְפִי חֶרֶב לֹא נִשְׁאַר עַד אֶחָד

Barak pursued the chariots and the camp to Haroshet Goyim, and the entire camp of Sisera fell by the sword; not even one remained, as all were killed.

וְסִיסְרָא נָס בְּרַגְלָיו אֶל אֹהֶל יָעֵל אֵשֶׁת חֶבֶר הַקֵּינִי כִּי שָׁלוֹם בֵּין יָבִין מֶלֶךְ חָצוֹר וּבֵין בֵּית חֶבֶר הַקֵּינִי

Sisera fled on foot to the tent of Yael, wife of Hever the Kenite. It is unclear whether Yael was herself a Kenite or whether she was from the tribes of Israel, as the Kenites intermingled with the people of Israel. Sisera turned to her, as there was peace, at least a cold peace, between Yavin king of Hatzor and the house of Hever the Kenite.

וַתֵּצֵא יָעֵל לִקְרַאת סִיסְרָא וַתֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו סוּרָה אֲדֹנִי סוּרָה אֵלַי אַל תִּירָא וַיָּסַר אֵלֶיהָ הָאֹהֱלָה וַתְּכַסֵּהוּ בַּשְּׂמִיכָה

Yael emerged to meet Sisera, and she said to him: Turn aside, my lord, turn aside to me; do not fear. He turned aside to her to the tent, and she covered him with the blanket, so that he would feel that he had reached a safe haven.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ הַשְׁקִינִי נָא מְעַט מַיִם כִּי צָמֵאתִי וַתִּפְתַּח אֶת נֹאוד הֶחָלָב וַתַּשְׁקֵהוּ וַתְּכַסֵּהוּ

He said to her: Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty. Indeed, Sisera had run a great distance on foot after the battle. She opened the skin of milk, and she gave him milk to drink instead of water. Although milk quenches one’s thirst, it can cause drowsiness. It is likely that Yael had this in mind when she gave the milk to Sisera. And she covered him again with the blanket.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ עֲמֹד פֶּתַח הָאֹהֶל וְהָיָה אִם אִישׁ יָבוֹא וּשְׁאֵלֵךְ וְאָמַר הֲיֵשׁ פֹּה אִישׁ וְאָמַרְתְּ אָיִן

He said to her: Stand at the entrance of the tent, and if it shall be that a man should come and ask you and say: Is there a man here in the tent? You shall say: No.

וַתִּקַּח יָעֵל אֵשֶׁת חֶבֶר אֶת יְתַד הָאֹהֶל וַתָּשֶׂם אֶת הַמַּקֶּבֶת בְּיָדָהּ וַתָּבוֹא אֵלָיו בַּלָּאט וַתִּתְקַע אֶת הַיָּתֵד בְּרַקָּתוֹ וַתִּצְנַח בָּאָרֶץ וְהוּא נִרְדָּם וַיָּעַף וַיָּמֹת

While Sisera was asleep, Yael, Hever’s wife, took a tent peg, which has a sharp edge that allows it to be inserted into the ground, and she grasped a large hammer in her hand, and came to him silently; she drove the peg into his temple. She used the hammer to drive the peg into Sisera’s temple, which is a relatively soft spot very close to the brain. This ensured that the blow would be fatal. The peg descended and it sank into the ground; he had fallen asleep and was exhausted; and died. Sisera was weary and weak from the battle, his flight, and his army’s defeat; consequently, he let down his guard and fell asleep, losing his ability to defend himself.

וְהִנֵּה בָרָק רֹדֵף אֶת סִיסְרָא וַתֵּצֵא יָעֵל לִקְרָאתוֹ וַתֹּאמֶר לוֹ לֵךְ וְאַרְאֶךָּ אֶת הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה מְבַקֵּשׁ וַיָּבֹא אֵלֶיהָ וְהִנֵּה סִיסְרָא נֹפֵל מֵת וְהַיָּתֵד בְּרַקָּתוֹ

Behold, Barak was pursuing Sisera; Barak may have been shown the direction in which Sisera fled, and as he approached, Yael emerged to meet him, and said to him: I know who you are looking for. Come, and I will show you the man whom you seek. He came in to her and behold, Sisera, fallen dead, and the peg was in his temple.

וַיַּכְנַע אֱלֹהִים בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא אֵת יָבִין מֶלֶךְ כְּנָעַן לִפְנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

God subjugated Yavin king of Canaan on that day before the children of Israel. His army was dealt a mortal blow; his chariots were taken and dismantled by Israel, and the captain of his army was killed.

וַתֵּלֶךְ יַד בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָלוֹךְ וְקָשָׁה עַל יָבִין מֶלֶךְ כְּנָעַן עַד אֲשֶׁר הִכְרִיתוּ אֵת יָבִין מֶלֶךְ כְּנָעַן

The hand of the children of Israel became gradually firmer over Yavin king of Canaan until they eliminated Yavin king of Canaan. Although they did not fight directly against Yavin but against his general, the crippling of Yavin’s forces, along with Sisera’s death, paved the way to the complete collapse of Yavin’s power. Sisera’s death halted any further spread of Yavin’s kingdom. Whether the army of Israel ultimately killed Yavin, or took him captive, he certainly was lowered from his lofty status.