Judges 4:6

4:4-9 Deborah was a prophetess; one instructed in Divine knowledge by the inspiration of the Spirit of God. She judged Israel as God's mouth to them; correcting abuses, and redressing grievances. By God's direction, she ordered Barak to raise an army, and engage Jabin's forces. Barak insisted much upon her presence. Deborah promised to go with him. She would not send him where she would not go herself. Those who in God's name call others to their duty, should be ready to assist them in it. Barak values the satisfaction of his mind, and the good success of his enterprise, more than mere honour.

Jdg 4:6 . Called Barak — By virtue of that power which God had given her, and the people owned in her. Out of Kedesh-naphtali — So called, to distinguish it from other places of that name, one in Judah, and another in Issachar. Hath not the Lord, &c. — That is, assuredly God hath commanded thee; this is not the fancy of a weak woman, which peradventure thou mightest despise; but the command of the great God by my mouth, Mount Tabor — A place most fit for his purpose, as being in the borders of divers tribes, and having a large plain at the top of it, where he might conveniently marshal and discipline his army. Naphtali and Zebulun — These she names, because they were nearest, and best known to Barak, and therefore would soonest be brought together; because they were nearest, to the enemy, and therefore must speedily be assembled, or else they were likely to be hindered in their design; while the other tribes, being at a distance, had better opportunity of gathering forces for their succour; and because these had most smarted under this oppressor, who was in the heart of their country; but these are not named exclusively, as appears by the concurrence of some other tribes.

Verse 6. - Kedesh-naphtali , i.e. Kedesh in the tribe of Naphtali ( Joshua 19:37 ), as distinguished from Kedesh in the south of Judah ( Joshua 15:23 ), and others. It still keeps the name of Kades, and lies four miles north-west of Lake Huleh. There are numerous ancient remains. Hath not the Lord , etc. She sneaks as "a prophetess" announcing God s commands, not her own opinions; declaring God's promises, not merely her own hopes or wishes. Judges 4:6

And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel {d} 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? (d) And revealed to me by the spirit of prophecy.

The name Barak signifies lightning, an appropriate name for a warrior. It is found also as Barca or Barcas, among Punic proper names. Compare Mark 3:17 . On Kedesh-Naphtali see the marginal reference. Deborah speaks of God as Yahweh the God of Israel, because she speaks, as it were, in the presence of the pagan enemies of Israel, and to remind the Israelites, in the day of their distress, that He was ready to perform the mercy promised to their fathers, and to remember His holy covenant. This title, too, would recall to their memories in an instant all His past acts in Egypt, at the Red Sea, in the wilderness, and in the conquest of Canaan. The object of "drawing (toward Mount Tabor" rather, spreading out, compare Judges 20:37) was to effect a junction of the northern tribes with the tribes of Ephraim and Benjamin, who were separated from them by the plain of Esdraelon, where Sisera's chariots would naturally congregate and be most effective. Mount Tabor rises from the plain of Esdraelon, about 1,865 ft. above the sea, and its broad top of nearly a mile in circumference afforded a strong position, out of reach of Sisera's chariots. If El Harathiyeh be Harosheth, Sisera must have marched from the west. Harathiyeh is a height in the range which separates Esdraelon from the plains of Acre, under which the Kishon breaks through in its course to the sea.

6 . And she sent and called Barak ] continues Jdg 4:4 . Barak = ‘lightning’; the name is found in Phoenician, e.g. Barcas the father of Hannibal, and in Palmyrene and Sabaean ( NSI ., p. 299). out of Kedesh-naphtali ] also called K. in Galilee ( Joshua 20:7 ) to distinguish it from other places of the same name; it is mentioned in the Amarna letters and in Egypt, documents; the modern Ḳades 4 m. N.W. of the lake of Ḥûleh represents the ancient site. But the presence of Kedesh in this chapter raises serious difficulties; the town was too near Hazor, and too far from the scene of the conflict with Sisera, for the muster of Barak’s troops. Probably, therefore, Kedesh is an element in the Jabin-tradition, though how much of the present narrative belongs to that tradition cannot be exactly determined. mount Tabor ] Now Jebel eṭ-Ṭûr, 1843 ft., a prominent feature in the landscape of S.E. Galilee, remarkable for its dome-like shape and apparent isolation. It was the natural rallying-place for Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, whose settlements were in the neighbourhood (cf. Joshua 19:12 ; Joshua 19:22 ; Joshua 19:34 , which, however, describes the boundaries of a later age); while the position of the mountain, commanding the N.E. quarter of the Great Plain and one of the main outlets to the Jordan, afforded obvious advantages for a descent upon an enemy advancing from the W. across the Plain.

A further reason for Barak’s muster on Tabor has been suggested; apparently Issachar and Zebulun had a religious centre there, Deuteronomy 33:19 ( the mountain is prob. Tabor); the holy war would begin with a sacrifice at the tribal sanctuary (cf. 1 Samuel 13:9-12 ). This is possible. Naphtali … Zebulun ] The restriction of the combatants to these two tribes seems to agree better with the Jabin- than with the Sisera-story; in ch. 5 not two, but six tribes take part in the battle.

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, Joshua 15:23 , and another in Issachar, 1 Chronicles 6:72 . Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded? i.e. assuredly God hath commanded thee: this is not the fancy of a weak woman, which peradventure thou mayst despise, but the command of the great God by my mouth. Which command of God, and the following assurance of success, she might either gather from the general rules of Scripture, and the common course of God’s gracious providence, which was always ready to succour them when they cried to God; or receive by instinct or direction from God. Go and draw, or, go ; for so this word is oft used, as Genesis 37:28 Judges 20:37 Job 21:33 ; Hob. draw , to wit, thyself, or thy feet. Mount Tabor ; a place most fit for his purpose, as being in the borders of divers tribes, and having a large plain at the top of it, where he might conveniently marshal and discipline his army.

She names Naphtali and Zebulun partly, because they were nearest and best known to Barak, and therefore soonest brought together; partly, because they were nearest to the enemy, and therefore must speedily be assembled, er else they were likely to be hindered in their design, whilst the other tribes, being at more distance, had better opportunity of gathering forces for their succour, and partly, because these had most smarted under their oppressor, who was in the heart of their country, and therefore were most forward in the present service: but these are not named exclusively, as appears by the concurrence of some other tribes, as is related, Jud 5 .

6. she sent and called Barak—by virtue of her official authority as judge. Kedesh-naphtali—situated on an eminence, little north of the Sea of Galilee, and so called to distinguish it from another Kedesh in Issachar. Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded?—a Hebrew form of making an emphatic communication. Go and draw toward mount Tabor—an isolated mountain of Galilee, northeast corner of the plain of Esdraelon. It was a convenient place of rendezvous, and the enlistment is not to be considered as limited to ten thousand, though a smaller force would have been inadequate.

(6) Barak. —The name means “lightning” (Jos., Antt. ) , as does Barca, the family name of Hannibal and Hasdrubal. So in Virgil, the Scipios are called “two lightnings of war.” (Comp. Boanerges, Mark 3:17 .) Kedesh-naphtali.—The name “Kedesh” means a holy city. There were, therefore, many towns of the name, as Kadesh-Barnea (Numbers 20:1; Joshua 15:23), and Kedesh in Issachar (Joshua 12:22). Jerusalem is called “the holy, the noble” (El kuds, es shereef). This sanctuary of Naphtali was a Levitical refuge city in Galilee (Joshua 19:35; Joshua 20:7; Joshua 21:32). Josephus says that it was not far from Phœnicia (Jos., Antt. xiii. 5, § 6). The site of it is probably at Kades, four miles north-west of Lake Merom. The reading of the Syriac and Arabic versions here—Rakam—is inexplicable. The fact that the fame of Barak had penetrated from the northern city to the southern limits of Ephraim shows that he must have been a man of great mark. Draw.—The meaning of the word is uncertain. The Rabbis understand “the people,” others understand “thy steps,” referring to Genesis 37:21; Exodus 12:21 (Heb.). The LXX. has “thou shalt depart;” the Vulgate, “lead;” the Chaldee, “spread out,” as in Judges 20:37. There, however, our version gives in the margin the alternative “made a long sound with the trumpet,” and the verb is used in that sense in Exodus 19:13; Joshua 6:5, but there the substantive is added.

The word probably implies that Barak is to draw his troops together in small contingents to prevent suspicion. Mount Tabor.—The broad flat top of this strong, beautiful, and easily fortified mountain (which is nearly a mile in circumference) would serve the double purpose of a watch-post and a stronghold. It was in the district of Issachar, about six miles from Nazareth, and its peculiarities attracted notice in very early days (see Joshua 19:22; Psalm 89:12; Jeremiah 46:18). Josephus calls it Itaburion; he held it for some time successfully against Placidus and the Romans (Jos., B. J. iv. 1, § 8). Its huge truncated cone of limestone rises isolated from the plain to the height of nearly nineteen hundred feet, and its sides are clothed with oaks and terebinths. It is now called Jebel et Tur. It was long regarded as the scene of the Transfiguration, but it must yield this glory to Mount Hermon. But the sacred character of the hill seems to be distinctly intimated in Deuteronomy 33:19 : “They (Zebulon and Issachar) shall call the people unto the mountains; there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness;” Jeremiah 46:18 : “As I live, saith the King, whose name is the Lord of Hosts, surely as Tabor is among the mountains . . . so shall he come.” Of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun.—The northern tribes would feel most painfully the tyranny of Jabin, and these were the two most energetic of them.